The West Philadelphia Skills Initiative is recruiting West Philadelphia residents for a new job training opportunity with Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The program will prepare individuals to be Patient Sitters with the nationally renowned hospital.

Program graduates will have the opportunity to interview with CHOP, receive a performance-based stipend during the training, and learn the skills needed to successfully connect to employment and a fulfilling career path. Since its launch seven years ago, the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative has served over 800 individuals, and last year, 93 percent of its participants connected to employment.  Continue Reading

Scribe Video Center, the local nonprofit with a 35-year history of educating youth and adults on how to use electronic media as a tool for social change, has recently moved to a new location. The organization moved from its temporary home at 41st and Walnut to 3908 Lancaster Ave., where all in-house events and workshops will now be held. Currently, the organization is accepting donations that will go toward furnishing their new headquarters, including tables, chairs, speakers and more. Any size donation is welcome; for more information and how to donate, please visit this page.

Speaking of workshops, a new workshop series, “How to Create Your Own Podcast,” kicks off at Scribe Video tonight, at 7 p.m., and some spots may still be available. Participants will learn the basics of podcasting and how to develop their podcast ideas into fully-formed audio productions. Information on this and other upcoming workshops is available here.  Continue Reading

Photo via tastiesoulfood.com

A fine-dining soul food restaurant has opened on a block not exactly known for upscale sit-down eateries. Tasties Soul Food is launching where Pappy’s Pizza used to be, just north of Girard on 52nd Street. The restaurant is from Barbara Devan, a home-grown Southwest Philly success story who already runs two fast casual take-out restaurants under the Tasties brand. You may remember her from Jollies West, now the Corner Bar at 38th and Lancaster (right across from the site of the notorious Women’s Medical Society), or the old Tasties food truck, which would be often spotted near 48th and Market.

Tasties Restaurant features a full bar and will have brunch options on the weekend. In addition to standard soul food fare like BBQ chicken, turkey chops, candied yams and collard greens, Devan has added fancier options like fried lobster, lamb and mussels to the menu.  Continue Reading

A group of community organizations are standing with residents of Dorsett Court (4710 Locust St.) and Admiral Court (237 S. 48th St.) apartment buildings who were recently given bogus eviction notices to scare tenants out and make way for the sale of the buildings. A court decision has staved off eviction for at least a few more weeks.

Residents and supporters gathered in front of the buildings, which are adjacent on the corner of 48th and Locust, at a rally yesterday organized by the Philadelphia Tenants Union (PTU), a grassroots organization focused on protecting renters from unfair evictions. Community Legal Services and the Public Interest Law Center are also assisting the roughly 70 residents who received the eviction notices. Some video of the event is available on the PTU Facebook page.  Continue Reading

Demolition of the 131-year-old Christ Memorial Reformed Episcopal Church at 43rd and Chestnut is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, May 1. (Photo West Philly Local)

Residents who live near 43rd and Chestnut have received notices from the City’s Department of Public Health to prepare for demolition of the 131-year-old former Christ Memorial Reformed Episcopal Church building at 43rd and Chestnut, scheduled to begin today (May 1).

The city issued a demolition permit for the building last month. The permit was issued to building owners Kalidave Limited Partners, which is run by local developer Guy Laren, who saved a Frank Furness church at 47th and Kingsessing from demolition three years ago.  Continue Reading

Jane’s Walk, the annual festival of free, citizen-led walking tours inspired by the American-Canadian journalist, author and activist Jane Jacobs, returns to Philadelphia on May 4-6 with 27 walks around the city! Three walks will be held in West Philly and University City – all on Friday, May 4th and all new. Here are more details:

• 3 – 5 p.m.: The Gardens of West Philadelphia walk and conversation with Jeff Barg of Pennsylvania Horticultural Society will begin and end at UCity Square PHS Pop-Up Garden (3601 Filbert St.). Join PHS on a walking tour of one of Philadelphia’s most garden-rich neighborhoods. This two-hour walking tour will explore the gardens of Powelton Village and West Powelton, some of which boast decades of history. Kids, dogs and bicycles are welcome. Event Facebook page.  Continue Reading