Episcopal Community Services

 On June 23, the Phillies hosted 15 children from the ECS foster/kinship care and FAST Housing to enjoy a night at the game in pitcher Roy Halladay’s personal suite, “Doc’s Box.”  The youth had the incredible opportunity to meet Halladay and got a behind-the-scenes tour of Citizens Bank Park. 

Executive director John Midwood accompanied the ECS kids and social workers on this exciting evening.  The youth selected to attend the event demonstrated academic achievements during the school year.  

This is the Phillies’ second generous gift to ECS.  In 2009 the team donated $10,000 to support the work of ECS St. Barnabas Mission. 

ECS Urban Bridges held its closing ceremony for the 2009-2010 school year. The annual event is an opportunity for learners from the program’s adult literacy and ESL classes, as well as their teachers and tutors, to celebrate their accomplishments.

Alexa, a learner in the adult literacy program, summed up what many learners expressed.

“I would like to thank ECS for giving me the opportunity to join this program,” she said. “I never thought I could make it this far, but with the support of my tutors, Urban Bridges and my family, I’m going to be a better mom, a better person and successful in my career.”

The adult literacy program provides one-on-one instruction thanks to volunteer tutors from Villanova University and St. Joseph’s University. That way, the program can cater to a diverse range of abilities and goals. Some students come to prepare for more intensive GED classes, while others just want to brush up on certain subjects in order to help their children with homework.

For Latasha, a mother of four, gaining entrance to the Urban Bridges adult diploma program was the culmination of a yearlong commitment to the adult literacy program.

“I waited a long time to get this done,” she said. “I’m so proud of myself and I’m so proud of my children because they encourage me every day to push harder and do the things I want to do in life. I will be receiving my high school diploma on June 28 (2011) and am applying to college.”

New classes at ECS Urban Bridges, located in the Olney section of Philadelphia, will begin in September. For more information on enrollment, visit http://www.ecs1870.org/programs/ub.

Each year, Episcopal Community Services chooses the week of Mother’s Day to celebrate the foster mothers (and fathers) who open their homes and hearts to children in need. This year, the ECS Foster/Kinship Care Program took over the South Philadelphia soul food lounge Warmdaddy’s and welcomed a special guest speaker, Blondell Reynolds Brown, an at-large member of the Philadelphia City Council.

Reynolds Brown sits on the Committee on Public Health and Human Services and is a longtime advocate for children. A former third grade teacher and mother of two, she credited the ECS foster parents and staff for their commitment to care for vulnerable young people.

“Thank you for reaching beyond the space of the world that you occupy, to wrap your loving arms and huge hearts around the most vulnerable in our community – children. If only we could clone you all a dozen times, we wouldn’t have to worry about any of our children being in unsafe environments,” she said. “You have taken it upon yourselves to wrap your arms around Philadelphia’s children, and I thank you for that."

The program also honored two foster parents for five years of service and honored Dandelene Johnson for 15 years of service. Johnson specializes in caring for special needs foster children and has adopted four children over the years.

“Two of my children do not speak, but when I see the smiles on their faces, I know that’s their way of telling me how much they love and appreciate me,” Johnson said.

The event was also a farewell to one very special foster mom who is retiring after 23 years with ECS. Charlene Walls has fostered seven children, adopting two girls and providing lifetime support for two special-needs brothers who have recently transferred into an adult program.

“I had all kinds of plans on what I was going to do with my life. It didn’t work out. I ended up being exactly what I should be, a foster parent. It has been a pleasure,” Walls said.

To the newer foster parents in the crowd, Walls had just a few parting words. “You have a great job ahead of you.”

It took nearly a year of Saturdays, but Philly: Love Disguised, a video by the ECS Teens Takin' Over program at ECS, made its debut on March 2 at the studios of WHYY. The short documentary highlights the challenges teens face growing up in some of Philadelphia's most dangerous neighborhoods.

The ECS teens worked with the WHYY Learning Lab, which works with schools and community organizations to help youth tell their stories on video. The participants gained hands-on media skills and experience in teamwork.
"I felt like I accomplished something," said Dion, who wants to pursue a career in the media. "I want to work behind the scenes, so I'm already ahead."

With instruction and support from WHYY staff, the teens did all their own writing, shooting, editing and scoring for the video during their Saturday sessions. When the editing process went past its deadline, former WHYY community media instructor Reid Cohen moved computers and production to the ECS headquarters while the Learning Lab was closed for construction. The project was a true team effort and the results are moving.

"It was the atmosphere - being around my friends and working together," said Dana, now a college freshman. "The topic was a big concern because a lot of the teenagers I know live in these neighborhoods where there are drugs and gun violence."

The video is currently available at www.ecs1870.org/teenvideo.

Episcopal Community Services’ first-ever Faith in Action Walk was supposed to be a “dry run,” – a small event that would be a model for a larger event in the future. The dry run turned into a wet one, but plenty of hearty walkers still made it to the square in Prospect Park, PA to show their support.

The event was a partnership between ECS and the Delaware Deanery, which includes 14 Episcopal churches in Delaware County. Participants collected sponsorship donations from over 60 individuals, and participants walked around Park Square in Prospect Park, PA to show their support for the ECS mission. Many families also attended the deanery-wide service focused on the work of ECS, thanks to St. James Episcopal Church, which opened its doors as a rain location.

 “Thanks to the Delaware Deanery for making this inaugural event a success,” said Kim Shiley, director of development and communications at ECS. “We learned a lot, which will enable the Faith in Action Walk concept to be extended to a larger audience.”

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