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1301 N 2nd St
Philadelphia, PA, 19122
United States

215-427-3463

Neighborhood help desk and catalyst for community engagement & action in the South Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia

The SKCP Blog

NEED HELP?

South Kensington Community Partners

SKCP's NAC Coordinator will be holding in-person office hours.


They will be held on Wednesdays and Fridays from 12pm to 4pm. You MUST make an appointment before visiting.
To select a slot for an appointment, please
CLICK HERE and find the next available slot.
If you have any questions, or may need help outside of these hours, please contact me at
rdavis@southkensingtoncommunity.org
or call (215) 427-3463.

The following is a list of different types of assistance programs:

SKCP Virtual Community Meeting

South Kensington Community Partners

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This meeting will happen next Wednesday, July 29 at 1pm-2pm.

You can RSVP for the event by clicking HERE. The meeting link and call-in numbers are included on the RSVP page.

***If you are a community partner who would like to be added to the agenda, respond to this email (davis@southkensingtoncommunity.org) with a small description of what you would like to discuss at the meeting.***

Please feel free to share this information with others and ask me any questions, if necessary at the above email..

STREETS DEPARTMENT ALERT

South Kensington Community Partners

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Week of July 20th, Trash & Recycling Delayed One to Two Days.

The Following is an Update on the Streets Department Trash and Recycling Schedule for the Week of July 20, 2020. Streets Department Updates Residents on Delays in Trash and Recycling Collections Due to the Pandemic.
The Streets Department will expand the operating hours of the Sanitation Convenience Centers to seven days a week beginning Monday July 20th to allow residents to bring their trash and recycling material anytime during the week. Drop-off centers will allow residents to dispose of their trash without delays and will help the Streets Department return to a normal collection schedule. To find out the locations and operating hours of the Sanitation Convenience Centers click here.

Details here.

Spotted Lanternfly: PennState Extension

South Kensington Community Partners

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Spotted lanternfly (SLF) is an invasive insect that has spread throughout Pennsylvania since its discovery in Berks County in 2014. SLF feeds on the plant sap of many different plants including grapevines, maples, black walnut, and other important plants in PA. Read more here.


If you see SLF, help us stop it in its tracks!

To report a sighting, use our reporting tool
or call our hotline at 1-888-422-3359.

Philadelphia residents can now schedule doorstep pick-up of electronics and clothing

South Kensington Community Partners

Francesca Furey, Grid Philly

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Looking to dispose of old cell phone models that live in a drawer and collect dust? How about piles of outfits that no longer fit? The City of Philadelphia’s new partnership with Retrievr lets you do just that, all while abiding by social distancing guidelines. Retrievr is a pickup service that allows residents to safely and responsibly recycle unwanted clothing and electronics from the comfort of their own home. The initiative came about through the City of Philadelphia’s SmartCityPHL Roadmap program, designed to foster innovative solutions to city problems. On May 28, the partnership with Retrievr was announced via its Pitch & Pilot program, which encourages city workers and outside collaborators to brainstorm solutions to municipal challenges and test out various technologies.

Read more here.

SURVEYS: Childcare needs & Septa travel

South Kensington Community Partners

Take the PHL Childcare Reopen Survey

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Reinvestment Fund, the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Children and Families, Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC), and United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey are conducting a city-wide survey to understand childcare needs as people head back to work and school.

Participants who complete the survey will be entered into a daily drawing for a $100 Visa gift card.

Take the survey today



SEPTA Seeks Customer Feedback – COVID-19 Recovery Travel Survey

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Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, SEPTA has taken a purposeful approach to service, driven by employee and customer safety. As travel restrictions are lifted, and more customers return to SEPTA’s buses, trains and trolleys, our return-to-service plan remains focused on those same priorities.

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To help SEPTA continue to respond to the region’s changing travel needs and adjust service as ridership increases, we have developed a customer survey seeking input from our customers on a host of topics, including: pre-COVID 19 SEPTA usage, current travel needs, anticipated future travel plans, factors influencing travel decisions, and feedback on the various health and safety measures SEPTA has implemented throughout the system.
Customer feedback is critical to helping SEPTA improve its services. We welcome input from all SEPTA customers and hope you will encourage the members of your organization to take the time to complete this brief SEPTA COVID-19 Recovery Survey:

QUICK. EASY. FREE OF RED TAPE. FORGIVABLE LOANS FOR PENNSYLVANIA SMALL BUSINESSES

South Kensington Community Partners

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Are you a Pennsylvania small business with 3 to 30 employees? The PA 30 Day Fund promises a quick and easy application with rapid processing time. Best of all, repayment is completely optional! Any dollars returned to the fund will be passed on to other businesses in need.

Additionally, PA 30 Day Fund is making $100,000 (via $3,000 forgivable loans) available to small businesses affected by property damage and looting. Please spread the word!

APPLY NOW

LIHEAP Ends August 31….Don’t miss out on up to $800!

South Kensington Community Partners

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ONLY 6 WEEKS LEFT: DON'T MISS OUT ON THE LIHEAP RECOVERY CRISIS PROGRAM

Low-income customers who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and have a past-due bill may be eligible for up to $800 through LIHEAP’s (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) Recovery Crisis Program. Visit pgworks.com/crisis
The LIHEAP Recovery Crisis Program is open to renters and homeowners through August 31, 2020, and does not have to be repaid.

Apply Online. Download an Application – English / Spanish

FREE COVID-19 TESTING

South Kensington Community Partners

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STEPHEN AND SANDRA SHELLER 11TH STREET FAMILY HEALTH SERVICES
850 N. 11th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123

Stephen and Sandra Sheller Family Health Service Center is offering free COVID-19 testing in North Philadelphia for anyone with or without symptoms. Registration is encouraged. This site is open Tuesdays every week from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and does not require any paperwork or appointments for walk-up or drive-thru testing.Tests will be administered until supply runs out. Results notification in 5-7 business days. Testing may be cancelled due to inclement weather. More here.

To make an Appointment-
Phone: 215.769.1100

For General Information-
Phone: 267.359.5929
Fax: 215.769.1119

Webinar: Tangled Title (on Zoom)

South Kensington Community Partners

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On July 21, the Stern Community Lawyering Clinic is hosting a webinar about tangled title at 1:00 PM. Without title to your residential property, you cannot rebuild in the event of a disaster or refinance to improve the quality of your home. If you inherited your property or have had trouble documenting your ownership of your residence, join this free conversation to understand your best next steps.


Join us to learn:
- What is tangled title?
- How do I transfer my property into my name?
- What are the benefits and challenges?


Zoom #ID: 984 1348 5649
Password: 616300
Dial-In: 1-267-831-0333
98413485649#
616300#

Spraygrounds: a way to cool off

South Kensington Community Partners

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Spraygrounds a relatively safe way to cool off, experts say.
Meir Rinde, WHYY

With the public pools all closed this year, and reopening plans still unclear for senior centers, libraries, cinemas, and other diversions, the spraygrounds that opened yesterday are among the very few options residents have to get out of the house and cool off. Parks and Recreation Commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell said the reopening follows lengthy consultations with the Health Department and the start of a limited green phase for the city last Friday that allows use of private pools. Read more here.


There are spraygrounds (aka playgrounds with sprinklers) across Philadelphia city this year. Here's a map.

List of spraygrounds around the neighborhood:

- Benson Park 1477 N 4th St
- Thomas Hart Park 1315-21 N 4th St.
- East Poplar Playground 820 N 8th St

Tips to enjoy parks safely [pdf]

Things to do. Recreation center summer camps also started Monday, with reduced enrollment and new health protocols, and the city is beginning to reinstall basketball hoops that were removed from playgrounds earlier this year to discourage games. Park & Recreation Finder, use this app to search for activities, parks, rec centers, and more.

Rental & Mortgage Assistance

South Kensington Community Partners

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Apply ASAP, First come First served

Starting July 6 PHDC will accept applications for a new round of rental assistance. Renters and landlords may submit their application online, by fax, or by mail. Funds will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.


Click here for details and preview the application.


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CARES funding for Pennsylvanians
CARES Assistance for Renters & Homeowners


The federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act, is a law to help people hurt financially by the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. CARES assistance is now available in Pennsylvania for rent relief and mortgage relief.

Applications are available now for people interested in requesting CARES rent or mortgage relief due to COVID-19. More information click the appropriate link:

The CARES Pandemic Mortgage Assistance Program (PMAP). The CARES funding for mortgage relief must be completely distributed by November 30, 2020. Fact sheet [pdf]


Gov. Wolf Extends Eviction, Foreclosure Ban Through August
Rudy Chinchilla, NBCPhiladelphia

The moratorium, first enacted in March in order to protect people after massive job losses due to the coronavirus pandemic, was originally set to expire on Friday, July 10. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf is extending his moratorium on evictions and foreclosures through Aug. 31, his press office announced Thursday. The executive order ensures people are not evicted or foreclosed upon if they have not been able to make payments and have not received aid from state or federal relief programs. More here.

The statewide moratorium on evictions and foreclosures because of nonpayment is scheduled to end July 10. Philadelphia City Council extended the eviction moratorium until Aug. 31 for residential renters and small businesses. The Federal Housing Administration has also extended its foreclosure moratorium through Aug. 31 for homeowners with federally backed mortgages.

MORE ON MASKS!!!

South Kensington Community Partners

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Is your COVID-19 mask working? If it’s a bandanna, maybe not much.
Tom Avril, Philadelphia Inquirer.

The shopper darts into a store, quickly tying on a bandanna or pulling up a shirt collar at the last minute. Enough to satisfy the overworked clerk who is tasked with enforcing COVID-19 mask requirements? Probably. But not so effective at preventing the spread of coronavirus, a new study suggests. The authors of the study did not use actual viruses or real people, but simulated coughing with a mannequin and a pump that sprayed a mixture of gelatin and water. The results, from engineers at Florida Atlantic University, were consistent with previous research, not to mention common sense: Not all masks are created equal.

More here.


A user’s guide to masks: What’s best at protecting others (and yourself)
Maria Godoy, WHYY


So you want to wear a face mask? Good call.
A growing body of evidence supports the idea that wearing face masks in public, even when you feel well, can help curb the spread of the coronavirus — since people can spread the virus even without showing symptoms. That’s the main reason to wear a mask: to protect other people from you. Face masks can also offer the wearer some protection — though how much varies greatly, depending on the type of mask. No mask will offer full protection, and they should not be viewed as a replacement for physical distancing of at least 6 feet from others, frequent hand-washing and avoiding crowds. When you combine masks with those measures, they can make a big difference.

But what kind of mask is best? Read here.

FREE COVID-19 TESTING

South Kensington Community Partners

STEPHEN AND SANDRA SHELLER 11TH STREET FAMILY HEALTH SERVICES
850 N. 11th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123

11th street health.jpg

Stephen and Sandra Sheller Family Health Service Center is offering free COVID-19 testing in North Philadelphia for anyone with or without symptoms. Registration is encouraged. This site is open Tuesdays every week from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and does not require any paperwork or appointments for walk-up or drive-thru testing.Tests will be administered until supply runs out. Results notification in 5-7 business days. Testing may be cancelled due to inclement weather. More here.

To make an Appointment-
Phone: 215.769.1100

For General Information-
Phone: 267.359.5929
Fax: 215.769.1119

Recycling Collections Resume

South Kensington Community Partners

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Starting July 6th, the Streets Department will resume collecting recycling every week along with trash. Residents should place both trash and recycling out on their normal collection day at their regular pick up location. Regular trash and recycling collections will continue on or as close to its normal schedule as possible. To help smooth the transition back to every week collection, the Sanitation Convenience Centers will remain open under a modified schedule for residents to dispose of items from Tuesday through Saturday, between 8 am and 8 pm.
The Streets Department thanks residents for their understanding during this time and as adjustments were made to provide essential services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

To learn more about your recycling schedule, please call 311 or visit philadelphiastreets.com/recycling.