PHILADELPHIA (July 11, 2024) — Today, the City of Philadelphia announced $360,000 in grants awarded in the fourth cycle of the Kensington Community Resilience Fund (KCR Fund). The KCR Fund was launched in 2021 as a collaborative grant-making partnership between community members, City government, and the Scattergood Foundation to address the harms caused by the opioid and overdose crises in Kensington, Harrowgate, and Fairhill. Its participatory model gives community leaders and residents the power to set funding strategies and decide which organizations receive funding.
Each of the 36 grantees in the 2024 cycle received a $10,000 general operating grant, bringing total resident-led giving through the KCR Fund to $1.12 million since 2021. All recipients are located in or have a track record of serving the KCR Fund’s geographic footprint. The KCR Fund is funded by the City of Philadelphia’s opioid settlement dollars and grants from the Scattergood Foundation, the Patricia Kind Family Foundation, and the Nelson Foundation.
“We are laser-focused on improving the quality of life for the residents of Kensington through the many programs we have put in place already to improve safety, property, businesses, and lives," said Mayor Cherelle L. Parker. "We're thankful to the community members who are part of this grantmaking process. They know best where support is most needed to address the effects of the opioid and overdose crisis on their own neighborhoods and residents."
Grants support a range of operations and program costs, including critical start-up funding for resident-led programs like Philly Bridge & Jawn (PB&J). “We started as an idea without any staff or funding and weren’t sure what to expect when we launched our Cook, Eat, Meet and Get Paid program,” shared Bryan Belknap, PB&J’s Founder and a second-time KCR Fund awardee. “Our first grant helped launch our program and now, one year later, we have secured even more funding which will enable us to work toward daily programming. It’s been an incredible turnaround for PB&J that was made possible by the KCR Fund and the community members who believe in our work.”
Grantees of the Fund must focus on at least one of six key issue areas prioritized by the community:
- Beautification and blight removal
- Building resilience, promoting wellness, and addressing community trauma
- Connecting residents to resources
- Public safety
- Workforce development and training
- Youth development
Through all of its work, the KCR Fund seeks to build equity and agency in communities most harmed by the opioid and overdose crises by placing decision-making power in the hands of those who know best - residents and community leaders living and working there every day. “As a Harrowgate resident for close to 30 years, I’m grateful that the KCR Fund lifts up the voices of the community because we know what we need and what we want,” said Darlene Burton, a longtime Harrowgate resident and participant in the CGG. ‘It is empowering to be heard and be a partner in the decision-making process for these grants.’
The KCR Fund also offers programs to grow the capacity of grantees and community members involved in its participatory process. “I feel grateful for and continue to stay involved in this work because I see people who I know are working hard in the community being listened to and recognized. The KCR Fund gives more than just money - it has opened doors and opportunities for more connections, resources, and networking,” said Caz Tod-Pearson, Executive Director of The Simple Way and a Community Advisory Committee member.
The KCR Fund recently launched a new website at www.kcrfund.org that highlights KCR Fund grantees and community participants and provides information and resources for residents and organizations looking to get involved.
A new video about the KCR Fund also contains b-roll that can be used by broadcast media and/or linked to print stories.
2024 Grantees include the following groups:
- Beyond the Bars
- Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia
- Big Picture Philadelphia
- By Faith Health And Healing
- Centro Nueva Creación
- Education Plus Health
- Fab Youth Philly
- Firm Hope Baptist Church
- Friends Of Harrowgate Park
- Hart Lane Neighborhood Farm
- Historic Fair Hill
- Hope Partnership for Education
- Iglesia Internacional Peña De Horeb, Inc.
- Kensington Neighbors United Civic Association
- Kensington Soccer Club
- Kensington Voice
- Klean Kensington
- Legal Clinic for the Disabled
- Philly Bridge & Jawn
- Philly Unknown
- Photography Without Borders
- Providence Center
- RAWtools Philly
- Rock to the Future
- Servant Partners
- Simple Homes Fuller Center
- Small Things Inc.
- Students Run Philly Style
- Taller Puertorriqueño
- Team NAS
- The Salvation Army - Eastern Pennsylvania & Delaware Divisional Headquarters New Day Drop-In Center
- The Simple Way
- Trash Academy of Culture Trust
- Uplift Center for Grieving Children
- Urban Extreme Youth Development
- Yoga 4 Philly
Learn more about the KCR Fund at www.kcrfund.org. Contact Ashley Feuer-Edwards, Director of the KCR Fund at ashley@kcrfund.org with questions or to discuss opportunities to support and partner with the fund.