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October 2018 Rebuild Update

Friday, October 19, 2018

Rebuild was featured at Exponent Philanthropy’s National Conference that was held in Philadelphia in September.  The session, “Harnessing the Power of Collaboration,” highlighted how Rebuild investors have joined forces in an unprecedented public–private partnership to move projects and communities forward together. Speakers were Michael DiBerardinis of the City of Philadelphia, David Gould of Rebuild, Sidney Hargro of Philanthropy Network Greater Philadelphia, Shawn McCaney of William Penn Foundation, and Kristi Poling of The Barra Foundation.

In September, eligible nonprofits applied to manage projects at five Rebuild sites. The projects are:  Vare Recreation Center, Olney Recreation Center, Glavin Playground, Heitzman Recreation Center, and Cecil B. Moore Recreation Center.  The nonprofit for each project is expected to be selected later this year. That will allow community engagement to begin in the winter to help decide what changes are made at each site.

Rebuild welcomes two new staff members to the team! Tim Roundtree is Rebuild’s new Deputy Director for Diversity and Inclusion, and Natalia C. Jackson joins as Compliance Manager.

Rebuild held a networking event on October 9th for minority and woman owned businesses.  The event was attended by more than 200 people and provided an opportunity for business owners to network with the nonprofits applying to manage the first Rebuild projects.

The Rebuild Oversight Board met on Thursday, October 18th at the Lillian Marrero Library. The Oversight Board meets quarterly and is in charge of reviewing Rebuild's progress and making recommendations for the program.  Meetings are open to all and provide an opportunity for the public to hear updates, provide comments, and ask questions about this landmark initiative to reinvest in parks, recreation centers, and libraries across Philadelphia. Learn more about the Oversight Board and the dates of future meetings here.

Philanthropy Network collaborated with the Rebuild Team to hire video production firm to create an inspirational video highlighting the value of the Rebuild project and the positive impact of libraries, recreation centers, and parks on local communities.Be on the lookout for the unveiling of the video later this fall!

Rebuild provides funders the opportunity to streamline processes and work collectively toward shared goals by giving through a fund established at National Philanthropic Trust by the William Penn Foundation. Every additional dollar raised will allow Rebuild to deliver more improvements in Philadelphia communities, serve more people, and grow more local businesses.

To learn more about Rebuild, including how your foundation can invest, visit Philanthropy Network Greater Philadelphia’s Rebuild pages on our website and look for updates in your inbox!

To receive regular updates on Rebuild’s progress and opportunities to get involved, go to the Rebuild website and enter your email address on the bottom of the page.