Author Archive
Free Food Distribution
The City has opened several food distribution locations around Philadelphia. Sites nearest to West Mt. Airy include:
- Dare to Imagine Church – 6610 Anderson Street, (near Upsal St. ) – 19119
- Roxborough Church – 8232 Ridge Ave – 19138
(Please use the link below to see the full listing of distribution sites)
About the food sites:
- Sites are open Mondays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
- Residents can pick up one box per household.
- Residents do not need to present an ID or proof of income for eligibility.
- Food sites are supported by the City, Share Food Program, and Philabundance
Please note, depending on the location you may be required to stand in line for a period of time. Boxes may be heavy, if possible bring assistance or a rolling cart. Arrive closer to 10 AM to ensure availability.
Nearby sites includes,
https://www.phila.gov/2020-03-28-where-to-find-free-nutritious-food-during-covid-19/
14th District Safety Alerts and Crime Bulletin 3/23/20-3/29-20
Greetings,
During the current COVID-19 pandemic, there may be an increase in criminal activities. In particular, building security, theft from autos, and delivery worker safety are current concerns. To date, there exist no elevated trends in these crimes, however, the potential exists and the attached flyers include suggestions to deter such crimes. Please distribute/share accordingly. Thank you and stay safe.
P/O Raubert Hicks #3278, 14th District Crime Prevention Officer
43 W. Haines St, Philadelphia, PA 19144
work: 215-685-2147. fax: 215-685-2199. email: Raubert.Hicks@phila.gov
Stay Home, Stay Safe
Greetings WMAN Community,
It is our greatest wish that all of you are safe and healthy.
Neighbors Helping Neighbors
Last weekend Nate Holt, West Mt. Airy resident/Committee Person and a small group of volunteers organized a food/supply drive to assist the residents of Emlen Arms Apartments. Many of the 175 residents of the PHA building are some of the most vulnerable (elderly, chronic health problems) population for COVID-19 infection.
In an effort to minimize their need to go out, Nate sent an appeal to friends and neighbors requesting donations of food and other essential supplies. This grass roots effort garnered an overwhelming response, so much so that Nate and his fellow volunteers reached capacity very quickly. On Sunday, they went to sixty (60) homes to pick up donations (in a socially distant responsible manner) and filled 4 cars to the brim with food and supplies for delivery to Emlen Arms.
Nate said, “The speed with which our neighbors organized this food drive was incredible. Mt. Airy has shown me time and time again that our neighborhood is as compassionate and civically engaged as you’ll find anywhere.”
The neighborly outreach has led to an even larger donation to Emlen Arms. Today, volunteers will unload a truck full of groceries donated by Oak Street Health, to include water, bread, toilet paper, Chef Boryardee products, Campbell’s Soup, sugar, Ritz crackers, eggs and apple juice.
In another week or two, the team of volunteers plan to organize another community food drive similar to last week. Thirty (30) households have already signed up to donate.
We commend Nate and the team of volunteers for spearheading this initiative.
At this time of unprecedented unemployment, and the uncertainty of the duration of our stay at home order, we encourage everyone to check in on your neighbors and support one another. If you are aware of a need, or have items you wish to donate to a family in need please feel free to contact WMAN at wman@wman.net and will do our best to help connect community members with available resources. Please use “COVID Help” in the subject line.
Also, If you experience an act of kindness/generosity that WMAN can share please contact us at wman@wman.net.
Alert: Trash and Recycling Collections Are Currently One Day Behind
ALERT : Apr 02, 2020 – Trash and recycling collections are currently one day behind
Trash collections are currently one day behind. Residents should continue to place their materials out on their regularly scheduled day at their normal pickup location.
Recycling materials will be collected on an every other week schedule. Residents should hold their recycling materials for the week of Monday, April 6th through Saturday, April 11th. Recycling collections will resume on Monday, April 13th with every other week collections through May 15th or further.
Sanitation Convenience Centers are currently open Tuesday through Saturday from 8am to 8pm during the City’s COVID-19 response.
We thank residents for their patience as we work to maintain trash and recycling collections on a consistent schedule and crews work safe and quickly as possible during these unprecedented times to deliver these services. For more info
WMA GEMS: Ellie Seif
Continuing our recognition and celebration of people and places in West Mt. Airy. (The narrative on this “GEM” also includes some reminiscences by Yvonne from the good ole days.)
ELLIE SEIF, a retired educator of 28 years (public school teacher and principal), has traveled to photograph many places in the world.
If you go to Ellie’s website at http://www.ellieseifphotography.com , you will find beautiful, unusual, and special photographs from far beyond West Mt. Airy.
Ellie has had many solo exhibits, including one at International House at the University of Pennsylvania, featuring thirty-four images taken in Vietnam.
Other solo exhibits include nature photography shown at Awbury Arboretum and High Point Café. Ellie also has exhibited her Urban Landscape photographs taken throughout the city of Philadelphia.
She is a volunteer photographer for several organizations, including Habitat For Humanity and Weaver’s Way Coop.
As a renowned photographer, Ellie’s generosity makes her a true GEM! Her talent has cultivated a widespread appreciation of her work that she uses to generously contribute to public school education.
She raises funds annually to benefit the Picasso Project, a fund that provides arts grants to teachers in the Philadelphia School System.
Every year, before Christmas, many of us get a call from Ellie to purchase cards for her solo fundraising drive for public education. You see, she creates greeting cards from her vast collection to sell for the Picasso Project.
Every year, without fail, we get the call. Of course, I always purchase the cards, but years ago, I also purchased a framed 18X24” photograph of a scene in Vietnam that looks like a painting hanging on my wall!
In Ellie’s words, her “images capture a specific moment in time, recording nature’s beauty that sometimes eludes us as we go about our everyday lives.
Her photographs of people evolve from her desire to understand and communicate cultural similarities and differences with the hope that these understandings will break down barriers to cooperation and peace.”
I’ve known Ellie since 1972 when we were both young mothers…she a teacher and me the Executive Director of West Mt. Airy Neighbors. With our babies in carriages, we started YES (Youth Employment Services) to give kids summer employment doing chores for neighbors.
Ellie is a “Gem” because of her history in education, her many years always volunteering, and, most importantly, her wonderful gift of photography.
Her love and photographic capture of diversity in people, spaces, and places make Ellie true blue Mt. Airy. Go to her website to see what I mean.
(Note: This “Gem” was based on my personal knowledge, but WMAN wants to hear from YOU. If you wish to nominate a “Gem,” please submit your recommendation to kathryn@wman.net with a narrative to share your justification. The only requirement is that both you and the person recommended must be WMAN members….Yvonne’s Rule!)
WMA GEMS: Fatima M. Rogers
Principal, Charles W. Henry Elementary School… A JEWEL Devoted to Public Education
Fatima’s excellent leadership at Henry was recently confirmed in a big way…she became one of seven recipients of the Lindback Distinguished Principal Award.
The Lindback Distinguished Principal Award, funded by the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation of Philadelphia, recognizes and rewards Philly school principals who have made significant leadership and humanitarian contributions to his/her school community.
School leaders who are chosen to receive this award will receive $20,000 for their school community.
Fatima’s award will be used toward completing Henry’s new Multimedia Library “The Launchpad”. Henry has a Computer Lab that will be converted into a Multimedia Library Center that has high quality fiction and non-fiction texts, subscriptions to annual periodicals, a library management center, MakerSpace supplies, as well as, updated technology.
Being chosen to receive such a prestigious award was also impressive and impactful for the neighborhood.
We are so proud of Fatima’s leadership that we know will continue to be a beacon for good education for our kids and for the importance of public schools…a beacon that shines on all of us to support ours schools and value them as the backbone of a strong neighborhood.
WMA GEMS: Judy Weinstein
Director Supreme… We will miss her at Mt. Airy Learning Tree
After 10 years at Mt. Airy Learning Tree (five as Executive Director), Judy Weinstein is stepping down to pursue other ventures and journeys.
Under Judy’s leadership, MALT BECAME EVEN MORE OF AN INSTITUTION IN MT. AIRY, tending to our thirst for learning, engagement, and connection.
Under Judy’s leadership, MALT created many new partnerships with local institutions, businesses and locations and in her last year, MALT’s student population grew amazingly by 14% over the prior 5-year average!
MALT renovated their beloved corner office, which holds classes every night and weekend.
Judy’s special parting legacy will be the re-designed garden, including a Little Free Library in front of the MALT office that will be completed this spring.
We applaud Judy for carrying on the dream Barbara Bloom had 37 years ago to have neighbors teach neighbors in a community setting, and we wish her well in her next adventure.
And we also look forward to more of her organizational talent that anyone who has worked with Judy knows to be simply superb.
14th District Crime Bulletin 03/23/20
What’s Open in Mt. Airy?
Mt. Airy Tap Room – Take Out and Delivery – https://mountairytaproom.com/
Breakfast Boutique – take out – https://www.facebook.com/BreakfastBoutiqueMountAiry/
Other Area Businesses – See Mt. Airy CDC Listing – https://forms.gle/JS4CmTjUnwyTrnAD8
Mt. Airy CDC – Community Impact Survey
https://mtairycdc.org/covid-19-communityimpactsurvey/?fbclid=IwAR2YFjivEbhqCLYQH9sypsfTWtBgceIORAWNMmX41caOsFSXDSORhfU4HoA
Volunteer Opportunities – The Philadelphia Medical Reserve Corpshttps://www.phila.gov/services/mental-physical-health/volunteer-for-the-philadelphia-medical-reserve-corps-pmrc/
Early/Mail-in Voting
| A couple of weeks ago I attended State Representative Chris Rabb’s Act 77 – Early Voting Policy Hearing. As we now navigate through this current of climate of social distancing, the new PA legislation allowing the option of early/mail in voting has become even more of a necessity. As more of us now consider the option of early/mail in voting we wanted to provide you with information and resources regarding the new provisions to ensure everyone understands how our new early voting legislation works. At this time, the date of the PA primary election is Tuesday, April 28th. However, in light of COVID-19, consideration is being given to the possibility of postponing the election. At the time of the hearing there were still some logistical matters that needed to be confirmed both state and city wide. Following are a few takeaways from the hearing. Please note this information is not all inclusive. Please see the resources section below to learn how to get additional official information. ACT 77 Early Voting Provisions The Voter registration deadline has been reduced from 30 days prior to election to 15 days prior to election. The last day to register to vote before the upcoming primary is April 13th. Applications must be received (not post marked) by the Voter Registration Office by the deadline. Voters may register online at www.votesPA.com Mail in/Early voting hopefully will increase voter “turnout”, allowing people to vote when it’s convenient for them. PA residents may request a mail in or absentee ballot up to 50 days prior to the election, and as late as 5:00 PM the Tuesday prior to Election Day. Please allow time for the ballot to be mailed to you, so that it can be returned prior to the deadline. Absentee/Mail In ballots are due to the county board of elections office by 8:00 PM on Election Day. PA residents can apply for early voting in person at the county election office and vote on the same day.Logistical matters to be aware of;Mail In ballots may be requested 50 days (March 10thThe way the act currently reads, early ballots may not be counted until 8PM on Election Day. Measures are being taken to determine if the count can begin earlier in the day, i.e. 12 noon. It is unclear when results would be available. Once a mail in ballot has been requested, the person is no longer eligible to vote in person at their regular polling location on Election Day, except via provisional ballot. If the voter, never submitted their mail in ballot, they will have two (2) optionsComplete a provisional ballot until status of the mail in ballot has been confirmed; OR hand deliver their ballot to the County Board of Elections by 8:00 PM on election day (April 28th) Voters may request ballots on line at www.votespa.com FYI – at this time there is no automatic confirmation that a mail in ballot has been received, however a voter can call the county board of elections to confirm receipt of the ballot. RESOURCES: |
| Mailing Address Phila. County Board of Elections Room 142, City Hall Phila. PA 19119 Mailing Address Voter Registration Office 520 N. Columbus Blvd, 5th floor Phila. PA 19107 www.VotesPA.com |