Giving Back To Our Communities
As a small business with a large community impact, we believe in working to make meaningful, sustainable contributions, of both time and money, to create good beyond the realm of business.
Through our parent company, Elfant Pontz Properties, and working together with a local educational consulting company, we target violence intervention nonprofits as well as literacy and arts programming for youth. After research, conversations, and visits, we distribute grants to highly effective non-profit organizations in Philadelphia. As we are a community-minded business that cares deeply about the future of our city, we are proud to extend our work in this way. Below are a few of the incredible organizations we’ve made contributions to.
Arden Theatre Company
https://ardentheatre.org/
The Arden Theatre Company is a full-service professional regional theatre located in Philadelphia’s historic Old City neighborhood, offering theatrical and educational productions and programs to artists, audiences, and students of the greater Philadelphia region. The Arden Theatre Company strives to be Philadelphia’s ”hometown theatre” and is integral to the city’s cultural fabric. The company is a nonprofit dedicated to “bringing to life great stories by great storytellers – on the stage, in the classroom, and in the community.” They reach thousands of students annually, introducing many to theatre for the first time.
Beyond the Bars
https://beyondthebarsmusic.org/mission/
Beyond the Bars uses music to interrupt cycles of violence and the “school-to-prison pipeline.” They do this through community-based programs, diversionary programs, and incarceration programs. It began with teaching incarcerated youth who had never had music programming before. Students would express, through music, a wide array of traumas, from abuse to homelessness to witnessing homicide. They later branched out to community-based programs addressing many of these same traumas. There are two main programs: the student-driven music academy, where they play shows, and the practical producer’s program, where they learn how to write and produce music with professionals.
Face to Face Germantown
https://facetofacegermantown.org
Families, individuals, and the homeless are welcomed and treated with dignity and respect at Face to Face. Their goal is to meet basic human needs and reduce suffering. Face to Face offers a dining room, a nurse-managed health center, a legal center, social services, and, along with Mercy Neighborhood Ministries, early child education, children’s summer camps, and after-school programs. They also have a Washeteria where people can take a hot shower and receive a new set of clothes. Face to Face serves 2,500 annually and has been a stable presence in Germantown for over 35 years.
Kensington Soccer Club
https://www.kensingtonsoccer.org
Founded in 2010 by Executive Director Jim Hardy, the organization's primary focus is to eliminate barriers to sports and recreation. Since Kensington lacks green space, Jim’s idea was to bring soccer to the youth– at their schools and rec centers. If they wanted to play, he didn’t want them to go far to do it. Kensington Soccer Club has grown to serve 1,400 youth across its programs. While 95% is on the fieldwork, it also incorporates nutrition, team building, team spirit, fair play, and community building. A Youth Leadership Council meets weekly to discuss issues in the community and within the program.
Mothers In Charge, INC
https://www.mothersincharge.org/
Mothers In Charge, Inc was recommended by a team member who experienced their services firsthand and found them to be invaluable. This organization advocates for families affected by violence and provides counseling and grief support services. Mothers In Charge is comprised of “impassioned mothers, grandmothers, aunts, sisters, and others” who have experienced loss due to violence and “found the strength to turn a personal tragedy into a medium for change.” In addition, Mothers In Charge also collaborates with elected officials and community leaders on legislation to support safe neighborhoods and communities.
Mt. Airy Baseball
https://www.mtairybaseball.org/
Mt. Airy Baseball has been around for almost 40 years, serving the youth in Mt. Airy, regardless of their ability to pay. It has thrived because it focuses on developing skills and building lifelong relationships. Mt. Airy Baseball strives to make its programming accessible to everyone by keeping the cost low. Also, every participating family contributes two volunteer hours a year since the organization is all volunteer-run. They say, "We are a cooperative effort by neighbors, for neighbors." As MAB grows, they want to support coaches through mentorship, improve and maintain the fields, and engage in a marketing campaign.
Paint > Initiative
https://popartacademy.org/home
Paint > Initiative uses therapeutic arts programs to inspire young people to be creative, engaged, and imaginative while expressing themselves and reducing their barriers to success. Many of these youth are witnesses to violence, namely gun violence. Art allows them to express emotions and change the narratives of their experiences. These workshops also introduce the participants to peers outside their neighborhoods to discover commonalities. One of their founders, Teisha Brown, is a licensed psychotherapist, and the other, Vanessa Young, is an artist. They partner with other organizations for referrals and reach out to families to be part of the workshops, focusing on grief and trauma through painting, creative writing, and conflict resolution. They say that, in general, people relax when they are painting or being creative and can just talk.
THE PHILLY GOAT PROJECT
https://www.phillygoatproject.org/
The Philly Goat Project provides education, wellness, therapy and community engagement through intentional interaction with goats. Located at Awbury Arboretum, PGP was created to give urban residents access to nature, agriculture and to foster a connection with goats. Animal assisted therapy has also proven incredibly helpful in dealing with trauma. PGP believes building a connection to the natural world is a path to community wellness.
Quintessence Theater
https://www.quintessencetheatre.org/
Quintessence Theater is a small local theater group in Mt. Airy that puts on productions and also has a large educational component. They engage students from around Philadelphia who may not otherwise have access to the arts, particularly to theater and plays. Often, the actors go into schools and use the current production as a backdrop to their curriculum, helping to guide students through the process of getting a play from a script to the stage. Quintessence is constantly evolving its education programming, and donations allow them to engage more schools and increase its impact on students.
Smith Memorial Playground
https://smithplayground.org/
Smith Memorial Playground and Playhouse are on 6.5 acres of land and have been around since the 19th century. The mission is to create opportunities for unstructured play for children. "Play" is at the heart of all they do. They serve all of Philadelphia (and beyond) on their multi-level playground and in the playhouse. Their programming aims to reach the immediate surrounding neighborhoods, as those are some of the most in need in the city. Literacy is one of their largest initiatives, working with children and their families on skills and literacy-building interactions. Smith relies on grant funding and private and corporate donations to operate.
Team First Book Philadelphia
https://support.firstbook.org/campaign/team-first-book-philadelphia/c127319
Team First Book Philadelphia—a local chapter of a national organization—has been around for over 20 years. Their mission is to get books into the hands of under-resourced children through schools and organizations that already have an existing literacy program. TFBP exists almost completely on its own: they do their own fundraising and receive no money from the national organization. They are 100% volunteer-run, which means their overhead is very low and is important because every dollar of every donation goes directly to the children they serve.
Unity in the Community
Unity in the Community is an organization dedicated to changing the lives of people who need it most. Anton Moore is the Founder and Director, working tirelessly to keep young people off the streets and to make his neighborhood and city better, safer, and more hopeful for these youth. One way he is doing this is through a 20-week carpentry program. “So many of the schools with trades programs have discontinued that programming for one reason or another.” Youth ages 14-19 learn how to install flooring, paint, and sheetrock– the fundamental skills of carpentry and building. They receive a small stipend each week for their work. Moore says that this program is reducing gun violence and helping young people get into the workforce.
We Love Philly
The mission of We Love Philly, is to “empower students with positive community experiences and essential professional skills through mindfulness, volunteerism, entrepreneurship, ownership, and content creation.” Carlos Aponte, Founder, and Executive Director, started the organization while teaching at One Bright Ray. The program is for 16-21-year-olds who have dropped out of high school and need to earn credits toward graduation. WLP helps them do that. They gain life skills through first-hand experiences and hands-on learning.
Young Chances Foundation
https://www.facebook.com/YoungChancesFoundation/
Young Chances Foundation (YCF) is a community-based organization that serves the Grays Ferry neighborhood and other areas of South Philadelphia. It was originally started to give children and families the resources to lead safe and productive lives, build relationships, and assist with paths to higher education to reduce violence. Whatever the community needs, they try to provide. From grass-roots programs, activities, community events, food giveaways, work with public safety agencies, faith-based groups, and more, YCF works to ensure residents have better access to resources they need to live and thrive.