Learn more about new partnerships, community-wide events, pilot programs, and the success of our participants.

Kyle Evans, Chaplain, and Caroline Dunleavy, Senior Director of Advocacy, recently represented ECS at a two-day prayer and action summit in Harrisburg, PA. With One Voice: End Gun Violence Now was organized by the Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania and included statewide interfaith partners focused on ending gun violence. 

On October 24, 2023, Federal banking regulatory bodies issued a final ruling on its process for revitalizing and strengthening the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) of 1977. The ruling tightens regulations on banks, furthering the goal of challenging the racial home ownership gap by combating lending discrimination. Episcopal Community Services (ECS) submitted its first formal regulatory comment in 2022 during the rulemaking process to suggest additional ways to increase the effectiveness of the CRA. 

ECS recently hosted a graduation ceremony to celebrate the hard work of the first graduating cohort in our MindSet program. Staff, family, and friends gathered at the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas to watch their graduates give remarks and receive recognition for their years of diligent study.  

On Wednesday, October 25^th, ECS celebrated a transition of leadership as we honored Dave Griffith for his service and welcomed our new leader, Anne Rice-Burgess. John Chou, ECS’ Board President along with Fred Sutherland, Board President Emeritus officiated the transition, with The Reverend John E. Midwood, former ECS Executive Director, providing the evening's blessing.

ECS’ Out of School Time (OST) recently celebrated the 24th annual Lights On Afterschool at seven school-based sites in the Greater Philadelphia region. Lights On Afterschool is a nationwide rally to raise awareness about the importance of afterschool programming. Educators, government officials, students and other community stakeholders came together to demonstrate their ongoing support for ECS OST programs. 

We are pleased to announce that the Out of School Time (OST) program at Episcopal Community Services is expanding.  Our Thomas K. Finletter program is now serving middle-school aged youth.  Funding from the Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC) created an opportunity for additional slots. The program officially started October 16th. As a result, Mr. Sean Carter, a staff member from the Add B. Anderson site was promoted to Group Supervisor and is now serving the expanded Finletter program. ECS OST provides services at seven across Greater Philadelphia, making it one of the largest providers in the area. 

Episcopal Community Services recently partnered with the Aetna Better Health Community Council of Philadelphia, The Home Depot, and The Yellow Tulip Project to create a Hope Garden at St. Barnabas Community Resource Center. ECS and its partners honored the creation of the Hope Garden with a ceremony organized to support a healthy dialogue around mental health.  

ECS’ Out of School Time (OST) recently celebrated the culmination of its summer program with two major events in the Philadelphia area. During these events, ECS students and staff honored key benefactors, leaders, and supporters through performance, poetry and reward ceremonies. More than 200 students took part in the festivities.  

Earlier this month, I had breakfast with Anne Rice-Burgess, the new Executive Director of Episcopal Community Services, and I took on the new position of advisor to my successor. This marks the end of a transition process that started almost 18 months ago, when we elected a new Board President, so we could have a time of overlap before we began the search for the new ED.