June 30, 2018
Issue 37, June 2018
Friends Center Tenant Newsletter

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S NOTE
June at Friends Center is often a time and a place where people celebrate transitions. Every year, we host middle school and upper school graduations for Friends Select School. This year we will also host Delaware Valley Friends School and Grover Cleveland Mastery Charter School. In addition, two weddings are taking place here this June.
This summer, you’ll also see summer campers from PAFA here a couple of days a week in the courtyard, so they have access to a larger outdoor space than Lenfest Plaza.
Finally, you’ll also see a construction project in the courtyard, starting June 18. The tunnel between the Meetinghouse and 1520 Race Street is in dire need of repair. The work will be contained to the play yard and the southwest corner of the courtyard. The contractor will remove brick pavers, demolish part of the tunnel roof, and repour part of the slab. The concrete will require time to cure and dry out before a waterproofing membrane is applied, in early fall. During the curing period, we should be able to temporarily cover the work area to allow access.
Thank you in advance for your patience with the noise and inconvenience the project will cause from time to time.
— Chris Mohr, Executive Director
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AROUND FRIENDS CENTER
Thanks for Participating in Our Spring Cleaning
With your help, we collected three large bins of e-waste for recycling, along with several containers of paper for shredding and recycling.
Economic Democracy Advocates Annual Conference
A convention for a new social contract
June 14-17, 2018 | Friends Center
PHONE SYSTEM UPDATE
The phone system has now been transferred from AFSC to Friends Center. Previously you didn’t need to dial “1” before a number in the (215) or (267) area codes, but now you do.
We still have to switch out some digital or analog phones for “IP” phones; stay tuned for dates.
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EQUITY PARTNER NEWS
AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE
AFSC is a national endorser of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival. The Campaign’s culminating event will be a mass rally with supporters from around the country at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 23rd, in Washington, DC. We are talking with Pennsylvania Poor People’s Campaign representatives to see if there is enough interest from AFSC, staff of organizations in Friends Center and other individuals from the area in attending this event.
If AFSC is able to provide free transportation to get folks there, and you are interested in attending, please email Laura Boyce and cc Saurav Upadhyay, who is helping with logistics, indicating your interest.
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TENANT NEWS
Art-Reach: On a mission to make Philadelphia the most accessible US city for the arts
Christian Science Monitor, 5/27/2018:
Community Ventures: Participates in demonstration project
Living Building Challenge
PLSE to organize two events for Reentry Awareness Month in June
https://www.philadelphiareentrycoalition.org/reentrymonth
Mike Lee, founder of PLSE: On clearing records, District Attorney’s push for reform extends beyond the Philly office
Billy Penn, 5/24/18
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COMMUNITY ITEMS OUTSIDE FRIENDS CENTER
Reading Coaches
The Managing Director’s Office at the City of Philadelphia is launching 20 Philly Reading Coaches sites, as part of the City’s early childhood literacy initiative. It is a collaborative effort with DHS, Parks and Recreation, The Free Library, and other community stakeholders. They are matching community volunteers one-on-one with K-3 students to read, after school, in a student driven setting. They accept volunteers 13+ and have sites at schools, rec centers, libraries, and PAL Centers all over the city. More info.
2018 Philadelphia’s Disability Pride Day Parade: Celebrate Our Differences
June 16, 2018
More: www.disabilitypridephiladelphia.com