Armed with hammers and financial backing, Penn's Habitat for Humanity chapter is about to begin renovating the last abandoned house on Stiles Street.
For the past 15 years, the West Philadelphia Habitat for Humanity chapter has refurbished 28 of these houses, and now, with the 29th under way, their work is almost complete.
On Friday, the West Philadelphia and University of Pennsylvania Campus chapters of Habitat for Humanity celebrated the beginning of this final project in a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
"You can talk about urban issues, lament urban problems and note the high fraction of low income housing, but these people are doing something about it," Fox Leadership Program Director John DiIulio said. "It is very heartening to see this kind of thing one house, one block, one neighborhood and one community at a time."
While the Penn chapter has been providing a steady stream of volunteers to Habitat for Humanity since 1995, this will be the first house that the chapter will be supporting financially. Over the past two years, they have raised more than $40,000, much of which has been from grants received by the Fox Leadership Program and the Nehemiah Corp. of California.
The ceremony featured both DiIulio and Tom Franks, a regional director of the Nehemiah Corp. University Chaplain William Gipson and Penn Christian Association Director Douglas Fauth read prayers at the beginning and end of the event.
About 20 people were present, including several members of the Penn chapter of Habitat for Humanity.
In his remarks, Faith expressed his excitement that the Nehemiah Corp. is collaborating with Habitat for Humanity. Nehemiah, an affordable-housing program, has been working since 1996 to assist prospective homeowners with down payment and closing costs.
"This is exactly the vision that we had -- having joint ventures rebuilding a city and stabilizing a neighborhood," Faith said. "Today we're thrilled because it was really our mission seven years ago."
DiIulio, the former director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, and Franks concluded the ceremony by cutting a ribbon that was stretched across the door of 4942 Stiles St., the home that will be refurbished. Afterward, several attendees remained to start working on the house.
Formed in 1986, Habitat for Humanity West Philadelphia has been working to rebuild the Cathedral Park neighborhood.
In addition to revitalizing the 4900 block of Stiles Street, they have also transformed more than 20 vacant lots in the area into community gardens and playgrounds.
West Philadelphia Habitat for Humanity has met the increasing support of the Penn chapter with enthusiasm.
"It's great to see [the Penn chapter] involved on both ends, providing money and hands with hammers," said Jerry Kreider, the board president of West Philadelphia Habitat for Humanity. "It's a light at the end of the tunnel to see young people commit to service throughout their lives."
And campus Co-President Kristin Roshelli, a Nursing senior, expressed her optimism about the future of Penn's commitment to Habitat for Humanity.
"We hope that this house is the first of many more to come," Roshelli said. "It's an honor to be working with such a great organization."
