Goal

2. Increase the number of people who participate in organizations that strengthen blocks, neighborhoods, schools, and the community as a whole.

Key Resources

Philadelphia More Beautiful Block Captains-The The City of Philadelphia has established as a major priority increasing the number of block captains in Philadelphia. Want to become a block captain? Philadelphia More Beautiful (PMBC) is where you turn. Philadelphia More Beautiful Committee is part of the Streets Department's Sanitation Division. Over the past 53 years, it has evolved into an urban environmental partnership between city government and 6,500 Block Captains and their organized blocks to undertake clean-ups throughout the summer and to take other steps to improve the appearance of their blocks. To become a block captain call the PMBC Clean Block Officer listed on their web site for your area and get a petition to become an organized block. If 51% of the residents sign it, you're an organized block.

PhillyBlocks-PhillyBlocks is the Institute for the Study of Civic Values' email list web site for block captains. We are building a city-wide network of block captains, Town Watch members, neighborhood groups working with blocks, youth programs that connect to blocks to advance the agenda of the Civic Values Campaign. If you're not on the PhillyBlocks email list, the web site makes it easy for you to sign up.

 Town Watch-The main citizen-based program aimed at reducing neighborhood crime .Use the contacts listed on their web site to find out if there's a Town Watch in your neighborhood. If there isn't a town watch, they'll help you organize one.

Philadelphia Neighborhood Advisory Committees(PDF) (go to p. 86 in the annual plan)-Neighborhood Advisory Committees (NACs) are supported by the Office of Housing and Community Development to insure citizen participation in the City's neighborhood development programs. OHCD presently supports 25 NACs. Check out the name from the web site and get in touch with them. NAC's hold quarterly briefings for residents that provide useful information on housing programs and related City services.

School District Parents' Page-Page on School District web site devoted to parental involvement. Includes School District calendar, a phone number to contact the Home and School Association, information about the Parent Leadership Academy, and related information. Phil

Philadelphia Association of CDC's The informative web site of the Philadelphia Association of CDC's. The Association is dedicated to advocacy, policy development, and technical assistance for community development corporations and other organizations in their efforts to rebuild communities and revitalize neighborhoods.

Philadelphia ACORN  ACORN works to improve housing conditions for the economically disadvantaged, increase community safety, secure living wages for all workers and improve the quality of local schools