Erin Flynn Jay: Contributor | August 20, 2021
Diversified Community Services (DCS) and United Communities Southeast Philadelphia have partnered to establish a new anti-poverty resource for residents of South Philadelphia.
DCS and United Communities are providing a one-stop-shop for benefits to help families. The South Philadelphia Community Fund will serve clients in person and online providing access to benefits from housing counseling to expungement and pardon services throughout 2021.
“The fund encompasses services to help reduce poverty through public benefits access and application assistance, free tax and legal services, housing counseling, and $50,000 of direct client assistance for rent, mortgage, and utility payments,” said Francis Carney, executive director of United Communities.
It was created with a grant to DCS from the City of Philadelphia and United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey‘s Poverty Action Fund, to help assist more people struggling with poverty and the repercussions of the pandemic. The grant was focused on scaling the efforts to immigrants and others who need access to social services and/or financial resources, and so the goal of the South Philadelphia Community Fund is to partner with other community-based organizations to expand services on the east and west side of Broad Street in South Philadelphia.
“United Communities serves as a managing partner along with Diversified Community Services to ensure that the goals established to connect with and provide access to benefits and resources to residents of South Philadelphia are reached,” Carney said.
Both nonprofits have long histories of service in South Philadelphia.
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