The Philadelphia Channel
Through generous support from Arch Street Press and the Institute for Leadership Education, Advancement and Development (I-LEAD), Innovate Podcast is pleased to spotlight innovators and innovations taking shape in the Greater Philadelphia region. Its cultural, business and nonprofit organizations continue to thrive within a model of innovation and philanthropy—key to growth, employment, living standards and vibrant events. The Philadelphia Channel features leaders and organizations across a wide range of collaborative and diverse fields, including education, philanthropy, technology, family life, healthcare, social entrepreneurship, advocacy, the arts and more. When they converge with common goals and a creative spirit, the results are collaborations of lasting financial and social impact.
_______________________________________________
Stay tuned for podcasts, articles, events and more!
Upcoming podcasts feature leaders from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Pew Charitable Trusts and others within the region.
_______________________________________________
For questions, comments or to inquire about participation on The Philadelphia Channel, please email Arch Street Press Managing Editor Robert Rimm.
Peri Jude Radecic of Disability Rights Pennsylvania: Making Room for Everybody
Disability Rights Pennsylvania, known as DRP, is part of a national network of disability rights non-profit organizations that protect and advocate for the rights of children and adults with disabilities so that they may live the lives they choose, free from abuse, neglect, discrimination, and segregation.
Glenn Bergman: Distributing Food to Help Those in Need and Advocating Food-Access Policies through Philabundance
Glenn Bergman is the executive director of Philabundance, the region’s largest hunger-relief organization, acquiring, rescuing and distributing food to help feed those in need, and advocating for policies that increase food access. Philabundance’s mission is to drive hunger from our communities today and end hunger forever.
Tim Whitaker and Mighty Writers: Giving Kids the Power of Writing
Numbers don’t lie. Philadelphia is the poorest big city in the country. Nearly 40-percent of the city’s students are not graduating high school and only 30-percent of eighth grade kids are reading and writing at grade level.
That’s why in 2009, Mighty Writers was launched with a five-word elevator pitch: To teach kids to write.
They do this through four-day-a-week writing academies at their six neighborhood locations in Philadelphia, at their Kennett site in West Grove, and at their site in Camden, New Jersey.
Over the course of a year—including summers—they take students through every genre of writing but always with the same goal: to get kids to think clearly and write with clarity.
Jeffrey Rosen and the National Constitution Center: Visit—Learn—Debate
Jeffrey Rosen is the president & CEO of the National Constitution Center, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization whose mission is to educate the public about the U.S. Constitution. Located steps from Independence Hall in historic Philadelphia, the Center engages millions of citizens as an interactive museum, national town hall and provider of nonpartisan resources for civic education.
Ellen Hwang, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation: Reimagining Public Spaces
In Philadelphia, Knight Foundation focuses on the power of public spaces to unite and strengthen the city. In partnership with the city and other funders, they piloted Reimagining the Civic Commons, an initiative to connect and reinvigorate public spaces such as parks, trails, recreation centers and libraries. Their goal is to bring together people from all backgrounds, develop new local leaders and foster a more vibrant, engaged community.
Bill Valerio and the Woodmere Art Museum: Art for Philadelphians by Philadelphians
Dr. William Valerio serves as the director and CEO of Woodmere Art Museum. As a result of Dr. Valerio’s leadership, Woodmere has become an increasingly vital presence in the cultural life of the region with steady growth in attendance, membership, and community involvement. By organizing almost one hundred exhibitions and enlarging and digitizing the Museum’s collection, Dr. Valerio has elevated the visibility of Philadelphia’s artists.