Month: September 2014

Mayor Michael A. Nutter and Julián Castro, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, toured Philadelphia’s Promise Zone in the Mantua section of West Philadelphia. The tour highlighted redevelopment already underway in Mantua and featured three stops: the Mount Vernon Manor Apartments, the People’s Emergency Center, and the Montgomery Early Learning Center Families First location.rnrn“Promise Zones are communities with deep-seated challenges. Mantua faces persistent, high poverty – nearly double the poverty rate of the entire city – low educational attainment, high crime, low rates of employment and high rates of long-term housing vacancy,” said Mayor Nutter. “But, Mantua also has strong neighborhood assets, like transit, new developments, both housing and commercial, a strong anchor in Drexel University, high-quality early learning opportunities, access to skills development and employment opportunities, and more, supporting its transformation. The Promise Zone designation will help Mantua leverage those assets and the involvement of community members and partners to create lasting change. I want to thank Secretary Castro for coming to see first-hand that this transformation is already underway.”rnrnIn January, the City of Philadelphia was one of three cities and a total of five areas selected for a Promise Zone designation, a federal initiative to accelerate revitalization efforts in targeted areas. The Promise Zone initiative is led by the White House with support from federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Justice.rnrnDuring the Montgomery Early Learning Center tour stop, Mayor Nutter and Secretary Castro were joined by John Fry, President, Drexel University, and Laura Sparks, Executive Director, William Penn Foundation, to highlight a new collaborative initiative between Drexel University and the William Penn Foundation to increase the number of high-quality early learning opportunities in West Philadelphia.rnrn“The Obama Administration’s Promise Zone initiative helps spur public and private investments to strengthen communities and expand opportunity for all. A child’s zip code should not determine his or her destiny, odds of attending a good school, or lifetime economic opportunities,” said Secretary Castro. “This collaboration between the William Penn Foundation and Drexel University can serve as a model for other communities that are looking for innovative ways to rebuild neighborhoods and prepare the next generation for college and career.”rnrnMayor Nutter added, “I believe that education is the key to future success, and early learning opportunities are the best way to ensure young Philadelphians have the basic educational and social skills they need to achieve that success. The partnership between Drexel University and William Penn will create high-quality learning experiences for children and build a strong foundation for the resurgence of Mantua.”rnrn###rnrnAbout Mount Vernon ManorrnrnMount Vernon Manor is a 125-unit low-income apartment complex, which was originally built in the late 1970s with the assistance of federal subsidies. By the 2000s, the complex was severely distressed. The Mount Vernon Manor Board applied for and obtained a HUD Choice Planning Grant in 2011. As a result, 75 units have been renovated and there are plans to renovate the remaining 50 units in 2015.rnrnAbout the People’s Emergency CenterrnrnThe People’s Emergency Center (PEC), another tour stop, serves homeless families and forms partnerships for strengthening neighborhoods. Since 1972, PEC’s activities have evolved from supportive service housing and facilities to encompass a wide range of real estate, economic development, and quality of life programs that benefit community members and attract new residents. PEC has secured more than $60 million in public and private investments to transform 140 blighted Mantua properties into 218 units of affordable housing for formerly homeless and low-income families.rnrnAbout Montgomery Early Learning Center Families FirstrnrnMontgomery Early Learning Center (MELC) Families First is a high-quality facility that has earned four out of four stars by Keystone Early Childhood performance standards. The center is characterized by quality and longevity of teachers and high parental involvement. The programs the center offers are developmentally appropriate and prepare children for success in school.

WHO: Mayor Michael A. Nutterrnrn Councilman Mark Squillarnrn Alan Greenberger, Deputy Mayor for Economic Developmentrnrn B.J. Dunn, Deputy Superintendent, Independence National Historical Parkrnrn John F. Smith, III – Chair, Global Philadelphia AssociationrnrnWHAT: Mayor Nutter and Councilman Squilla will mark the Organization of World Heritage Cities’ Solidarity Day of the World Heritage Cities by officially re-naming Walnut Street between 5th and 6th Streets as ‘World Heritage Way’. rnrnThis new name recognizes the presence of Independence Hall as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Philadelphia is an observer member of the Organization of World Heritage Cities and, in partnership with the Global Philadelphia Association, is pursuing full membership status.rnrnWHERE: Independence Hall lawn, Walnut Street between 5th and 6th StreetsrnrnWHEN: Monday, September 8th, 2014 2:00 PM

Posted on September 5, 2014 by City of PhiladelphiarnWHO: Mayor Michael A. Nutterrnrn Secretary Julián Castro, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban DevelopmentrnrnWHAT: Mayor Nutter and Secretary Castro will tour the Mantua neighborhood of West Philadelphia, which was designated a Promise Zone in January 2014 by the Obama Administration under the Promise Zone initiative. Philadelphia was one of the first five designated Promise ZonesrnrnThe Promise Zone initiative is a collaborative effort to accelerate revitalization efforts in targeted areas by leveraging community and federal resources. The Promise Zone initiative is led by the White House with support from federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Justice.rnrnThe tour will include three stops and a press conference.rnrnWHEN: Friday, September 5, 2014

With support from the Citi Foundation and Living Cities, Philadelphia will use its innovation infrastructurernrnto increase participation in tax relief programs.rnrn rnrnPhiladelphia, September 4, 2014– The City of Philadelphia was selected as one of three participants in the first City Accelerator program, a $3 million program managed by the Citi Foundation and Living Cities that will help nine winning cities pilot innovation projects in local government. Over the next 18 months, Philadelphia will increase the enrollment of low-income residents in tax relief or City payment assistance programs using a package of resources and in-kind support to adopt cutting-edge approaches through the City Accelerator program.rnrn rnrn“Our Administration is committed to building a culture of innovation across City government to benefit Philadelphians. As a result, Philadelphia has built a strong infrastructure that supports our forward-thinking goals of finding creative solutions to long-standing challenges,” said Mayor Michael A. Nutter. “One challenge has been devising ways to help vulnerable Philadelphians access benefits to which they are entitled. Being selected for the City Accelerator program will help more citizens take advantage of tax relief measures through our existing innovation infrastructure, new tools and targeted resources.”rnrn rnrnThe City now offers multiple tax relief programs, with variations based on income and other factors, to provide tax and water bill discounts and payment plans to low-income Philadelphians. Collectively, these programs provide millions of dollars of relief to Philadelphia’s most vulnerable citizens. Hundreds of thousands of households are enrolled in at least one benefit program, but tens of thousands of households are not enrolled in all the programs for which they are eligible.rnrn rnrnThrough its City Accelerator project, the City of Philadelphia will test new methods to increase enrollment in City payment assistance programs, including making the application process more user friendly.rnrn rnrn“As cities continue to grow in both size and share of global GDP, they are faced with similar challenges that make collaboration imperative,” said Ed Skyler, Citi’s Executive Vice President for Global Public Affairs and Chairman of the Citi Foundation. ““The City Accelerator is a great opportunity to work with Mayor Nutter and other urban leaders by fueling the exchange of ideas and contributing to the success of cities around the country.”rnrn rnrnBen Hecht, President and CEO of Living Cities added, “The level of interest, and the quality of the proposals we received during the first round of the City Accelerator, are a testament to the appetite and creativity of cities across the country in disrupting the status quo in local government. Louisville, Nashville and Philadelphia ultimately showed the strongest proposals to embed innovation in their administrations and to put their ideas into practice to address the issues affecting low-income people.”rnrn rnrnThe City Accelerator allows selected U.S. cities to develop models for innovation that generate economic opportunities for low-income populations and help municipalities run more effectively. Participating cities will benefit from ongoing interaction with leading innovation practitioners from around the country and share lessons learned to advance progress.rnrn rnrnIn total, ten cities applied for the first City Accelerator cohort. From the ten applicants, six cities were selected as finalists. The finalists recorded video pitches that were posted online at Governing.com for public review, comment and rating. The strength of their proposals, the alignment of their thinking with the framework for this first cohort, and public input on the finalists’ video pitches were all considered in selecting the winning three cities – Philadelphia, Nashville, Tennessee, and Louisville, Kentucky.rnrn rnrnNigel Jacob, co-founder of the Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics for the City of Boston and Urban Technologist-in-Residence at Living Cities, will lead the first cohort, “Louisville, Nashville and Philadelphia presented unique and compelling visions for how local government innovation can improve the operations of their cities and make an impact for their low-income residents. I am looking forward to working with these three cities on developing breakthrough ways of solving problems.”rnrn rnrnThe Governing Institute will provide ongoing coverage of the findings coming out of the cohort cities and related innovation efforts in other places in a dedicated section on Governing.com.

Mayor Michael A. Nutter, joined by Councilman David Oh, members of the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations (PCHR) and women’s health advocates, signed into law legislation establishing that it is an unlawful business practice for an employer with one or more employees to fail to provide reasonable accommodation for an individual’s need to express, or to pump, breast milk in a safe, sanitary, non-bathroom space.rnrn“As parents, our first priority is to care for our families. This legislation not only allows mothers to provide vital nourishment to their babies, but also protects their right to express breast milk in an appropriate environment without stress or fear,” said Mayor Nutter. “Together with our Parental Leave policy for City workers and our pregnancy accommodation ordinance, the new policy strengthens our Administration’s commitment to mothers and families across the city. I want to thank Councilman Oh, the PCHR and the community advocates for taking up this important issue.”rnrnBill No. 130922 will take effect immediately. As defined by the legislation, a reasonable accommodation includes providing unpaid break time or allowing an employee to use paid break time, mealtime, or both to express breast milk. This legislation applies to all employers in the City, so long as it does not cause an undue hardship on an employer.rnrn“The bill addresses the issue of treating people fairly and on their merits. It’s a Constitutional right and it’s smart,” said Councilman David Oh. “Success for women in the workplace is critical for Philadelphia to have a competitive economy. Women who are mothers should be able to be successful, happy, and fulfilled in the workplace.”rnrnRue Landau, Executive Director of the Philadelphia Human Relations Commission, added, “This new law adds essential job protections for working mothers and their families. Now, women who return to work after childbirth can express milk at their jobs in safe, private, sanitary spaces. Couple these new breastfeeding provisions with the recently enacted law to provide reasonable job accommodations for pregnant workers, and women are protected at work from pregnancy through childbirth and breastfeeding. That’s a huge win for female employees, their families, and Philadelphia’s economy.”rnrnJoAnne Fischer, Executive Director of the Maternity Care Coalition, said, “We are delighted with this legislation. Despite the fact that the health benefits of breastfeeding to both mom and baby are well documented, MCC hears countless accounts of working mothers given inadequate break times, lack of private space or even being forced to pump their milk in bathrooms. It is a breakthrough for the rights of working parents that the City of Philadelphia now considers it a requirement to provide support to breastfeeding moms who are a valuable and productive part of the city’s workforce.”rnrn“GSK creates and supports a vibrant working environment with accommodations that help working mothers successfully transition back to work and integrate their lives,” said Letizia Amadini Lane, Vice President, Employee Value Proposition at GSK. “For example, the lactation rooms we have provided for more than 15 years enable our employees to do the right thing for their children while continuing to be leaders in the workforce.”

Who: Mayor Michael A. Nutter, Emergency Management Director Samantha Phillipsrnrn and Fire Commissioner Derrick Sawyerrnrn rnrn What: National Preparedness Month in Philadelphiarnrn rnrnWhere: City Hall, Outside on apron N. Broad Street and John F. Kennedy Boulevardrnrn rnrnWhen: Tuesday, September 2, 2014rnrn10:30 a.m. – Ceremonyrnrn11:00 a.m. – Preparedness Fairrnrn rnrn rnrn rnrnMayor Michael A. Nutter and Emergency Management Director Samantha Phillips will kick off National Preparedness Month in Philadelphia.rnrn rnrnThe Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management will provide 20 Family Preparedness Workshop for City employees throughout September.rnrnThese workshops will include how to develop a family household emergency plan, creating Go Bag and Shelter-in-Place Kits, and how to stayrnrninformed during an emergency.rnrn rnrnFollowing the ceremony, there will be a Preparedness Fair featuring representatives from FEMA Region 3, Philadelphia Fire Department,rnrnSalvation Army of Greater Philadelphia Disaster Relief, Philadelphia Second Alarmers, Red Paw Emergency Relief, and thernrnPhiladelphia Office of Emergency Management.

Philly Case now offers the new Pelican ProGearâ„¢ Elite Luggage product line. Philly Case is one of the first authorized Pelican distributors to have these new products available. They are featured at http://www.phillycase.com/categories/pelican-progear-elite-luggage.rnnnrnrnnnrnnnPhiladelphia, PA (PRWEB) August 30, 2014nnPhilly Case announces that it now has available for sale the new Pelican ProGearâ„¢ Elite Luggage product line. Philly Case is one of the first authorized distributors of Pelican products to offer Pelican’s new line of lugguge. All 3 sizes and all 6 colors are available for sale online on the Philly Case website, or orders can be placed by calling Philly Case at 215-551-6811 or toll-free 800-505-8179.nnrnnnPelican has a long history of making durable, feature-rich cases for military, police, fire and other rough use applications. The new Pelican ProGear Elite Luggage cases bring that same type of performance to luggage for business travelers, vacation travelers and other comsumers. The new Pelican ProGear Elite Luggage cases are available in 3 sizes, 3 sizes (22″ Carry On, 27″ Weekender, 30″ Vacationer).nnrnnnThese stylish cases are available in 6 color combinations:rnnn> Charcoal Trim on Black Case rnnn> Blue Trim on Black Case rnnn> Orange Trim on Black Case rnnn> Purple Trim on Black Case rnnn> Red Trim on Black Case rnnn> Orchid Case with Black TrimnnrnnnEach size is available with or without the Enhanced Travel System, which includes handy luggage inserts and bags. The 22” Carry On case has 3 items: detachable lid organizer, Dopp style toiletry kit, and zippered shoe sack. The 27″ Weekender and 30″ Vacationer cases include 2 additional items: laundry bag and garment bag.nnrnnn“For travelers looking for Pelican quality in stylish, tough luggage, the new Pelican ProGear Elite Luggage cases are perfect,” said Vinny Barbati, President of Philly Case Company. “Philly Case is happy to be one of the first Pelican distributors in the world to offer these new cases.”nnrnnnPelican ProGear Elite Luggage cases are watertight, crushproof, and lightweight, made from tough polypropylene, with the following features:rnnn> Body: Injection Molded HPX High Performance Resin rnnn> Trim: Polycarbonate rnnn> Latch: Valox – PBT polybutylene terephthalate or Xenoy – Polyester / Polycarbonate blend rnnn> Lock: Recessed TSA Approved Combination Lock rnnn> Stainless Steel Hinges and Pinsrnnn> Self Regulating Purge Ventrnnn> Recessed Carry Handles (Top, Bottom and One Side) rnnn> Recessed Retractable Handlernnn> Custom Design Ball Bearing Wheels with Solid Hubs rnnn> Watertight O-Ring SealnnrnnnMore information on Pelican ProGear Elite Luggage and all Pelican cases from Philly Case is available at: http://www.phillycase.com/content/pelican-cases. Online purchases for all models and colors can be conveniently made via: http://www.phillycase.com/categories/pelican-progear-elite-luggage. Or customers can call Philly Case to purchase these cases (215-551-6811 or toll-free 800-505-8179).nnrnnnAbout Philly CasernnnPhilly Case is one of the world’s leading shipping case manufacturers and distributors, and is an authorized distributor for Pelican products. Philly Case specializes in cases that are tough, reliable, and durable. Philly Case makes and distributes a wide variety of shipping case products including ATA cases, tradeshow cases, poly cases, rackmount cases, flat screen cases, and roto molded military cases. For complete information on all shipping case product offerings and capabilities, please visit the Philly Case website at http://www.PhillyCase.com.