Get your tickets for the 2025 Gala & Auction NOW! http://nlcc25.cbo.io
Author: Krista Wieder
Get your tickets for the 2025 Gala & Auction NOW!
Get your tickets for the 2025 Gala & Auction NOW!
Partner Spotlight: Roxborough Development Corporation
Partner Spotlight: Roxborough Development Corporation
Michael Devigne, Executive Director of Roxborough Development Corporation, shares more about what RDC is hoping to do in our neighborhood, including some exciting upcoming events!
The Roxborough Development Corporation (RDC) board, volunteers, and staff have been working hard since 1992 to enhance Ridge Avenue by promoting special events, beautifying and cleaning, helping existing businesses to expand while recruiting new ones, and marketing the business corridor throughout the year. Our mission is to provide Roxborough residents with high quality shopping, dining, and entertainment experiences.
With over 1000 new residential units already built or in the pipeline, and new businesses moving in every year, Roxborough is experiencing a renaissance. Take a stroll on the Ridge and you’ll see we have it all – live music and comedy, brews and bites, cannolis and cappuccino, hoagies and haircuts, and international cuisine.
If you want a taste of what Ridge Avenue has to offer, come to one of our many community events. On Saturday May 7th the Roxborough Springfest and Car Show will host over 100 classic cars , 4 stages with 8 bands, over 50 vendors, 5 food trucks, and family friendly activities. Join us Friday and Saturday evenings during the summer months for Happy Hours in the Pocket Park. Grab a pint to go and take a seat while local songsmiths strum popular classics and originals or catch a family friendly flick on movie nights. Saturday October 8th the RDC will be hosting the 10th annual fall themed Roxtoberfest featuring craft brews, German folk dancing, competitions, children’s activities and more! And don’t forget Happy Holidays from Roxborough! Santa and Elsa will be making an appearance once again this year at the Pocket Park Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony. It’s a great time whether you are naughty or nice!
Behind the scenes, RDC’s operations team is keeping the corridor clean and green. Seasonal planting, tree pit maintenance, street sweeping, power washing, and trash removal are some of the essential services that residents appreciate. You can always count on our Street Ambassador to give directions, crack a joke, or help you cross the street safely.
In addition to having a tight knit community, Roxborough is also grateful to be supported by a thriving ecosystem of civic associations, volunteer groups and non-profit service providers like North Light Community Center. The RDC looks forward to partnering with North Light on internship and volunteer opportunities for students. We recognize the importance of instilling a sense civic pride and responsibility at a young age. The RDC’s role is to build on the strengths of our community. Whether you are a small business or a resident, a homeowner or renter, a young professional or retiree, we are all in this together contributing to what makes Roxborough one of Philadelphia’s most desirable neighborhoods.
Don’t forget to stop by the Roxborough Springfest and Car Show on Saturday, May 7! Stop by the North Light table to find out more about our programs, including Summer Camp!
Governor Wolf Visits North Light
Governor Wolf Visits North Light
On Feburary 24, North Light Community Center was delighted to host Governor Tom Wolf, Rep. Pam DeLissio, Senator Vincent Hughes, and Meg Snead, Acting Secretary of DHS.
Governor Wolf stopped by North Light to share his $1.7 billion plan to aid Pennsylvanians recovering from the pandemic. This plan includes a $500 million investment in the PA Opportunity Program that will provide much needed relief to families who are struggling from the high cost of childcare and household expenses.
Watch the entire press conference, including words from Krista Wieder and a North Light parent, on PAcast!
2022 Mask-urade Ball & Auction
2022 Mask-urade Ball & Auction
2022 Mask-urade Ball & Auction
Purchase tickets and view our silent auction items at NLCC2022gala.givesmart.com!
LIFE IS A MASK-UERADE
SO LET’S HAVE A BALL
TO BENEFIT
NORTH LIGHT
SATURDAY, APRIL 23, 2022
6-10 PM
LEVERING MILL TRIBUTE HOUSE
382 BALA AVENUE, BALA CYNWYD, PA 19004
FREE VALET PARKING
Join us as we celebrate the role North Light plays in the community and honor some of those individuals who have worked tirelessly to support and sustain our mission.
Anne Wright Founders Award: Blythe McCormack
Rick Carocci Corporate Award: SDG Foundation
Neducsin Foundation Education Award: Eduardo Duenas, Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education
Irene Madrak Service Award: Ray Franzen
Purchase tickets and view our silent auction items at NLCC2022gala.givesmart.com!
Special thanks to our sponsors:
MNYK Wingwomen
MNYK Wingwomen
In celebration of International Women’s Day we’ve teamed up with other lady bosses to found “The Manayunk Wingwomen” to help support women in the Philadelphia community. We’re collecting essential items for postpartum women and other products for feminine health and wellness. These items are often expensive and not affordable for many women despite being a necessity. And we’re asking you, our community, to help us collect these important products for this important initiative. When you drop off a donation, you will get a custom “Manayunk Wingwoman” vinyl sticker!
This initiative was inspired by local Philadelphian, Shelley Aragoncillo, who had created Grab-N-Flow, a free-to-the-community menstrual and postpartum product shed that is located in Philly and available to anyone in need. Bring any of the items listed to any of the participating locations to help.
Thank you for helping us make International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month a time to not only just appreciate the incredible, brave, and brilliant women that have paved the way for us throughout history but to also use it as a chance to help our own neighbors right now!
To drop off items, stop by any of these businesses during operating hours. North Light will be accepting donations Monday-Friday from 9AM-5PM. To drop off outside of those hours, please call 215-483-4800.
We also accept donations via Amazon delivery. If you would like to order items through Amazon, please use 175 Green Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19127 as our shipping address and email ASchuster@northlightcommunitycenter.org to let us know.
Participating Manayunk women-owned businesses:
Meet Wayne Ingram, Director of Children’s Services!
Meet Wayne Ingram, Director of Children’s Services!
North Light is proud to welcome Wayne Ingram to the team as Director of Children’s Services!
Wayne is a North Philadelphian, born and raised. After coming up through the School District of Philadelphia, Wayne headed to the University of South Carolina to play football but he couldn’t stray too far from Philly. He came back to finish out his Bachelor’s Degree in Therapeutic Recreation at Cheyney University. Not wanting to leave all of the lessons he learned on the football field behind, Wayne stayed at Cheyney to earn his Master’s Degree in Public Administration.
“Athletics, and fitness in general, is so important for physical and emotional development,” says Wayne. “You get a break from your studies and can stimulate your brain cells in a different way as you develop skills that aren’t taught in a classroom.”
Wayne took these beliefs and degrees and spent more than 20 years working in the social services sector. Most recently, he served as the Director of Parks & Recreation for the City of Philadelphia.
Wayne is looking forward to sharing his passion for recreation with the North Light community.
“Adding extracurricular programs to our children’s services will develop life skills that aren’t taught in a classroom,” said Wayne. “I am exploring adding gymnastics, ceramics, in-house recreation leagues and music classes to our KidZone and Summer Camp programs.”
Wayne also wants to expand upon classroom offerings to include more STEM education and specialized tutoring for students who require a little bit more help.
We are excited to see all of the things that Wayne will bring to the table at North Light. Welcome to the team, Wayne!
Hearts O’Clover 2022
Hearts O’Clover 2022
Hearts O’Clover 2024
Join us on Tuesday, March 12th at Winnie’s Manayunk for Hearts O’Clover. 100% of the proceeds from all dine-in and take out orders during the hours of 4-9PM benefit North Light Community Center! In addition to her regular delicious menu items, Winnie is serving up some St. Patrick’s Day Favorites.
Don’t miss out on the fun!
Walk-ins are welcome, but reservations can be made through Winnie’s Manayunk or by calling 215-487-2663.
Precious Places
Precious Places
North Light was a proud recipient of the Scribe Precious Places grant in 2020, allowing us to film a history of North Light Community Center. Despite the challenges of COVID-19, our team, spearheaded by Bernetta Williams and her students, worked tirelessly to bring the spirit of North Light to life through film.
Scribe’s Precious Places is an community oral history project that ensures our “precious places” are never forgotten. Each recipient is assigned a filmmaker and research scholar to assist with the production, but the planning, writing, and filming is led by North Light program participants.
Join us on April 19 at 7:30PM for the film’s premiere on WHYY! The program will feature an interview with Executive Director Krista Wieder.
Free COVID-19 Testing
Free COVID-19 Testing
Protect Yourself: How to avoid common scams.
Protect Yourself: How to avoid common scams.
Protect Yourself: How to avoid common scams.
Written by InnovAge’s Aja I. Chavis
We are living in a world where cash is king and everyone wants some of your money. At least, it seems that way! From the constant calls, to the mailings asking you for money to support an organization in another state, along with the Medicare calls…it’s no secret you are being targeted. However, scammers are not just looking for your money. They want your personal information, too!
How do we stop this? We can’t, however we can learn to reduce the risk of being scammed and how to protect ourselves.
Here are some tips and resources to help you prevent yourself from becoming a victim:
- Get a Caller- ID or screen your calls. Your phone will inform you with a “Scam Likely” message if there is a scam caller or telemarketer on the other end.
- Sign up to be on the Do Not Call Registry. If you haven’t done it by now, do so! This allows you to block a lot of scams and telemarketers. It doesn’t stop all calls but decreases how many you will receive. Call 1-888-382-1222 to add your number.
- Do not give out your personal information. Do not give your social security number, bank card numbers, address, or birthdates over the phone unless you are very familiar with the organization and the person you are speaking with. Verify who you are speaking to before giving any information out.
- Hang up the phone if someone calls from Medicare. Medicare will not call you and ask you for personal information. They will send a letter to your home or permanent address.
- Shred your documents with personal information. There are people that “dumpster dive.” Dumpster Diving is the art of going through someone’s trash to obtain a treasure or, a person’s mail with their personal account and ID numbers. To avoid this, consider shredding and making your personal information unidentifiable to decrease your risk of identification fraud.
- Avoid clicking on a lot of links that pop up on your phone or computer. Sometimes these links are used to lure you into to a virus. These viruses can collect your personal data while disabling your device.
- The Golden Rule: Do your research! If someone contacted you regarding something that peaks your interest; make sure to get pertinent information to help you look up the validity of their offer:
- Name (ask the person to spell it out to get the correct spelling)
- Direct call back number
- Name of organization /website
- Ask the person to send you an email
Practice these simple tips to steer clear of scams and people looking to take advantage of you. If you are a current victim of a scam or are worried you have been scammed, report it to the police, immediately cancel you cards, and contact the Consumer Protection Bureau at 717-604-2414.
Writer, Community Liaison, Health and Wellness Consultant, and Business Development Specialist, Aja I. Chavis helps seniors with resources to solutions for long term care. An advocate for seniors, Aja worked at Mercy LIFE for 7 months before joining InnovAge in the Northwest area of Philadelphia, where she currently has been working for 2 years as a LIFE Navigator. Originally from Philadelphia, Aja attended Philadelphia High School for Girls and received her Bachelors of Science degree from Drexel University studying marketing and international business. Aja has worked in marketing in many different industries, however, advocating for seniors has been most rewarding.
At InnovAge LIFE, Aja helps people receive personalized, coordinated long-term healthcare, including transportation to appointments. InnovAge also provides unlimited physical and occupational therapy, chore base aide service, dental, vision and hearing care. Services are provided at no cost to those that apply. If you would like to discuss long-term healthcare planning contact Aja at 267-309-1124.