Skip to main content

Evans Secures $6.3 Million in Spending Bills for 8 Community Projects for 3rd District

July 16, 2021

PHILADELPHIA (July 16, 2021) – Congressman Dwight Evans (D-PA-3rd) announced he has secured nearly $6.3 million in federal funding for eight Philadelphia community projects in annual spending bills that are moving forward in the House of Representatives.

"House and Senate Democrats worked in a bipartisan way to restore members' ability to make these requests, but in a much more open and transparent way than was done over 10 years ago. These are not guarantees of funding yet, but I am proud to support these requests – I believe they would represent good uses of federal funding in our communities. This is one of many tools in the toolbox for Philadelphia, and it's an important one," Evans said. "I look forward to this funding passing the House as part of several appropriations bills and going to the Senate."

"I was proud to vote for the big and bold American Rescue Plan that is bringing billions of dollars in federal aid to Philadelphia, and I'm also pushing for more funding through avenues like my $63 billion Housing Is Essential plan, as well as President Biden's proposed American Jobs Plan," Evans said.

Evans announced in March that he was accepting applications for funding and gave agencies and organizations serving the 3rd Congressional District several weeks to apply. He chose the eight projects included in the spending bills from among 73 requests he received.

Evans said, "This funding stream is proceeding with numerous reforms in place, including barring for-profit companies from receiving the grants. There are several rules to ensure transparency, accountability and good use of the funding," Evans said.

Evans' eight community project requests included in the annual appropriations bills are (listed alphabetically):

52nd Street Initiative (The Enterprise Center)

Description: The Enterprise Center CDC's (TEC-CDC) 52nd Street Initiative partners with the community to transform the disinvested 52nd Street commercial corridor through strategic property acquisition and rehabilitation.

Amount Requested: $1 million

Allegheny West Foundation

Description: The Allegheny West Foundation (AWF) is a nonprofit community development corporation with a mission to improve the quality of life in the Allegheny West community in North Philadelphia through affordable housing, business development, industrial revitalization and community services.

Amount Requested: $150,000

Black Doctors Consortium

Description: Under the leadership of Dr. Ala Stanford, the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium, a program of It Takes Philly, Inc., a 501(c)(3), is committed to establishing health equity clinics that provide primary and preventive health care services to residents in the 3rd Congressional District – specifically those living in North Philadelphia and West Philadelphia.

Amount Requested: $1 million

Improving Healthy Food Access (Share)

Description: Share Food Program is the largest independent food bank in Pennsylvania, and distributes nourishing food to hundreds of partner pantries in southeastern Pennsylvania, who serve individuals and families in greatest need. Share's location is near major highways and convenient for volunteers, staff, and large truck deliveries.

Amount Requested: $1 million

Mann Center

Description: This project would allow the Mann Center for Performing Arts Center to continue to be a force for positive change in the Parkside community, and expand the reach of its arts education and workforce development programs for disadvantaged young people throughout the Philadelphia region.

Amount Requested: $1 million

Nicetown Sport Court

Description: The Nicetown Sport Court is an outdoor recreational sports facility project that brings economic development, arts and culture and storm water mitigation to underused open spaces beneath the Route 1 Roosevelt Boulevard highway that runs above and across Nicetown's commercial corridor.

Amount Requested: $1 million

Our Business, Our Neighborhoods (VestedIn)

Description: Through the proposed project, VestedIn (formerly WPFSI), Temple University's Small Business Development Center (SBDC), and ShopPhilly1st would create a promotional video campaign—Our Businesses, Our Neighborhoods, Our Stories—to support the 3rd Congressional District's small businesses and neighborhoods. These videos would focus on the importance of supporting local small businesses at the city and neighborhood level. Comcast will potentially provide time for the videos created through the project.

Amount Requested: $149,324

Youth Development & Community Empowerment (Philadelphia Youth Basketball)

Description: Philadelphia Youth Basketball (PYB) was created to build a high-impact program, organization, and future Youth Development & Community Empowerment Center, motivated by the combined potential of basketball, academic enrichment, leadership and character development, family engagement, and skilled coaching and mentorship to have transformative power in the lives of kids and communities.

Amount Requested: $1 million

Evans represents Pennsylvania's 3rd Congressional District, which includes Northwest and West Philadelphia and parts of North, South, Southwest and Center City Philadelphia. During Evans' first four years in Congress, his office has helped to return to or save more than $6.5 million for Philadelphians from federal agencies such as the IRS, Social Security Administration and Department of Veterans Affairs. His website is evans.house.gov and his social media handle is @RepDwightEvans on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

###