Leveraging Anchor Institutions for Community Benefit

Several years ago, Mayor Michael Nutter, then the 4th District Councilman, brought together members of the Wynnefield and Overbrook communities including the Saint Joseph’s University to form the Wynnefield Overbrook Revitalization Corporation (WORC).

They hoped to create a vehicle for the community to commit their intellectual, economic and human resources to the hard work of community change. A core premise of the initiative is that engagement in the community was best done via collaborative, mutually-respectful, mutually-beneficial partnerships.

Based on successful models of University Community Partnerships, WORC’s initial goal is to leverage the socio-economic power of our local anchor institutions for community benefit. WORC is seeking to replicate partnership models that have been successful in 1) reversing the negative trend in homeownership, 2) stimulating renewal of the neighborhood's principal commercial corridor, 3) opening up employment opportunities for neighborhood residents, 4) acting as an economic development catalyst for neighborhood businesses and 4) provided leadership for comprehensive neighborhood strategies.

WORC has been incorporated since 2005 as a non-profit community development corporation. Since 2005, the Board has:

• Obtained its 501(c)(3) status;
• Planned for extensive outreach activities to the neighborhood through informal consultations, discussions, and community meetings and generated ideas and enthusiasm;
• Gathered information from community stakeholders to help the organizing effort and has effectively undertaken the initiative with the active participation and agreement of community residents;
• Drafted a concept paper and determined the key issues of concern in the neighborhood in order to articulate a vision for the neighborhood and a mission for WORC; and
• Added new members to the board and explored potential funding sources.

In January 2009, WORC received funding for the position of a full-time Executive Director. WORC is now working to begin implementing its Action Plan for 2009 and is managing the growth of the organization to further this mission.

Neighborhood Anchors: Preserving Recent Investments

• Saint Joseph’s University
• PCOM
• Please Touch Museum
• Centennial District
• Target Center
• ParkWest Town Center
• City Ave. Special Services District
• WPVI
• Homewood Suites Hilton
• The Mansion at Bala