Dear community,

We are writing to you with a big picture update on Philly Thrive’s work and evolution as an organization. The past year has been a challenging period for us, one where our growth finally started tapping us on the shoulder (or a slightly more aggressive gesture). We have mustered all we’ve got to be able to turn a corner on the challenges, and we’re going to need some more Thrivers to suit up with us for the adventure ahead.

Approaching ten years this fall, Philly Thrive has been working nonstop in our organizing, campaigning, and program development since 2015. The first five years were spent building our membership base from scratch through the Right to Breathe Campaign, both of which we found success with, evidenced by winning an end to 150 years of oil refining in South Philadelphia. The second five have been spent campaigning for justice post-refinery closure and building programs responsive to community needs during times of coronavirus, growing wealth inequality, and ongoing environmental injustice. What a time to be alive and what good trouble to get into.

Around 2024 two things happened: 

(1) We realized we had to figure out how to slow down our usual pace of organizing work to upgrade our internal structures and policies. We were no longer operating on a shoestring and had begun to demonstrate some real staying power far exceeding the initial vision for organizing. So we started developing a process for “popping the hood” on the Philly Thrive vehicle so a whole fleet of mechanics (Thrive staff & members) could assist in the necessary tune-ups to our structures, culture, and policies that were rusting out.

 (2) We developed a project idea that could integrate the broad canopy of our campaigns and programs. The idea is to utilize the concept of the “resilience hub” to fulfill the long-term desire of our constituency to have a community center accessible and responsive to the former Tasker Homes/31st and Tasker community heavily impacted by the former refinery. The community center would centralize Thrive’s growing programs and partnerships for meeting immediate needs and for building people power to change the policies and procedures that create so much unmet need. The Grays Ferry Resilience Hub would allow us to practice our understanding of environmental justice - as multidimensional as “Right to Breathe” indicates - while adding a serious component of climate preparedness. As such, the center will serve as a heating/cooling center powered by solar energy and climate emergency equipment that the community is trained to use (generators, water & air filters, & more). The vision garnered powerful partner organizations and was ultimately selected for full funding by the federal government.

This all sounds pretty wonderful and exciting, but the growing pains we’ve been enduring have been hard-hitting. We’ve felt the ongoing impacts of our rusted-out vehicle. We have had our hearts broken multiple ways multiple times, have been growing into challenging new understandings of our work, and have parted ways with beloved members of our community – all while having our entire operations thrown into question by the federal grant freeze. But we’ve forged ahead. We appreciate anyone who has supported us in any way during this time, whether you knew we were going through this difficult period or not. Our family, friends, donors and funders, mentors, allies, and collaborators of all kinds – you may not know how significant you are to us. 

To the Grays Ferry community: to have these challenges impact our ability to function at full capacity with our community programs has been the hardest part to stomach, and it is our hope that what’s on the other side of this struggle is more resources and empowerment than we’ve ever been able to offer before. Thank you for your understanding, patience, and continued belief in Philly Thrive. 

To the Philly Thrive members past and present: your decision to contribute your time and skills to pursue the Right to Breathe and Thrive for all Philadelphians speaks to your character and commitments during a time of so much chaos and injustice in the world. If we had to go our separate ways, we love you and we wish you health, grounding, and purpose in your next pursuits.

Philly Thrive is now at a stage where we have high hopes. We are gathering the lessons learned in this period, regenerating our capacity, bringing on experienced support to complete our organizational upgrade, and moving purposefully into the next chapter of our work. As such, we are currently hiring a slate of staff roles (many of them interim/short-term, with more permanent hiring to come in the near future):

• Interim Director of Programs & Training (formerly the Organization Development Contractor)
• Interim Director of Staff Supervision & Healthy Relations
• Communications Coordinator
• Interim Fundraising Coordinator
• Interim Youth Organizer

As our moment of growth demands immediate support and capacity, we hope to make selections for these positions between April 23-May 1. We will be looking for many new Thrive volunteer members and partners to bring life to the Grays Ferry Resilience Hub, in addition to further staff roles to power the Hub. We will circulate those opportunities when we have them.

Thank you for believing in us. Thank you for standing with us through the storms. We are ready to build what's next together.

With love and commitment,

Alexa Ross and Shawmar Pitts, Co-Managing Directors

P.S. Philly Thrive is deeply committed to building a strong multiracial, cross-class organization rooted in Philadelphia neighborhoods. We are an equal opportunity employer and especially encourage applicants from communities who have experienced systemic environmental injustice firsthand, including people of color, women, and those from low-income and working class backgrounds.

Philly Thrive is committed to enacting good faith efforts to contract with Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) whenever procuring construction, equipment, services and supplies under an EPA financial assistance agreement, under 40 CFR 33.301. We strongly encourage DBEs to apply for opportunities with Philly Thrive and we invite DBEs to contact us at [email protected] to be added to our solicitation list.