CHESTER-SWARTHMORE COLLEGE COMMUNITY COALITION

MISSION

To promote community empowerment and self-reliance in Chester, Pennsylvania through education, recreation, cultural enrichment, leadership training, economic development and prevention programs in a process encouraging and supporting community residents to play leading roles and take ever-increasing responsibility in decision making and implementation

HISTORY

The Chester-Swarthmore College Community Coalition was formed in 1992 to develop and implement education, job training and social service programs responsive to the needs of children, teenagers and adult residents of the William Penn Housing Development and the city of Chester. The Coalition focuses on early intervention programs for children and is comprised of public housing residents, faculty and staff of Swarthmore College, and leaders representing Delaware County business and social service organizations. The Coalition is a nonprofit organization with its own Board of Directors under the fiscal agency of Swarthmore College and is incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with its own independent designation under the rules of the I.R.S. as a 501(c)(3) entity.

RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS

¥ Over 70 Swarthmore College students volunteered in community projects through the Coalition

¥ Three adult residents are completing training in child tutoring and are volunteering in the schools

¥ College intern recommendations are the focus of after school program improvements by residents

¥ Ten to fifteen families meet bimonthly in the community center to become more informed about community resources, make craft items with their children or celebrate black history month

¥ Six residents were trained to interview their neighbors, creating a skills bank for Section 3 job initiatives

COALITION PROGRAMS

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