The Philadelphia Resilience Project is the joint effort of 35 City offices that have been working every day to tackle the opioid epidemic. We’ve focused our work in the Kensington neighborhood, the epicenter of the crisis.

The collaborative program formed after Mayor Jim Kenney signed an executive order in October 2018. We’ve made significant and meaningful progress. We know we have much more work ahead of us, and we need the involvement of the Kensington community and residents all over the city.

7 major accomplishments of the Philadelphia Resilience Project

  1. Closed four large encampments in Kensington and connected occupants to housing and treatment services. Read more about how we close encampments with compassion.
  2. Created Safe Corridor routes so children can travel safely to and from school.
  3. Hosted three community cleanups with hundreds of volunteers.
  4. Implemented Police Assisted Diversion (PAD) program in East Police Division to provide an alternative to arrests.
  5. Increased distribution of naloxone (Narcan) and related trainings implemented by community partners.
  6. Deployed mobile outreach team to provide Medication Assisted Treatment.
  7. Prevented spread of HIV and hepatitis by screening, vaccinating, and linking people to medical care.

Find out more about our progress on phila.gov/ResilientPHL.

At a just-cleared encampment site, people clean up trash, blankets, and other supplies under a bridge.


5 ways you can be a part of the progress

  1. Donate to a neighborhood nonprofit partner: Pathways to Housing PA, HACE CDC, Impact Services, New Kensington CDC, Prevention Point Philadelphia, and The Salvation Army’s New Day to Stop Trafficking Program
  2. Volunteer for a community cleanup in Kensington. The next one is taking place on Saturday, March 9. We’ll be covering 190 blocks, so we need all the help we can get! Sign up here.
  3. Provide food and basic needs by volunteering at a food pantry, donating food and toiletries, or organizing a drive to provide needed resources to the community. Sign up through this form.
  4. Volunteer for a Safe Route to School to keep our kids safe as they walk to and from school. Sign up through this form.
  5. Become a Philly Reading Coach to help our kids succeed in school. Get more information.

Group of people wearing Philadelphia Resilience Project vests walk down a street carrying trashcans and cleaning equipment.

 

Sign up for the next community cleanup on March 9