In the heart of Philadelphia is an avenue notorious for open drug use, violent crimes, and complete despair. Kensington Avenue has become the epicenter of hopelessness. If you’ve never heard of or experienced life in Kensington, a quick Google search will bring up hundreds of videos—footage of men and women, actively using, crumbling to the ground, or overdosing in the streets.

The majority of society would deem these individuals “hopeless.” People who are considered worthless, destined to roam these streets until that final fatal overdose. People like Mikey, whose troubled childhood led them to coping strategies that took away their life when what they were really looking for was just to survive.

We See Each Story

Each individual, a child of God, who somewhere, somehow has a family that wants to see them get better. That reason is what drives our outreach team to connect with the individuals of Kensington Avenue.

Our team has been actively engaging with the local community through street evangelism and outreach efforts. With a mission to make a positive impact, our dedicated staff members and volunteers, led by our local pastors, are consistently walking the streets of Kensington to connect with individuals facing homelessness, substance dependency and other challenges that come along with this lifestyle.

We gather every Saturday to minister to the people of Kensington with the goals of establishing connections, providing support, and offering resources to those in need, the team visits the area every week. We take to the streets once a week, ensuring a consistent and compassionate presence in the community. Our outreach efforts are geared towards understanding the specific needs of individuals and building relationships.

A Tuesday Problem-Solving Huddle

Every Tuesday, the PAATC team joins Philadelphia City Officials and key providers for a collaborative huddle to address broad issues and strengthen relationships within the community. The agenda includes:

  • Assessments to identify the individual needs of businesses and others in the surrounding community so that we can tailor assistance accordingly.
  • Coordination for HLOC (Higher Levels of Care) to help individuals find suitable PAATC treatment options or to coordinate access to appropriate services.
  • Transportation assistance for those in need to ensure they can access support services.
  • Providing clothing and hygiene products from Blessing Closet to individuals in our programs during their stay.

How Many People Can You Help?

Community involvement is vital to our outreach efforts. If you’d like to help, we invite you to:

  • Donate warm clothing, toiletries or hygiene products by calling or emailing our admissions team by to coordinate donations.
  • Donate to our Scholarship Fund to help the many patients who lack insurance or the ability to pay for services. Your donation to the scholarship fund is a blessing that allows access to services for those who need it most.

To learn more, call us today at 888.546.2579 or use our online contact form.