Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson Summer/Fall 2021 Newsletter

COUNCILMEMBER AT-LARGE

SUMMER/FALL 2021

Office of Katherine Gilmore Richardson Councilmember At-Large | City Hall Room 581 | (215) 686-0454 @CouncilmemberKGR

@councilmemberKGR

@CouncilwomanKGR

PHLCouncil.com/KatherineGilmoreRichardson

Friend, It has been another hard year in the City of Philadelphia. In addition to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen an unprecedented level of gun violence plaguing our communities and the impacts of climate change are ever more apparent.

While there are many challenges, I am committed to doing the hard work to ensure that we have safe, healthy, resilient neighborhoods. Since last summer, I’ve passed 5 bills; helped secure a historic $155 million investment in anti-violence initiatives; released the first City of Philadelphia Apprenticeship Guidebook; updated the minor curfew law, worked with the School District to provide conflict resolution to every child, helped secure a record investment in arts and culture, secured additional funding to address climate change and environmental justice, worked with the Administration to create evening resource centers for children who violate curfew; and hosted over 30 community events – both in person and virtually.

The most important part of my job is serving you. I am so grateful for this opportunity, and my team and I are always here to be of service. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any need. You can call my office at 215-686-0454. I am looking forward to the work we will continue to do together. We journey on!

Katherine Gilmore Richardson Councilmember At-Large

Meet TeamKGR! Contact my team with your needs!

Taylor Daukaus

Chief of Staff Taylor.Daukaus@phila.gov

Beth Strain Berry

Constituent Services Director Beth.Strain.Berry@phila.gov

Dornell Burrell

Community Affairs Liaison & Budget Analyst Dornell.Burrell@phila.gov

Venita Green

Administrative Assistant Venita.Green@phila.gov

James Barkley

Special Assistant James.K.Barkley@phila.gov

Eliza Alford

Policy & Communications Director Eliza.Alford@phila.gov TeamKGR at the Sprinkler Fitters Local 692 Training Center; TeamKGR at the Philly Shipyard

Santos Ramos

Legislative Aide Santos.Ramos@phila.gov TeamKGR

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Out and About in the Community

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1. Visiting the Philadelphia Orchard Project’s Learning Garden at The Woodlands in West Philadelphia 2. Dropping off resources to seniors at St. George Senior Housing in Center City 3. Attending a community march against gun violence in North Philadelphia 4. Hosting a Pop Up Pantry at Gorgas Park in Roxborough 5. Walking commercial corridors in Mayfair and Tacony to enforce against nuisance businesses with Councilmember Henon, Rep Hohenstein, Rep. Driscoll, and the Office of Sen. Tartaglione in Northeast Philadelphia 6. Co-hosting a Pop Up Pantry and Veteran’s Day Event with Wynnefield Residents Association, Rep. Cephas, Sen. Hughes, and Councilmember Jones in Wynnefield 7. Co-hosting a COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic with my colleague Councilmember Squilla, Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, and Pastor Edmund T. Sherrill at Mt. Enon Baptist Church in South Philadelphia with my brothers from Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., Nu Sigma Chapter 8. Participating in the James A. Minton Holiday Drive sponsored by the Mu Omega Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. in Germantown Community 2

2021: What We’ve Accomplished So Far Legislation Sponsored & Co-Sponsored: 252 Bills & Resolutions

Lead Sponsor Bills Passed: 5 • • • •

Allowing Businesses to Have Outdoor Entertainment Providing Grants for Artists & Arts Organizations Left Out of COVID-19 Recovery Funds Regulating the Sale of Drug Paraphernalia Requiring Businesses to Share Information about Workforce Development Providers upon Separation • Reforming the Minor Curfew Law

Budget Victories:

• Historic investment in anti-violence initiatives with an additional $68 MM ($155MM total) • Record investment in arts and culture, with my colleague Councilmember Thomas, with an additional $6.8MM for Arts & Culture ($9.6MM total) • Additional $8.6MM for Commerce & Equitable Economic Development ($36.1MM total) • Additional $622K for Climate Action & Environmental Justice ($2.5MM total)

Programs Created: 3

• Illuminate the Arts Grants ($1MM): 590 individual artists and 55 arts businesses and non-profits received grants ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 to support those who were not eligible for other pandemic assistance • New Normal Home Health Aide Upskilling Program ($300K): 50 un- or under-employed home health aides were provided with free Nurse Aide training and job placement through the District 1199C Training & Upgrading Fund and in partnership with Philadelphia Works • Community Evening Resource Centers ($1.5MM): DHS will contract with community based providers to establish 3 centers, which will provide resources to young people and be safe spaces for kids to be after curfew

Councilmember Gilmore Richardson with the inaugural graduates of the New Normal Home Health Aide Upskilling Program Policy/Legislation

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2021: What We’ve Accomplished So Far Conflict Resolution for Every Student

In November, the Committee on Education heard my resolution on providing conflict resolution to every child in the School District of Philadelphia. In April, during a follow-up hearing, the School District committed to providing conflict resolution programming in every classroom starting this school year! Learn more at bit.ly/KGRConflictResolution

Environmental Justice & Climate Change 35 Civilian Environmental Advisory Committee Meetings Lights Out Philly

Along with Councilmember Johnson, I worked with the Bird Safe Philly Coalition to create a Lights Out Program in Philadelphia! As Philly welcomes millions of birds flying south for the winter, Lights Out Philly asks everyone to turn off or block non-essential lights from midnight to 6 a.m. from Aug. 15 until Nov. 15 to help birds navigate our city safely.

Sustainable Investment

In January, I introduced a Resolution calling on the Pension Board to adopt Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) language into their Policy Statement and require climate risk disclosure information where appropriate. The Board adopted this language in April and subsequently participated in the historic shareholder climate activism at Exxon Mobil.

Councilmember Gilmore Richardson Appointed to Environmental Protection Agency’s Local Government Advisory Committee I am thrilled to join the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Local Government Advisory Committee! Climate change is impacting us now, and these impacts are not felt equitably. As a member of the LGAC, I will be able to bring the challenges Philadelphia faces directly to our federal government to advocate for our communities. Thank you to Secretary Regan for this appointment!

Policy/Legislation

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Helping Philadelphians Every Day “I've been struggling for quite some time getting help with completing PHDC work on my house.

I reached out to City Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson and she and her team have been able to assist me in getting the work completed in a timely matter within weeks time of me contacting the office. I would like to send my appreciation to her and her staff members for all she has done for my family and household.”

- Ms. Donna Palmer “It felt so good to be able to take a bath after washing up in the sink for over a. year. I’m so grateful to everyone who has helped me.”

- Ms. Jackie

Reach out to my Constituent Services Team: Beth Strain Berry and Venita Green!

Call 215-686-0454

or email Beth.Strain.Berry@phila.gov or Venita.Green@phila.gov

Ways we can help!

• Housing • Real Estate Taxes/Tangled Titles • Residential Permit Parking • • Vacant or Abandoned Buildings • Street Improvements • Basic Systems Repair • • Nuisance Properties • Utility Assistance • Starting a Business • Constituent Services

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Staying Connected Throughout COVID-19 Check out all of our virtual events on my Facebook page: CouncilmemberKGR

Events

@CouncilmemberKGR

@CouncilmemberKGR

@CouncilwomanKGR

PHLCouncil.com/KatherineGilmoreRichardson

COVID-19 Testing and Pop Up Pantry with Rep. Cephas, Councilmember Jones, Sen. Hughes, Wynnefield Residents Association, Independence, CHOP, and Latino Connection at St. Barbara’s Church in Wynnefield