Northeast Passage

At the heart of Oxford Circle’s Castor Avenue commercial corridor, Northeast Passage is the newest community hub space from the Porch Light program.

Northeast Passage. Photo by Steve Weinik.

(The Northeast Service Hub, 6434 Castor Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19149)

At the heart of Oxford Circle’s Castor Avenue commercial corridor, Northeast Passage is a lively community hub space from the Porch Light program. A series of workshops, art installations, and classes honor the heritage and experiences of the many immigrants and refugees who call Northeast Philadelphia home—according to data published in Next City, one in four Oxford Circle neighbors is a first-generation resident, and up to 43% do not speak English. Weekly classes at the hub offer critical life skills and health systems navigation, happening in tandem with creative programming. The space is a part of a larger partnership with Councilman Jared Solomon, National Service Center (NSC), Family Promise, JEVS, Jewish Family and Community Services, and St. John’s Lutheran Church.

Northeast Passage. Photo by Steve Weinik.

Gathering neighbors from Ukraine, China, Korea, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Egypt, Guatemala, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, and many others, Northeast Passage provides opportunities for people to come together and share their unique experiences. The new initiative is housed within The Exchange, a thrift store and community center run by the Oxford Circle Christian Community Development Association (OCCCDA).

For additional information about Northeast Passage, including a schedule of workshops and events, please contact: melissa.fogg@muralarts.org.

Funders 

The Samuel S. Fels Foundation
Pennsylvania Department of Human Services
Janssen Pharmaceuticals

Partner 

OCCCDA
Thomas Jefferson University