Penn Treaty Special Services Department or (PTSSD) is an organization formed under a Community Benefits Agreement with the SugarHouse Casino to award grants to local organizations that give back to the community. The PTSSD board members met with three local representatives from the following: Veteran’s Education and Awareness Program, St. Peter’s School for technology, and South Kensington Community Partners. Each representative addressed the board members to explain why they wished to receive a grant from PTSSD.

The first presenter was Sandy Bukowski, a retired Special-Ed teacher representing the Veterans’ Education and Awareness Program. Bukowski says that her goal is to have students work on a project to research and help build a temporary structure just in time for the 25th anniversary of our Philadelphia memorial located at Front and Spruce streets. This structure would include updated pictures of veterans (who primarily served in the Vietnam War) accompanied by short biographies. “It’s kind of the beginning grass roots of getting students more aware of what veterans have done for our country,” says Bukowski.

There is a space located in Northern Liberties which is available to build an entire park and mural dedicated to Veterans as well as those who are currently serving our country. The board members suggest working with Bukowski and the Mural Arts Program to ensure that a permanent mural and park is placed. They agreed that the inclusion of children in this project could still be possible as well as the goal of raising overall awareness of those that have served our country.

The second presenter was Sr. Rosalia Federici of St. Peter’s School who expressed her love of the school by calling it, “My little heaven on Fifth and Girard.” The school’s mission statement is: “Following in the tradition of St. John Neumann; together we will enable faculty member, student, and parent to reach the fullness of their potential in order to contribute to the building up of God’s kingdom on earth.” Federici says that the children who attend St. Peter’s are responsible for several service projects including: collecting food around the holidays to give to those in need and a monthly solidarity day with the poor in which they collect funds and send them to their sister school in El Salvador.

Federici says that St. Peter’s has two computer labs which are four or five years old and about fifty new Dell computers are needed. Her other request is to give families one month free tuition for the after school program and also requested funding for classroom bus trips.

The third and final representative was Erika Tapp of South Kensington Community Partners. This organization (formerly known as Kensington South NAC) provides the community of lower to moderate income with a variety of resources including housing. They also have a vacant lot oversight program which maintains and cleans lots among other things. Tapp says, “Our goal is to hold people accountable for property and improve the aesthetic of the neighborhood.”

Tapp says the organization has stable funding for now but in the future there is a lot to be nervous about. The organization’s ongoing programs are extensive and include greening programs, recycling, greening gardens, crime related programs and more. Tapp says, “We are trying to do as many things with as little resources as possible.”

PTSSD plans to award grants to St. Peter’s School and South Kensington Community Partners at their next meeting on October 19. The PTSSD Board will meet with Sandy Bukowski in November to further discuss the progress on that project.

Past Grants and Additional Funding

Among the many grants that have previously been awarded, is the grant that Fishtown Action (FACT) received from the PTSSD to finance the design and installation of banners that will be displayed throughout the special services district.  The banners will be hung on light poles along Richmond Street, Lehigh Avenue, York Street and Girard Avenue. The banners represent a three part theme of art, history and community.

In addition, monies from the PTSSD were recently used for Fantastic Fridays, the successful concert series held during the month of August at Penn Treaty Park.

On September 23, SugarHouse Casino presented the PTSSD with a check in the amount of $500,000 which will go towards community improvement projects in the future.

According to PTSSD Board member Rich Levins, “While the receipt of the $500,000 check on Friday will enable the PTSSD to continue to fund and sponsor important community initiatives and projects, I continue to be impressed with continued accessibility of the SugarHouse senior leadership.  They continue to make themselves available to the PTSSD and community at large to discuss any issue or question.”
For more information on the PTSSD, or to download a grant request form, please visit penntreatyssd.com.