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Sitting quietly under an umbrella picnic table amongst a noisy group of suits and ties, Rose Payne took in the scene at the newest building in Point Breeze in more than 40 years.
Her name tag reads "DCS Super Volunteer" and, having worked with Diversified Community Services since 1989, it’s a title she’s earned.
The 75-year-old from the 700 block of Garnet Street said she does anything and everything staff calls upon her to do at the Dixon House Settlement, 1920 S. 20th St., an affiliate of the social service organization whose roots date back more than a century.
"I sweep, make copies, direct people to the right places and sit in for teachers in the after-school programs if they’re running late," she said.
DCS’s three-story Social Service Center at 1529 S. 22nd St. is the brainchild of Executive Director Cheryl Weiss, who, along with board members and staff, decided four years ago they needed to move closer to the heart of their work. The relocation is from their former administrative offices at 1210 and 1226 S. Broad St.
The new 12,000-square-foot center, with a floor of administration offices, two state-of-the-art computer labs, a boardroom and 10 multipurpose rooms for community use, including conflict resolution counseling and anger management classes, stretches the length of six rowhomes. The Worldwide Appliance Store was torn down to build the center.
The $1.2 million project was funded by the sale of the Broad Street properties with matching funds from the state’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program.
"This is the moment that’s been almost four years in the making," Weiss said in her opening remarks. "It is, in my mind, an example of the good that can come when the government and the community can embrace an idea and marshal the resources. My agency has a fabulous new home. The stewardship should last us decades. This is a social service center, so we hope that what we provide here is a value to children and families in the area."
DCS was founded in 1905 when University of Pennsylvania students ventured to Point Breeze, an area that was in great distress, Weiss said. When they returned to campus, they decided to build what became the University Settlement House, 24th and Lombard streets, that opened in ’07 with financial aid from philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, who lent the group $30,000. Weiss said at the time most settlement houses, including the University Settlement House, were similar to community centers and provided services like English lessons and educational programming to areas with high populations of immigrants.
DCS was incorporated in ’68, Weiss said, and under it came various settlement houses, like the Western Soup Society (now one of two daycares on the 1600 block of South Street and 2201 Moore St.) and the 70-year-old Dixon House. The latter was later combined with several surrounding DCS-owned buildings to create space for its programs, including the Curfew Center, where teens who are out later than law permits are brought by police to be picked up by a parent or guardian.
Weiss said the work at Dixon House will partner with programs at the new facility and strive to bring down crime rates — especially homicides involving youths.
"Already it’s coming down, although slowly," she said of the numbers.
Keeping youths off the streets is key, Treasurer Peter Moor said, and DCS’s new facility will allow for more of that.
"I think this symbolizes the value of being here," he said, adding, "[it’s] just an indication of our commitment here. Also, it’s a place for children and families to partner with us. [Point Breeze] is a good place to live and a good place to be, not only for newcomers, but for the folks that have been here for generations. We hope it can remain a community and we can get control of the problems and it can simply be a place to raise families."
The Adolescence Violence Reduction Partnership will serve as one of the primary programs at the new facility to combat youth violence. Mitch Little, who coordinates AVRP at the Dixon House, describes it as "an after-school program on steroids" and was enthusiastic about bringing the center-based enrichment program for at-risk 10- to 15-year-olds to the new building in Point Breeze.
"Any time you get an opportunity to help be a part of the revitalization of a neighborhood, that’s ultra-important to me," he said. "The fact that the neighborhood can see a nice, shiny new building, it offers all kinds of help not only for adults but also for the young people, that’s an amazing commitment I think.
"It’s a real good opportunity for the community to see our consistency and quality of product because it’s right here."
Moor in particular worked closely with Weiss throughout the planning and development, and echoed her comments on the location.
"When we were on South Broad Street, it was more difficult to be partnered with people," he said. "We wanted to be where we were conducting business to people — right smack dab within the community. It’s worked out that way as kind of a place to be a presence.
"Here, you’re closer to people, you’re closer to institutions, so things can be done. The further you’re removed from all this activity, the less possible it is to know what it is or to make anything happen. It’s really something we want to see as in a way owned by the community."
Weiss said the intent of the new facility is to keep families intact by providing them space to foster relationships. Although a majority of programs initially offered were geared toward youths, future plans include bringing in more adults.
"It’s our intention to begin computer classes, a GED workforce development and other programs that will unfold over time," she said.
Weiss also said programming from organizations like the IRS and Community Legal Services could have a place at the center to give residents regular access at low- or no-cost.
"At our best, a lot of organizations like this are creatures of government contracts," Moor added. "This is a way to try to be something more than what a lot of organizations have had to become."
Even Payne, who will only be working at the facility if needed, was elated with the move.
"Oh I love it, I really do," she said. "I like it because it’s a multipurpose place. Not only do they have the administrative offices here, but they also have some of the programs here. I have been [in Point Breeze] for 75 years and I think this place will revitalize the community because I was born in this community and I’ve seen it go all the way down. Already people are starting to talk to one another and mingle. Other people will see this nice building and the things going on here and want to be a part of it. Hopefully, it will bring Point Breeze back to what it was even 15, 20 years ago."
All agreed bringing as many people together is what will make the facility and DCS thrive.
"Nobody knew we were [on Broad Street]. Now we’re all one big, happy family," Payne added.
