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Anton Moore awakes each weekday at about 6 a.m., commutes to New York City by bus, works eight to 10 hours and catches the bus back to Philly at about 9 p.m. He could easily shorten his trek to BET where he works as an associate of music programs by relocating to the Big Apple, but the West Passyunk resident doesn’t want to.
“There’s something about going to another city and coming back home to a place you love,” the 25-year-old said of why he stays put.
His bond with his home turf is so strong that he has donated about $30,000 of his own funds to his South Philly neighbors over the past five years.
“I always said when I was younger, if I ever get in the position to bless someone else, I wanted to do it,” the CEO and founder of Unity in the Community said.
For four straight years, Moore has organized a summer block party on his street — the 2000 block of Snyder Avenue. Last year, Unity, which is in the process of becoming a nonprofit, donated gifts to multiple families in need with Operation Holiday Help and rewarded a Point Breeze teen with the Ultimate Prom Experience.
His giving nature stemmed from seeing youngsters lacking anything to look forward to when he was growing up.
“When we did the block party, I saw how happy people were — coming together and having a good time,” he said of the event that gathered about 500 people and featured food and a performance by Trina.
With the creation of Unity’s board of directors, Moore plans to make each of those annual affairs in addition to creating a mentorship program, planning events geared toward curbing violence and, next month, cooking Thanksgiving dinner.
“Basically giving people who don’t have the means for a home-cooked meal — we’re going to feed the community on that day,” he said.
Moore, who briefly lived in a homeless shelter as a toddler, grew up at Tasker Homes, now Greater Grays Ferry Estates, 3001 Moore St. At about age 10, Moore’s family — his mother, Danine, and his two brothers and two sisters — relocated to West Passyunk.
By age 14, Moore began working various restaurant jobs and helped his father, David Eggleton, on his trash route weekly. During high school, he interned at Power 99 FM and during his Community College of Philadelphia years, he landed a BET internship that turned into a full-time position.
But it’s the more recent news of being recognized as a Difference Maker that has caught Moore by surprise.
“It’s just something you never dream of when you’re young, so when it actually happens, it’s just a state of shock,” he said.
Contact Managing Editor Amanda L. Snyder at asnyder@southphillyreview.com or ext. 117.
More 2011 Difference Makers:
Madeline Brinkman Louis DiRenzo Bonney DosSantos Andrew Emma Darren Fava
Sara Feinstein Greg Frangipani Gary Harkins Kelly Hile Mitch Little
Robert Malara Jessica Mammarella Chris Menna John Murawski Cassie Plummer
Sue Posternock Michelle Rumbaugh Letty Santarelli Christy Santoro
Marianne Squillaciotti Walter Stewart Jennifer Swain Angelica Victoriano Joe Whelan
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