Public Statement

June 5, 2017

There have been a lot of discussions lately about the current operating status of Norris Square Community Alliance (NSCA). Hopefully, at this time, we can help to bring clarity to the concerns of our community.

Earlier this year, NSCA had to re-compete for another 5 year grant with the Office of Head Start (OHS). We were notified officially in writing that OHS will be moving forward with another applicant and that the grant will end effective June 30, 2017.

NSCA will continue to provide services for Pre-K children under our School District and Philly Pre-K contracts, however, as a result of the recent news, NSCA will be laying off Early Learning employees by June 30th . However, all employees will have the opportunity to apply and interview for current open positions within NSCA’s remaining early learning programs, and will be selected based on credentials, performance, experience and expertise. In addition, there will be interviews for open positions that will be available with OHS’s new selected grantee.

NSCA is still running 100% solid as we continue to provide ongoing services such as Intensive Prevention Services, Housing Counseling, Early Head Start Services for infants, Out-of-School Time services for youth from Kindergarten through 8th Grade with summer programming available, real estate development and rental units (commercial and residential), Also, as the Registered Community Organization (RCO) in the Norris Square community, we are still available to our community members and ready to support them in all the ways we have in the past and present. Lastly, we invite the NSCA community and collaborators to join us for our annual festival on September 30, 2017 at noon. We look forward to a great turnout in kinship with the families we serve and the greater Norris Square community.

For more information, please feel free to contact NSCA’s Executive Director, John Colon at 215-426-8734/email: jcolon@nscaphila.org, or Adamary Sosa, Chief of Early Learning at 215-426-8734/email: asosa@nscaphila.org.

Casa Carmen Aponte is hiring a Senior Housing Manager. See the link below for the job description and information on applying. The candidate must be bi-lingual (English and Spanish). They are looking for someone  who likes being around seniors, has a strong sense of responsibility, and is empathetic.

Managed by Presby’s Inspired Life, Casa Carmen Aponte is an affordable housing community in Philadelphia’s Kensington section. The complex offers 35 units of HUD-PRAC housing for seniors.

The community is unique in that it’s built on top the already existing Norris Senior Center, which now serves as the building’s first floor.

Casa Carmen Aponte Job Opening

The NSCA Zoning Committee holds monthly zoning meetings usually the last Thursday of the month at 6:00 pm at the former Rectory building (174 Diamond Street). All members of the community are welcome to attend. Please bring proof of address.
Applicants for zoning cases: please contact lvargas@nscaphila.org for information on how to arrange for a community zoning meeting.

Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/community-law-school-day-tickets-31027490058

During the holiday break, our Executive Director, John Colon, had his email account hacked. Spam emails were sent out to his entire contact list. If you recieved an email from John Colon with the subject line “Square Community Alliance 2017,” please disregard it and do not open it or any attachments that it may contain.

Thank You