Northern Awarded $300,000 for Campus Safety and Lighting Improvements

On September 15, Northern Children’s Services was awarded $300,000 through Pennsylvania’s Statewide Local Share Account (LSA) Program to support significant safety and lighting improvements across our 6.5-acre Northwest Philadelphia campus.

The Statewide LSA Program, administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) and the Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA), supports public-interest projects throughout Pennsylvania.

The funding will allow Northern to address areas of campus with inadequate, outdated, or nonfunctional lighting, including parking areas, pedestrian walkways, and building perimeters. Planned improvements include new lighting poles and fixtures, upgrades to existing poles with modern LED lighting, and new building-mounted security lighting.

For the children, youth, and families who live on and visit Northern’s campus — and the staff who provide care and support around the clock — these improvements are about more than infrastructure. Increased visibility and improved lighting will strengthen existing safety measures and help create a more secure, welcoming environment.

“Our campus is more than the place where we provide services — it is home for many of the young people and families we serve and a place where children come to heal, grow, and build toward their futures,” said Renata Cobbs-Fletcher, President and CEO of Northern Children’s Services. “This investment will help us create an even safer and more welcoming environment for the children, youth, families, staff, and community we serve.”

The project also supports Northern’s trauma-informed approach to care, which recognizes the importance of safety, trust, consistency, and predictability for children and young people who have experienced trauma and instability.

Northern is grateful to State Senator Vincent Hughes and State Representative Tarik Khan for supporting this investment. We also extend our appreciation to the Philadelphia Police Department’s 5th District, Manayunk Development Corporation, Roxborough Development Corporation, and Wissahickon Interested Citizens Association, each of which provided support for Northern’s application.

Their involvement reflects a shared commitment to promoting safety, community well-being, and strong neighborhoods throughout Roxborough, Manayunk, and Wissahickon.

We look forward to sharing updates as these improvements take shape and our campus becomes an even safer and more welcoming place for the children, youth, families, staff, and community members we serve.

Another project of A Place to Thrive, these campus safety and lighting improvements represent an important step forward in Northern’s commitment to preserving its historic campus while creating new opportunities for children, youth, and families to thrive for generations to come.

Media & Press: Download the full press release (PDF).