Philadelphia Community Engagement

The American Friends Service Committee carries out service, development, social justice and peace programs throughout the world. AFSC was founded by Quakers in 1917 to provide conscientious objectors with an opportunity to aid civilian war victims. In 1947, the organization accepted the Nobel Peace Prize with the British Friends Service Council on behalf of all Quakers. AFSC in Philadelphia, Pa., is one of many AFSC offices located throughout the United States, Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.

Philadelphia's Reading Terminal Market is an urban foodie's paradise, a whole city block of fresh meat and seafood, local produce and dairy, decadent pastries and desserts. Since 1892, the Reading (pronounced like "redding") Terminal Market, named after the train station that was once located here, has been home to dozens of retailers serving the public, as well as local chefs looking to pick up ingredients.Parking and Public Transportation at Reading Terminal MarketReading Terminal Market offers $4 parking at nearby garages at 11th and Arch and at 12th and Filbert; you can take advantage of this deal if you've made $10 worth of purchases and get your parking validated.Reading Terminal is right near the nexus of all public transportation in Philadelphia. Nearly every trolley line entering Center City from the west ends at City Hall, just two blocks from the market. The Broad Street subway line lets off at City Hall as well; the Market-Frankford east/west subway line has a stop at 11th Street, a block south of the market.Admission to Reading Terminal MarketAdmission is free, though walking past the roughly 100 merchants without buying something is tough.Reading Terminal Market is open 8:00AM-6:00PM Monday-Saturday and 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. on Sundays. Keep in mind that many of the Pennsylvania Dutch merchants are not open Sundays and Mondays.Must See/Do at Reading Terminal MarketThis is one of the best places in the city to get high-quality produce as dirt-cheap prices. If you're hungry now, grab a roast pork sandwich from Tommy DiNic's and head to the food court for some great people watching.Other Places to Visit Near Reading Terminal MarketIf you're looking for more retail therapy, the Rittenhouse neighborhood, with its high-end boutiques, is a few blocks west. You can also take the Market-Frankford subway line to Independence Hall to brush up on your history, or the PHLASH shuttle system to the museum district for the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Barnes Foundation and the Franklin Institute.Insider tip for visitors to Reading Terminal MarketThe best time to visit Reading Terminal Market is in the mornings or mid-afternoons. Lunch time and weekends are packed with people, locals and tourists alike.Author's bio: Jeff Birou is an education administrator by day, travel and freelance writer by night. You can find him at his blog, Lance+Jeff, or on Twitter at @Jetsetter_Jeff.

Operational for more than 40 years, Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation is a full-service housing developer that. The company designs new homes and renovates vacant houses. Its capabilities include prepurchase inspection, private financing negotiation, and construction and project management. Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation also offers environmental consultation and cost estimating services. It provides energy-efficient housing options through a weatherization assistance program. Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation additionally repairs electrical and plumbing systems and leaking roofs. The company also handles dangerous structural problems and offers heater replacement services. Its adaptive modifications program provides major adaptations to houses and rental units and assists individuals with physical disabilities to live independently and avoid institutionalization.