Support Arvilla Residents!

Hello from West Philadelphia, where 18 residents of the Arvilla building (4500 block of Osage) are being forced out of their homes at only a few weeks' notice.

One of the residents of the Arvilla is an elder, who have been in the building for 50 years -- and another is a single mother of three who was invited in by the owners just ~7 months ago, only to be told to leave right in the middle of winter. 

Many of the residents are in a vulnerable position -- and as a result they have been ignored, forced to endure poor conditions, and eventually pushed out. 

While neighbors are organizing  to  keep the building affordable and open to tenants, the owner has yet to halt the evictions.

To keep current residents safe and supported (especially during the holiday season),  we are looking for at least $1000 per head to reimburse any expenses they'll have, and to ensure a cushion during this time.

Please contribute as you are able, and share this campaign widely!

More info: www.ArvillaOrganizing.org 

FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY:

We set a modest target of $20k, but it would be great to triple that or more.

Funds will be channeled through the Calvary Center for Culture & Community, a trusted local organization that will help us account for it. Since they're a 501c3, your contribution is tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

The fundraising committee (Alex Gunnison, Aya Kaufmann, Tammer Ibrahim, Mary McGettigan, Timothy Crawford & JJ Tiziou) will provide oversight for equitable distribution to Arvilla residents. 

Because cash gifts can mess up benefits & subsidies, we’ll use the $$ to help neighbors cover costs of daily life & moving / transition costs & provide gift cards. 

Our goal is for at least 75% of the money raised to be distributed evenly per person in a need-blind no-conditions manner. The remaining 25% will allow flexibility for dealing with specific resident needs as they come up. 

We will have touch-points at the end of January & end of February to distribute resources, and may continue the campaign beyond that depending on how the coming months shape up.

Thank you for being generous in your support of our neighbors!



FOR MORE INFO:

Inquirer: The Penn-Alexander Effect: Is there any room for low-income residents in University City? 
NBC10: Tenants of University City Apartment say they were forced out of their homes 
WestPhillyLocal: Neighbors Protest Arvilla sale, owners say deal nearly final 
GeekGirlWisdom: Support Arvilla Residents in W. Philly from Getting Pushed Out