PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Although the nation’s 250th birthday is still a few years away, Philadelphia is already planning their celebration.
As part of nonprofit Philadelphia250’s Leave a Legacy grant competition, an effort intended to build community impact that will last well after 2026 (the nation’s 250th birthday), Philadelphia250 selected three community projects it will support with money and technical help in preparation of the city’s celebration.
The chosen projects are Our Market, a public art initiative in the 9th Street Market, historically called the Italian Market, the Cities of Inclusion by Special Olympics Pennsylvania, and a project by Smith Memorial Playground and Playhouse, where kids create wooden action figures modeled after community activists.
Danielle Smith, Smith Memorial Playground’s development director, says once the kids customize the wooden figures, it’s theirs to keep forever.
“That’s part of the legacy that it lives on with them.”
Philadelphia250’s executive director Danielle DiLeo Kim says out of eleven semifinalists, these three projects were chosen because of their potential to make a lasting difference.
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“They have strong leadership,” Kim said. “They have great community support and really viable work plans, which was important for us to pick projects that we know would be successful and even live beyond 2026.”
Philadelphia250’s goal is to raise around $250,000 by 2026 to support these legacy project teams.