ADVISORY/Salvation Army and Sansom Street Coaltion to Dedicate Neighborhood Tot Lot.

News & Assignment Editors

ADVISORY...for Thursday (Dec. 12)

--(BUSINESS WIRE)

Salvation Army

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    Group Comes Together to Celebrate Restoration of Abandoned Lot
   and Continuance of Mayor's Neighborhood Transformation Initiative

EVENT:    Mayor John Street and Councilperson Jannie Blackwell will
          join The Sansom Street Coalition, an organization of
          University City religious, community and activist groups, in
          a dedication of a new neighborhood tot lot - Rainbow Park.

DATE:     Thursday, December 12th
          2:00 p.m.

PLACE:    Rainbow Park
          45th and Sansom Streets
          University City
          Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

ON-SITE:  +Mayor John F. Street
          +Councilperson Jannie Blackwell
          (+Ribbon Cutting)
          Representatives from the Sansom Street Coalition, including
          members of The Salvation Army Faith House, the Association
          of Islamic Charitable Projects, Spruce Hill Community
          Association, University City District, Travelers Aid
          Society, U.C. Green, and West Philadelphia Partnership

DETAILS:  Prior to being renovated, Rainbow Park was an abandoned lot
          used by local drug dealers and drug users.  Over the past
          few years, the lot has been taken back by the neighborhood,
          cleaned up by volunteers, lit by lights donated by Exelon
          Corporation, and outifitted with playground equipment.
          Mayor John Street signed his Neighborhood Transformation
          Initiative at the Rainbow Park site in March 2002.

          The Salvation Army was founded 136 years ago as a religious
          and social services organization. Since that time, the
          organization has taken a holistic approach to working with
          people, addressing their physical, emotional, intellectual
          and spiritual needs without discrimination. The Salvation
          Army provides community supportive services, residential
          shelters, foster care, developmental disabilities programs,
          correctional services programs, disaster relief services,
          child development centers, after-school care and Corps
          Community Centers.