The Philadelphia City Council Meeting on Thursday, February 27, highlighted the significant community outreach programs designed by the Philadelphia Community Outreach Committee. Introducing the many members of the PCOC, Councilmember Jamie Gauthier highlighted the efforts made by the committee in West Philadelphia.
The Belmont Safety Model, created in part by the PCOC, targeted the open-air drug markets and actively worked to dismantle them and extinguish their presence in the surrounding communities. Supported by Councilmembers Harrity, Phillips, Richardson, Gauthier, Jones, Landau, Lozada, Brooks, O’Rourke, Driscoll, O’Neill, and Councilmember Squilla, the main initiative of the PCOC is to establish a safe environment in Philadelphia and engage with the community. In her presentation, Councilwoman Gauthier shared how the Belmont safety model has “saved lives and made West Philly a safer, healthier, and more vibrant place.” The councilwoman focused on the significance of teamwork and communication between City Hall and the community. It is imperative that local governments listen to and work with the communities they represent, not the other way around. That way, change happens, and citizens feel heard and important by those who represent them.
The Philadelphia Community Outreach Committee, established in 2014, was organized by members of West Philadelphia to grow and cultivate more community engagement among the people. The area in which they represent had fallen victim to notable drug presence, heightened homelessness, and increasing crime rates. Founders Ishaq Samai and Peter Wilson – Ward Leader of the Sixth Democratic Ward – were both present at the City Council Meeting.
PCOC is dedicated to battling the crime that occurs in the community – like gun violence and drug sales- and works with local law enforcement, such as the Narcotics Unit, and elected officials. As was evident during the hearing, PCOC has a close relationship with local government officials, which is beneficial in enforcing the changes and improvements the group is attempting to make. Recently, they were responsible for closing down six open-air drug markets, significantly reducing shootings and saving millions of taxpayer money for the citizens of Philadelphia, as was stated by Councilwoman Gauthier. PCOC has also worked to clean up open lots and reduce trash waste in the streets of West Philadelphia, as well as foster a web of 35 officials and community leaders to advocate for the safety and accountability of the goings-on in the area. The PCOC has also worked to successfully save 3.6 million dollars for the city and has invested its time and effort to expand these initiatives across the city, demonstrating the great power of community-led work and performances.
Councilwoman Gauthier also shared how PCOC is important in “enabling practices and solutions that neighbors know will improve their quality of life,” which will not only enhance the committee’s ability to impose change.
Neighborhood engagement breeds support and trust among one another and requires those in charge to listen to the needs of the people. The people’s community holds a great deal of power and PCOC harnesses that for the better. Their unity among each other and among their neighbors has proved victorious thus far in implementing the plans they have created for the good of the community and the city. Their obvious presence in the community is what makes their attempts so fruitful; they develop personal relationships with those they work for and represent.
Community members have grown to establish a trusted relationship with the local government and be more proactive in designing solutions for their neighborhoods. PCOC and City Hall will only continue to work together and further improve Philadelphia, the City of Neighborhoods as titled by Councilwoman Gauthier.
