Jim Rohr, the chief executive of PNC Financial Services Group Inc. (NYSE: PNC), and PNC's regional president, Bill Mills, today are unveiling an infusion of funds to support a pilot math curriculum at the North Philadelphia Head Start Program, part of the bank's $100 million decade-long charitable effort. That's great. But there's something else interesting here: the bank is specifically tying its action to calls to fulfill the hopes of the 1997 volunteer summit. Its spokesman Edward Kozmor attached the following note to the top of the press release to Inquirer reporters:
One business angle stems from a commentary that ran in the Inquirer last Thursday: "Ideas on easing poverty reflect a sense of its burden on Phila.," by Douglas Pike. Look at the background material below and I'll think you will find a good story that answers some of the questions posed by Mr. Pike's commentary.
It's telling that anti-poverty and community-building concerns may now constitute a hook for publicity about corporate charity efforts. PNC's donations (evidently a long time in the works and part of a broader charitable vision) happen to come as people seem to be making more noise about local businesses' role in fighting Philadelphia violence and poverty. This past week, organizers of the "Call to Action" anti-violence program, including A. Bruce Crawley, pleaded specifically for "corporate Philadelphia" to support them. And today, Lynne Korman Honickman -- the philanthropist and wife of retired bottling kingpin Harold Honickman -- has launched a new city campaign against gun violence. It's enough to make one wonder: Does the city need some kind of summit meeting again, this time to coordinate these disparate efforts of businesses and activists?
Comments (1)
We are well overdue for a summit, not just sitting around and talking about violence or creating another task force or study. What we need is a true action plan that brings the Business and Healthcare leadership to the forefront to effect real social and economic change.Violence has become a pandemic in our city creating an economic and a health crises.
Keystone Hospice responded to the increasing challenges of crime. We have joined arms with politicians, activists and business leaders to create the "Safer Street Alliance." Starting with Health Partners we have asked all communities to come together to work as one. The hope is to bring not just Business and Healthcare into the solution, but all members of our community to be part of the solution.. It is time for a passionate and tenacious alliance of folks from all walks of life to create true system change by pooling resources to bring back healthy neighborhoods with a short and long term vision. All of the wagons need to come to together and move in the same direction to create a force of change for reinvestment in neighborhoods that promote Quality of Life for "All Philadelphians!" We need to say "No More Violence",work as a United Community and give hope back to our neighborhods and our children to effect lasting change. This is a legacy that all of Philadelphia and surrounding counties should strive for No community can survive alone and must see their social and moral obligations as part of a bigger solution. The health of a region depends on the interdependance of many diverse neighborhoods and we are only as strong as our weakest link. By casting the very weak off on an island by themselves we create a sub-society which fosters poverty and hopelessness leading to a culture of violence. As a society every person needs feelthey are a piece of the puzzle. Business and Healthcare need to recognize the powerful role they can play in regional economic development be versus entitlement for a few! Every child is our future, lets protect them, teach them well and then let them lead the way!
Posted by Gail A Inderwies | October 24, 2007 4:40 PM
Posted on October 24, 2007 16:40