ECS completed a dynamic year of advocacy by establishing and deepening partnerships, convening educational events, and furthering relationships with the key elected officials whose legislation matters most to ECS’ lead issues. Speaking truth to power took many forms!

In a new effort, ECS welcomed representatives from Heeding God’s Call to End Gun Violence to the St. Barnabas Community Resource Center to install “A Memorial to the Lost” — a colorful t-shirt display commemorating lives lost to gun violence.

At a related event, ECS hosted a letterwriting campaign supporting legislation to reduce gun violence in Philadelphia and beyond. Letters supported several bills in the Pennsylvania legislature and U.S. Congress addressing restricting the accessibility of weapons such as high capacity semiautomatic/automatic firearms and ghost guns. Guests included State Senator Art Haywood and representatives from the offices of State Rep. Morgan Cephas, State Senator Vincent Hughes, and Councilman Curtis Jones.

Additionally, the Brook J. Lenfest Foundation awarded a grant of $25,000 to support ECS’ Benefits Cliff Initiative. (The Benefits Cliff occurs when people face a sudden loss in public benefits as their income increases). For four years, ECS’ Inclusion and Advocacy Department has been working on the Benefits Cliff issue, both systemically through advocacy activities, including raising awareness, partnerships and calls to action, and supporting program participants in overcoming the Benefits Cliff using a Benefits Cliff calculator software tool developed by our partner, Leap Fund. ECS’ Benefits Cliff Initiative encompasses advocacy, education, coaching, and direct financial assistance.