Rep. Ben Waxman

Friday is the last day our Mighty Writers Back to School Drive. If you have any school supplies that you’d like to donate (see flyer for list), you can drop them off at my Center City office located at 1500 Walnut St, Suite 1050. Thank you to everyone who's donated so far!

When UArts shuttered its doors, it felt like a void being created along the Ave. of the Arts. Fortunately, the Village of Industry & Art helped fill that void. This $500,000 RACP award will allow them to continue the preservation of the iconic Hamilton Hall and make renovations to their interior spaces. Congratulations!

Bring your family, lawn chairs, and blankets! On August 19th, Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson, Mark Squilla, Senator Nikil Saval, Bella Vista Neighbors Association and I will be hosting a free screening of The Incredibles for Family Movie Night at Palumbo Rec Center. Snacks, refreshments, and bookbags will be provided starting at 6:30pm with the movie starting at sunset. See you there!

Arts & culture is the gateway to a more fulfilling, connected, and resilient life, and PYO Music Institute is an example of this. Since 1939, they've provided professional-caliber training and performance opportunities for young people. This $1 million RACP award will allow them to renovate their concert hall, offering students and audiences a more enriching experience. Congratulations!

Online gambling has exploded in recent years due to increasingly aggressive marketing practices and a lack of commonsense guardrails. That's why I'm teaming up with Rep. Tarik Khan, Rep. Joe McAndrew, and republican colleagues on a bi-partisan bill package to address problem gambling. With significant harm to mental health, financial security, and family stability, gambling is becoming a real public health hazard for PA.

If you love Friday Saturday Sunday I've got great news for you. The owners will be opening a new restaurant in Rittenhouse Square! This $1.5 million dollar RACP award will help them transform 2 buildings into a multi-level restaurant with private dining and a dessert room. Congrats on your award! (And hopefully another Michelin star)

Philadelphia deserves better development. Safety, accountability and the strengthening of neighborhoods is what communities deserve when construction projects take place. And when these standards fall, the quality-of-life around them falls, too. Support Build Fair Philly and support responsible development.

Tonight is National Night Out, an evening of connection, safety, and fun with the goal of building stronger partnerships between police and the communities they serve. If you're in Center City this evening, join Center City District for free water ice, soft pretzels, and activities while learning about safety and crime prevention. The event takes place from 4pm-7pm at Dilworth Plaza.

PA has experienced a troubling rise in hate-related crimes and hateful activities. I've teamed up with Rep. Tarik Khan and Rep. Mary Jo Daley to create a grant program for anti-hate education initiatives. Our goal is to educate the public while fostering respect and civility in our communities.

Congratulations to the Philadelphia Youth Organization, who's doing amazing work with our city's young people! It's an honor to have helped them achieve this $750,000 RACP award that will allow them to redevelop the Anderson Monarchs's baseball field and create more accessible outdoor space for the community.