NKCDC

October 19th, 2026 is the last day to register to vote in Pennsylvania for the November 3rd election!

On November 3rd, Philadelphia and Pennsylvania will be holding general elections for Pennsylvania governor & lieutenant governor, representatives for US Congress, PA General Assembly Senator, and PA General Assembly Representative.

To read more about the importance of this election, the candidates, key races, and what they mean for you and your community, check out the Committee of Seventy interactive voter guide for the 2026 Midterm Elections: https://seventy.org/get-informed/voter-guide/interactive-voter-guide/

Be sure to check your registration at https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/Pages/voterregistrationstatus.aspx. If you’re not registered by October 19th, you won’t be able to vote on November 3rd!

We’ve got a ton of exciting events, workshops and resources coming up in the month of October! 
 
Swipe to see the growing list of October events or check out nkcdc.org/events !

Looking for a good spot to hang outside in East Kensington?

Mural City Cellars and El Fogón (of Casa Borinqueña!) are two local businesses activating two NKCDC-owned outdoor spaces in the neighborhood!

Located at The Meadow (2211-17 Frankford Avenue), El Fogón’s classic BBQ menu features slow-roasted pernil, charred pollo asado, and authentic island sides, all cooked the traditional way—low, slow, and full of flavor! Their private event space is available to rent for birthdays, family gatherings, corporate events, and more, complete with catering options straight from their kitchen. You can stop by to taste the heart of Puerto Rican cooking in the heart of Philly! El Fogón is open from Thursday-Sunday, 3PM-8PM! Swing by and grab a good bite and welcome them to the space!

Mural City Cellars is Philly's neighborhood winery, activating NKCDC’s Garden Center (1825 Frankford Avenue) on Fridays 4PM-10PM and Saturdays 12PM-10PM! The garden features a full menu of wines by the glass and bottle, b**r, non-alcoholic beverage, and a rotating pop-up food vendor on location!

As the summer comes to an end, spend some time outside at a few local spots in East Kensington!

Like what you see at the NKCDC Garden Center? The space is available to host your next family event, vendor market or community gathering! Click the link below to view available dates and submit a rental request!

https://nkcdc.org/business-arts/nkcdc-garden-rentals/rent-the-nkcdc-garden/

Do you know someone who has prediabetes? NKCDC's Diabetes Prevention Program is here to help!

NKCDC is currently recruiting participants for our Diabetic Prevention Program!

NKCDC's Diabetic Prevention Program is a lifestyle change program in partnership with the The Health Federation of Philadelphia centered around developing a healthy lifestyle and learning how to manage diabetes, stress, exercise and meal prep.

Enrollment is ongoing, contact us today at [email protected] to take part in this free CDC approved program!

Over the last few months, NKCDC and partners, including Rewilding Philadelphia, artist and educator Pedro Ospina, the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Mural Arts Philadelphia, and Natural Urban Forests, have been engaging Kensington residents in imagining and designing a new pocket forest that will be planted at the Jasper Street Greenspace on October 24th. We want you to join us!

The Jasper Street Greenspace is a former industrial site turned greenspace located along the Conrail tracks Like many post-industrial sites, making any plans for the space requires thoughtful planning, partnerships with expertise, and resident input to safely bring the space back for human use and to remediate and heal the land. As part of this process, we've been working with environmental partners to test the soil onsite to better understand the site's history and soil conditions. Any designs and implemented plans will consider the site's industrial history for the safety of plants and people.

Planting a Pocket Forest on the site will provide an opportunity for afforestation. Using the Miyawaki method for rapid native forest creation, ten years after the planting, the site will mature into a cool, shady, dense, and biodiverse public space teeming with life, enhancing an already existing native plant haven occupying part of the space!

Are you interested in caring for plants and a community greenspace? There are still opportunities to get involved with restoring and healing the Jasper Street Greenspace in Kensington:

- On October 21st, we’ll be hosting a community volunteer day! Help us rake and shovel the site to prep it for planting day!

- On October 23rd, there will be an opportunity for kids to volunteer at the space as we finalize the prep for planting day!

- Join us for a planting day on October 24th! RSVP here https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdoLL7SwRaOqZFi1ImYboD_pzTBrKq9JYXpdiSB8RjGc-8Eww/viewform Come help us plant 1,500+ native trees! Join us for food, live drumming, art, and native plant education!

Questions? Email [email protected]!

NKCDC’s Housing Counselors are holding Homebuyer workshops both virtually and in-person across NKCDC’s service area! Take a look at upcoming workshops!

- Tuesday, October 6th , from 4PM-8PM (Virtual)

- Wednesday, October 14th, from 9:30AM-1:30PM at 2515 Frankford Avenue

- Saturday, October 24th from 9:30AM-1:30PM in the Orinoka Community Room (2771 Ruth Street, Suite 1)

Whether you're thinking about buying your first home or trying to remember all the steps from the last time, this is the class for you! The first-time homebuyer class is also approved to qualify you for most down payment assistance programs.

Sign up for one of the October Workshops here https://www.eventbrite.com/e/first-time-homebuyer-workshop-english-tickets-1078159426869?aff=ebdsoporgprofile and be sure to make note of the location when signing up!

NKCDC’s Housing team also offers a variety of services such as housing counseling, rental assistance within a targeted area of Kensington, energy efficiency and weatherization services, mortgage default advice, income and tax rebates, and financial coaching. Find more information and request an appointment here: https://nkcdc.org/housing-services/

NKCDC rehabilitates, builds, and manages housing, mixed-use properties, and commercial spaces across Kensington, Fishtown, and Port Richmond. We’re seeking tenants for three apartments across our service area. Could this be you?!

- 2513 Frankford Avenue (Unit 2) : A newly renovated 2 bed/1 bath apartment, 598 Sq Ft. for $1,600/month. Includes Air Conditioning, heat and dishwasher.

- 2513 Frankford Avenue (Unit 4): A newly renovated 2bed/2bath, 881 sq ft, listed at $1,700/month. Includes in-unit Washer/Dryer, dishwasher, air conditioning and heat,

- 3115 Kensington Avenue (Unit 3): A newly renovated 1 bed/1bath in Kensington, 500 sq ft, listed at $900/month. Includes an oven, air conditioning, and heat.

Interested in checking out one of our apartments? Email [email protected] or give us a call at 215-427-0350 to set up a tour!

To find more information on or to apply to our current rental properties, head to: https://nkcdc.org/housing-services/apartments-for-rent/

NKCDC's Food Systems programming works to advance food access and health equity through hands-on nutrition education and cooking classes, food tastings, meal kits, garden education, or families and people of all ages.

This summer, we’ve been connecting with youth by partnering with other organizations in Kensington and throughout the city to provide youth programming, including with Klean Kensington at their weekly guided gardening where teens learned about growing food and sustainable gardening practices, through a summer camp with CADE kids at Tusculum Gateway Garden, programming with By Faith, Health, and Healing at the Jasper Street Greenspace, and our regular monthly youth cooking classes at the Kensington and McPherson Libraries!

By increasing access to gardens, food, and nutritional education for youth, we’re helping build healthy eating and cooking habits at a young age. Youth programming in NKCDC and partner greenspaces and kitchens allows young people to plug into the food loop at every level, from the planting and harvesting of produce to the preparation of nutritious meals! They also provide a safe place for young people to socialize, get connected to local greenspaces, and learn valuable life skills!

We're grateful to our partners and young people who came out for the opportunity to provide nutritional education and programming to people of all ages in a trusted and accessible community setting.

Interested in getting involved in NKCDC's Food Systems programming like this? Text NKCDCNourish to 833-901-2072 for garden and cooking event reminders!

Do you love getting your hands in the dirt? Looking for a good way to spend your Saturday mornings this fall? We're starting a weekly gardening club and would love for you to join us!

Whether you’re picking up a trowel for the first time or have years of gardening experience, we want you to be part of our garden community! Come out to volunteer, connect, and meet fellow gardeners!