Historic Fair Hill

Mission and History

The mission of Historic Fair Hill is to preserve our historic Quaker burial ground, to assure that its history & the ideals of the people interred there continue to speak to the world, and to act as a collaborative partner in the revitalization of the Fairhill community through school partnerships for literacy, greening, and community engagement events.

Historic Fair Hill began when Friends and neighbors came together in the early 1990s to restore and reclaim the grounds where abolitionists and women’s rights activists were buried. The history of both the grounds and our organization has always been filled with people who are willing to stand up and take action for what they believe in. Today, we continue to work in partnership with our neighbors and honor that history by viewing literacy as liberation and food justice as a civil right. Our overarching vision is to contribute to the long-term revitalization of Fairhill to be achieved through collaborations that prioritize educational opportunity, community health, and social solidarity.

Grant Summary

Our School Literacy Partnership program provides direct services in 4 partner schools, including school library operation/staffing, bilingual classroom literacy support, reading tutoring, book distribution, & family workshops. This work meets needs stemming from unconstitutional school funding and the elimination of school libraries due to budget cuts, which have led to unacceptable achievement gaps.

Our Youth Internship Program teaches teens about urban agriculture & food justice while building confidence, leadership, and pre-employment skills. The School & Community Gardening Program involves children in hands-on activities & produces over 1,500 pounds of organic produce that we give away to neighbors. Family Fun Days & Community Events activate our 5-acre historic site/arboretum for family literacy support, outdoor recreation, and free wellness & creativity workshops.

Finally, our Throughline History Education Program connects residents to the rich activist history represented by our historic Quaker burial ground. We help visitors understand the throughlines from the Abolition & women’s suffrage movements to today’s struggles for social justice. We carry out these programs with a program staff that reflects the constituents we serve, including bilingual Fairhill residents & school parents. Our partnership philosophy facilitates participatory decision making & leadership development so that the organization stays rooted in the community and responsive to its dynamic needs.

In the News – https://historicfairhill.com/about/press/

Share the Post:

Other Grantees...

Yoga 4 Philly
We plan to offer trauma-informed yoga classes at Elkin Elementary...
Big Picture Philadelphia
With generational poverty and structural racism at the root of...
Legal Clinic for the Disabled
The 2024 KCR Fund grant will support LCD's work at...