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Fixing the Problems We Can Fix

Roxanne Patel Shepelavy

October 10, 2018 |

The Philadelphia Citizen |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

A Philadelphia non-profit is targeting young people who struggle when leaving the foster care system and providing them with comprehensive services to help them transition into independent living successfully; that includes helping them find jobs, homes, and more. The program is based off a model from Youth Villages, a national nonprofit, and is showing impressive results - for example, "90 percent of the youth who joined the program were in need of stable housing; now, 35 percent have their own homes, and the rest live with family, former foster families or in supervised independent living."

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"Integrity Idol"

Roxanne Patel Shepelavy

October 02, 2018 |

The Philadelphia Citizen |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Nepal

With support from Accountability Lab and Transparency International, seven countries have held “Integrity Idol” contests to recognize their most honest and helpful public servants. Winners have become people others want to emulate. The contests help fight corruption and inspire civic participation.

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Training teachers like doctors

Roxanne Patel Shepelavy

September 04, 2018 |

The Philadelphia Citizen |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Michigan

To combat the intense teacher turnover rate nationwide, the University of Michigan's School of Education is rolling out a new training program that models itself after residencies in the medical field. After graduating and completing apprenticeships, students will return to their assigned school for three more years to work under their mentors. Early results from similar programs suggest the approach offers previously unavailable support systems and improves teachers' chances of staying in the profession.

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Giving Food Waste to the Hungry

Roxanne Patel Shepelavy

June 11, 2018 |

The Philadelphia Citizen |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: France, Paris

Paris has become a leader in reducing food waste by passing legislation that requires large grocery stores to donate leftover food or compost it. Since 2016, this measure has saved over 10 million meals a year. In Philadelphia, where 326,000 people experience hunger and 300,000 pounds of food is thrown away monthly, the city is looking to France as an example for what it hopes to accomplish.

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Tracing Illegal Guns

Roxanne Patel Shepelavy

May 23, 2018 |

The Philadelphia Citizen |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Albuquerque, Pennsylvania

A publicly available online platform launched by the New York Attorney General fills in big data gaps on guns being used in crimes and trafficked from elsewhere. “We were able to get a snapshot really quickly of where the worst guns are ending up and where they started.” The data can establish groundwork for interstate trafficking cases and also inform policy decisions and New York is happy to share the technology other communities can build their own databases.

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Capitalism for Good: Kensington Avenue Storefront Challenge

Roxanne Patel Shepelavy

April 10, 2018 |

The Philadelphia Citizen |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Shift Capital, a mission-driven real estate group in Philadelphia, tried a new tactic to bring business back to an old neighborhood. The Kensington Avenue Storefront Challenge asked businesses to apply for open storefront space as well as funding, and nine winners were selected based on financial viability and ability to impact the community. This form of development aims to fight gentrification in an inclusive way.

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Threat Assessment Teams

Roxanne Patel Shepelavy

March 26, 2018 |

The Philadelphia Citizen |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

Increasingly, schools are using threat assessment teams to prevent shootings. Composed of school and law enforcement officials, the groups direct potentially dangerous students to appropriate resources. One study found no racial bias in the process compared to zero tolerance policies that show significant disparities. Threat assessment teams are also unique in their intent to address all gun violence: "Spending money to prevent kids from getting to that point can have ripple effects outside of the school walls as well—in reducing violence on the street, and treating the trauma that precedes it."

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Children's Cabinet

Roxanne Patel Shepelavy

March 19, 2018 |

The Philadelphia Citizen |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Somerville, Massachusetts

In Somerville, MA, businesses, nonprofits, government officials, and schools take a collaborative and holistic approach to improving children's lives. “Thinking about city budget, priorities, decision-making through the lens of kids ensures good outcomes for everybody,” a director of the initiative notes. Could Philadelphia benefit from breaking down silos and following Somerville's innovative lead?

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Champions of the Vote

Roxanne Patel Shepelavy

March 02, 2018 |

The Philadelphia Citizen |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

In Fairhill, a neighborhood in North Philadelphia, voter turnout was a mere 12% in one recent election. Fairhill Neighbors, a coalition of neighborhood groups, is seeking to combat lower turnout rates with a personal engagement program. “Voting Champions” are community members who will work to register voters, drive them to polls, and generate excitement about voting, with the hopes of transforming civic participation in their area.

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Saving The Future, One Kid At A Time

Roxanne Patel Shepelavy

March 01, 2018 |

The Philadelphia Citizen |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

A program in Philadelphia created to divert students who get in trouble away from the juvenile justice system is poised to grow into the first Juvenile Justice Hub in the country with help from a competitive grant program through Bloomberg Philanthropies. The hub would be based on successful program created in the city's schools that has cut the number of kids arrested in half and is designed to address students' behavior by understanding the environment in which students live and connecting them to social services.

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