Capital campaign raises over $1M to bring lasting change to north Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — In July 2021, the Ertz Family Foundation and Grace and Peace Community Fellowship announced a capital campaign to raise funds for the Grace and Peace Community Fellowship’ House of Hope’ in North Philadelphia. The goal was to raise $900,000 to remodel and transform the Grace and Peace Community Fellowship building into a resource center. The ‘House of Hope’ will provide education, technology, and nutrition products and services to combat the ongoing food insecurity, gun violence, and drug use Philadelphia has experienced, in addition to witnessing an increase in these issues due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Philadelphia was our family’s home for nearly a decade during my tenure with the Philadelphia Eagles. Julie and I are eternally grateful for the love and support we have received upon launching the Ertz Family Foundation in 2018 to support our mission of giving back to the community. When it became clear that my playing career in Philadelphia was ending, we knew we had to continue embarking on our most important endeavor to date, to create a lasting impact in the city we love so much,” Zach Ertz explained.
“We witnessed increasingly devastating negative effects from the ongoing pandemic in our city. We wanted to help families across the city experiencing unprecedented levels of gun violence, food insecurity, and intensified trauma at home while the city continued to scale back services due to COVID-19. We knew we had to spring into action to serve Philadelphia’s most underserved youth and families,” added Julie Ertz.
To kick off the Grace and Peace Community Fellowship ‘House of Hope’ capital campaign, Zach and Julie Ertz personally donated $100,000 that the Ertz Family Foundation matched. The foundation also mobilized supporters, partners, and fans to surpass the $900,000 goal to raise more than $1M dollars successfully.
A special thanks to ACME Markets for sponsoring the ‘House of Hope’ Community Kitchen, where daily meals will combat food insecurity and a WiFi Cafe dedicated to providing internet access and laptop use for the community’s use help bridge the digital divide.
The Ertz Family Foundation recognizes the following corporate foundation donors and sponsors, making it possible for thousands of youths and local families gain to access much-needed services and resources previously unavailable: Chegg Foundation, ‘House of Hope’ Education Center donor, Allied Resources Group, ‘House of Hope’ Career and Development Center sponsor, and WSFS Cares Foundation, ‘House of Hope’ Financial Literacy Center donor.
The services and resources will be led by the ‘House of Hope’ program partners, including notable nonprofit organizations such as Sunday Love Project, Ordinarie Heroes, Timoteo Sports, FCA, Young Life, and many more.
In addition to corporate sponsors and donors, thousands of generous fans and supporters participated in the Ertz Family Foundation’s ‘$8.60 Fundraising Campaign,’ resulting in more than $360,000 raised.
The Ertz Family Foundation also recognizes the invaluable assistance from Josh Weinfeld, Marc Farzetta, and the support of the Emerald Foundation, who will help launch the first-ever esports team based at the ‘House of Hope.’
The ‘House of Hope’ is the next step in the Ertz Family Foundation’s aligned vision with Pastor Rob Whitmire, Pastor of Grace and Peace Community Fellowship and Executive Director of Timoteo Sports, to do God’s work in Philadelphia. With a solid plan in place, established partnerships with Zatos Investments, Gnome Architects, and community support, the Grace and Peace Community Fellowship building will be transformed into a place of hope and faith in the Hunting Park neighborhood.
About the ‘House Of Hope’
The Grace and Peace Community Fellowship ‘House of Hope’ powered by the Ertz Family Foundation, will provide hope and a safe space for underserved families in Hunting Park. The ‘House of Hope’ will deliver social change that will transform young lives and families through enrichment programs and services. For more information or to support the on-going programs with individual or corporate donations, please visit: https://www.ertzfamilyfoundation.org/houseofhope.
About the Ertz Family Foundation
The Ertz Family Foundation is a fiscally-sponsored project at Impact Philanthropy Group, a nonprofit 501c3 organization. The foundation works to empower others by sharing faith, learning through sports and education, and supporting family enrichment programs to build supportive communities. Follow the Ertz Family Foundation on Twitter @ErtzFoundation and Instagram @ErtzFamilyFoundation. For more information, visit https://www.ertzfamilyfoundation.org.
About Grace and Peace Community Fellowship
Located at 1300 W. Hunting Park Avenue in Philadelphia, the Grace and Peace Community Fellowship led by Pastor Rob Whitmire is focused on spreading the gospel in North Philadelphia. For more information, visit: https://www.gapcommunity.org.
Media inquiries please contact:
Charisse Browner
info@ertzfamilyfoundation.org
(404) 980-2104