Episcopal Community Services
Main Office at Old St. Paul’s Church
225 South Third Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
Phone (215) 351-1400
Fax (215) 351-1497
info@ecs1870.org
www.ecs1870.org
Since 1870, ECS has addressed the needs of low-income families in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Founded by Bishop William Bacon Stevens to serve as “a practical extension of Christian charity among the poor,” ECS has always been at the forefront of addressing the needs of the marginalized in the city of Philadelphia and the five-county Diocese of Pennsylvania.
Currently operating on an $8.8 million budget, ECS programs and services reach over 3,000 people every year. Recently, ECS has reaffirmed its charter to help families and individuals address the compromising impacts of poverty.
Our vision for the 21st Century is to make a difference by helping individuals and families with multiple needs overcome the impact of poverty.
In Philadelphia, there are 355,253 families with 381,440 children.
- 26% of these families are living in poverty
- 32% of all children in the city live in poverty
A variety of circumstances give rise to poverty, including domestic instability, poor physical and mental health, illiteracy, addiction, crime, and incarceration. Poverty’s reach crosses every barrier—age, race, gender, and family situation.
The deprivation goes far beyond financial resources. Poverty limits families’ choices, mobility, opportunities for improvement, and self-esteem. Poverty can also lead to frustration and hopelessness, which can be manifest in destructive ways such as drug and alcohol abuse, depression, child abuse, criminal activity, poor nutrition, and even the loss of life.
Poverty is the single most powerful factor in slowed brain development in children under three years old. Current research has shown that the first three years of a child’s life are the most critical in determining future success. Poor children receive a lower quality of child care and education, are more than three times as likely than non-poor children to drop out of high school, and more likely to become teenage parents than non-poor teenagers.
No wonder raising someone up from poverty becomes a complex challenge. To do so entails much more than locating a job or an apartment. It means restoring a spirit, developing a healthy body, and renewing a mind.
ECS helps families, individuals, and children overcome the compromising impact of poverty by helping them survive crisis and plan for the future.
By restoring the spirit, developing healthy bodies and renewing minds, our programs give people the means to help them lift themselves out of poverty and become involved members of dynamic communities.
It’s a tall order, but it’s a mission we believe we are called to fulfill.
“Just as you have done it for the least of these, you have done it unto me.” (Matthew 25:45)
The programs of ECS are open to all qualified persons, regardless of race, religion, color, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, handicap, economic status, national origin, limited English proficiency or any other basis prohibited by law.
Other Locations:
ECS Beacon Center
Central East Middle School
238 E. Wyoming Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19120
Phone (215) 456-3160
Fax (215) 456-3179
beacon@ecs1870.org
ECS St. Barnabas Mission
6006 West Girard Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19151
Phone (215) 528-5400
Fax (215) 528-5409
stbarnabas@ecs1870.org
ECS Urban Bridges
101 E. Roosevelt Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19120
Phone (215) 329-6155
Fax (215) 329-3883
urbanbridges@ecs1870.org
ECS at Church of the Advocate
1801 Diamond Street
Philadelphia, PA 19121
Phone (215) 236-5847
Fax (215) 236-4556
