Meet the SustainPHL Nominees: Social Impact

This nominee has created impact beyond the conventional definition of sustainability by promoting communities to thrive both economically & sustainably and broadening the reach of sustainability to new communities that could have been neglected.

In August, Philadelphia’s SustainPHL Awards will highlight and celebrate these community changemakers. Join us to celebrate these visionaries and announce the recipient at the SustainPHL Awards on August 16 at WHYY!

SUSTAINPHL SOCIAL IMPACT NOMINEES 2018

• Ken Weinstein
• Jill Fink
• Reinvestment Fund

KEN WEINSTEIN

Ken Weinstein does it all. Right now, he serves as the:

• President of Philly Office Retail
• Founder of Jumpstart Germantown and Jumpstart Philly
• President of the Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation (PHDC)
• Chair of the Mt. Airy Business Improvement District
• And owner of restaurants Trolley Car Diner and Trolley Car Cafe — which generate profits he donates to his charities, Trolley Car Teachers’ Fund, Trolley Car Table Tennis Club, and Trolley Car Helping Hands

What these endeavors have in common is a desire to give disinvested communities the tools to revitalize and rebuild  through real estate development. Jumpstart Germantown, for example, empowers local, aspiring developers to improve their communities by training, networking, and providing the financial resources they need to transform vacant lots into homes and build wealth in their communities.

The goal is to encourage positive development while keeping gentrification at bay. Weinstein also aims to increase opportunities for those who need them: more than 90% of Jumpstart graduates are women and/or people of color, two groups that are grossly underrepresented in the world of real estate development.

Thanks to Weinstein’s efforts, northwest Philadelphia has hundreds of newly renovated properties and five Jumpstart programs have sprouted up in other Philly neighborhoods in the past year.  345 mentees have been trained and mentored and nearly $10 million in funding has flowed to their projects

“Nobody should have to live next to or near a vacant property, and everybody deserves the right to live in a vibrant, revitalized community,” he said.

JILL FINK

At Mugshots Coffeehouse, the only thing more important than selling good coffee is being good global citizens. Jill Fink founded the triple bottom line cafe in 2004, and in truly sustainable fashion, it sells fairly-traded and locally-sourced products and uses 100% wind power. Mugshots received the Triple Bottom Line Award from the Sustainable Business Network in 2005.

Though Fink sold Mugshots in 2017 to High Point Cafe, she’s continued her charitable (and green) efforts. For the past five and a half years, she served as the Executive Director at Food Moxie. Here she focused on helping underserved populations (like high schoolers with autism and families experiencing homelessness) to grow, prepare, and eat nutritious food. During this time, Food Moxie served over 3,500 low-income and underserved individuals.

“I believe that adding value to the lives of others enriches my own life, and have chosen a career path that allows me to live my life in a way that benefits others,” she said.

REINVESTMENT FUND

Reinvestment Fund brings hope to low-income communities, in the form of high-quality grocery stores, affordable housing, schools and health centers. The long-term goal: attract more investment to the area in order to improve the lives of the families who live there.

In 2017 alone, Reinvestment Fund originated $62 million in loans in the greater Philadelphia region.

This year, the Reinvestment Fund launched the PhilaImpact Fund, a targeted fixed-income investment fund that will lend to community development projects in the Philadelphia area. The $30 million fund will draw on charitable assets through The Philadelphia Foundation’s Donor Advised Funds as well as investments through Reinvestment Fund’s promissory note program.

“Reinvestment Fund is driven by a desire to strengthen communities, create economic opportunity, and deliver quality services to the borrowers, partners, and investors it serves,” according to a company spokesperson.

Join us at SustainPHL on August 16th to find out who will become the 2018 Social Impact recipient!