About WePAC and the Community We Serve
Why Open Books Open Minds?
West Philadelphia is one of the most educationally challenged communities in the United States. An astounding 80% of public school students score below grade level in reading or math. The great majority fall below grade level in both. Only 49% of boys and 64% of girls graduate from high school in four years. More than one-third of adults do not have a high school diploma, about 5% have a college degree, and nearly one-quarter cannot read or write at an elementary school level. It is in this challenging environment that WePAC serves. WePAC is working to alter this environment through its innovative, Open Books Open Minds initiative.
WePAC's History
WePAC first offered its services in West Philadelphia during the 2003-04 academic year, when it placed six volunteers in one elementary school. It began as an outgrowth of an "urban ministry" project between Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church and many civic groups, and today is a wholly-independent and non-sectarian 501(c)(3) corporation.
West Philadelphia
West Philadelphia is a vibrant, historically important multi-racial community that is home to major universities and cultural institutions. It consists of 14 square miles and 25 seperate neighborhoods. The majority of residents are African-American.
The neighorhoods WePAC serves suffer from high poverty rates. More than 20% of families live below the poverty line, more than 30% of female-headed households live below the poverty line, and 35% of children below the age of 18 live in poverty. Median family income is below $20,000 per year. Approximately 90% of children qualify for free lunch.