It’s a unique year, but these nominees continue to step up to the challenges in incredible ways.

Impact Business Leader:

This award recognizes businesses that are making an impact in our community, by employing community members as well as positively affecting our environment. Impact businesses are proof that for-profit enterprises can be stewards of social and environmental change, creating that triple-bottom-line (TBL).

Azavea is a B Corporation that builds geospatial software for civic, social, and environmental impact. They work with organizations engaged with water and stormwater, climate change. elections, transportation, and infrastructure in the U.S. and internationally.

Black and Mobile is the first delivery service based in Philadelphia to partner with and highlights Black-Owned Businesses. Black and Mobile’s main focus is to highlight underrepresented businesses in the urban communities that are often overlooked, and provide them with the technology they need to not only expand their customer base but to stay competitive in this rapidly changing economy.

Grant Blvd is achieving the triple-bottom-line by designing sustainably sourced garments in Philadelphia, paying their employees a fair wage, and making every effort to partner with local non-profits to hire folks from marginalized groups, particularly those who are formerly incarcerated.

Triple Bottom Brewing is Philly’s fair chance brewery that believes everyone in every community should have the opportunity to craft something great. They partner with nonprofits to create living-wage jobs for people who are overcoming barriers to employment, such as homelessness and incarceration.

#FuturePHL

The #FuturePHL nominees are propelling Philadelphia’s future in sustainability while serving their communities.

Farmer Jawn Philly Community Greenhouses host seasonal CSA share programs and our weekly produce markets and focus on projects to bring about change on the issues of Food Injustice, Food Insecurity, and Food Waste in sustainable ways.

First Light Project with hydroponic vertical farms has germinated, grown and harvested close to 325 lbs. of leafy greens, herbs and other lettuces, that have been donated to food banks and PCK, Philabundance’s culinary program. 

The Resource Exchange’s mission is to provide inspiration and reclaimed materials for creative and environmentally resourceful making, teaching & living. They have kept over 200 tons of reusable art supplies, props and scenery, educational resources, building materials and more out of landfills and in the local creative economy

Hometown Hero: In Memory of Kyle Shenandoah

Last year, Kyle Shenandoah received the 2019 SustainPHL Neighborhood Champion award for his commendable work as an active civic leader within the Grays Ferry Community who collaborated with his neighbors and local organizations to reduce poverty and improve sustainability. Weeks later, this promising young leader was tragically struck and killed by a car while walking in the neighborhood he worked so hard to help. Our sustainability community and the city still mourn the loss of Kyle, a young man taken too soon.

He exemplified a true Neighborhood Champion, was passionate about his community, and working towards a more sustainable, accessible, and equitable city. We present this award in honor of Kyle and all Philadelphians who are working to positively impact our city.  

This year’s nominees for the Hometown Hero: In Memory of Kyle Shenandoah award are…

Terrill Haigler, created an Instagram page to give Philadelphia residents an inside look as to what sanitation workers experience during this pandemic. His t-shirt fundraiser to purchase PPE, hand sanitizer and cleaning supplies for his colleagues raised over $32,000.

Philly Thrive focuses on issues to tackle the twin problems of climate change and inequality, and a just transition to clean energy and living wage green jobs that provide for everyday Philadelphians.

Ron Whyte is a Philadelphia based environmental activist, who founded Deep Green Philly project in 2011 is an alternative media resource and project coordinator for Trash Academy, (a project of Mural Arts Philadelphia’s Restored Spaces Initiative, where he works with artists, students, and residents to find creative solutions for Philadelphia’s litter and dumping crisis. 

Resilient Leader 2020

2020 has had no shortage of challenges. But as we have had challenges, there have been incredible Philadelphians who are stepping up. Each of these nominees have been helping vulnerable citizens and shown us what the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection truly embodies.

The Mama-Tee Community Fridge Project feeds people in the city of Philadelphia. Their mission is to support communities where residents’ access to affordable, healthy food options (especially fresh fruits and vegetables) is restricted or nonexistent due to the absence of grocery stores within a convenient traveling distance.

Sate Kampar partnered with local organizations, local farmers and food co-ops to create free food boxes for CHOP patients that more closely resemble foods that patients from different countries are familiar with during the pandemic.

Sew Masks Philly was started mid-March when our COVID-19 front line workers suddenly found themselves without protection. A community of strangers launched a home sewing community in making over 25,000 masks to-date and distributing them into the hands of those who needed them.  

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Julie Hancher is Editor-in-Chief of Green Philly, sharing her expertise of all things sustainable in the city of brotherly love. She enjoys long walks in the park with local beer and greening her travels, cooking & cat, Sir Floofus Drake. View all posts by Julie Hancher