The Common Place (TCP) is located on the corner of 58th and Chester Avenue in the Southwest area of Philadelphia. Violence in the home and on the streets, poverty, hunger and attendant issues present huge challenges to the area’s residents and all who try to be supportive. TCP is a church revitalization effort, which addresses these issues in Southwest Philadelphia through arts based after-school tutoring, a high school diploma program, social services, meeting residents, and community events. TCP is “a shared space where various organizations come together to meet spiritual, educational, and social support needs.

The coordinated approach of all the programs at TCP is holistic: meeting needs that are educational, spiritual, social, familial, and material. Children gain confidence with academic success and opportunities to lead (e.g. leading quarterly worship services.) Cornerstone Academy (K-8) provides such a solid foundation; its best students are sought after by prestigious high schools, and 97% of its students graduate from high school.