The Crafting Community Project in the greater Kensington area formally launched in summer 2020. In Fall 2020 we held meetings and presentations with 20+ organizational, congregational, and civic partners, and formed the CCP Kensington Advisory Group, which met monthly to guide the initiative. In Winter 2021 surveys were distributed to local partners and community members, and after tallying the 50 community votes, we identified the Kensington Grows, Cooks, and Serves initiative as the Community Art Project!
The Kensington Grows, Cooks, and Serves initiative was a series of online and in-person events exploring food systems and growing cross-cultural and interfaith connections in the neighborhood. Throughout the Summer and Fall of 2021, Interfaith Philadelphia, our partners, and community members delved into the intersections of food, faith, and community, engaging the food production process: from planting and harvesting, to distribution and cooking, to food-based cultural traditions and religious rituals.
Events included a Community Planter Paint Day in partnership with Philadelphia Scenic Works, Storytelling Workshops with Kensington Voice and Norris Square Neighborhood Project, a Community Cookbook project led by the Free Libraries in the Kensington area. We also hosted a Difficult Conversations Training and a Community Conversation on Community-first public safety.
Below are the events and programs offered in the Kensington-area Crafting Community Project...
CCP Kensington-Specific Past Events:
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November 2020-January 2021: Gateway to Religious Communities Series
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March 2021: Gateway to Zones of Peace Series
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April 30, 2021: Difficult Conversations Facilitator Training for Nonprofit and Civic Leaders in Kensington
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May 19, 2021: Community Conversation on Community-First Public Safety
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June 5, 2021: Community Paint Day @ Philadelphia Scenic Works
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June 21-25, 2021: Interfaith Youth Neighborhood Mosaic (open to middle schoolers throughout the region)
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September 30 and October 2, 2021: Kensington Voice’s Culinary Connections Storytelling Workshop
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Fall 2021: Kensington Grows, Cooks, and Blogs Interview Series with local grocers and restaurants
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January 25, 2022: Kensington Grows, Cooks, and Serves Virtual Festival
Though the Kensington Grows, Cooks, and Serves initiative has wrapped up, we continue to collaborate with partners and community members on Kensington-based programs. If you or your organization/faith community are interested in working with Interfaith Philadelphia, please contact Sara Zebovitz (ssz@interfaithphiladelphia.org).