Social Services, Community Outreach office, 601 n. 17th St.

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The SGCDC maintains a social services outreach office (and computer lab) that serves primarily residents of Spring Garden and the abutting communities on a wide variety of issues. It also provides a community meeting room for use by SGCDC staff for health and other classes, private conferences with residents, staff and other SGCDC meetings, police meetings, and meetings of residents and various community organizations.  

SGCDC's social services include assistance with jobs/job training; resumes, job searches and applications for employment and continuing training and education classes; various public assistance programs; unemployment; domestic issues (custody, domestic abuse, elder abuse); driver’s license restoration and other PennDot matters; insurance and auto accident/auto purchase matters; Social Security, SSI and SSD; ESL classes: food programs; health and nutrition issues; criminal and civil cases; housing; banking, credit and mortgage issues; home ownership; criminal record expungement; utilities; and virtually any problem that residents - - often from communities throughout the City - - bring to us.  SGCDC never turns anyone away who has a legitimate problem with which we can help.

SGCDC employs over 15 individuals (virtually all from the community) and additional temporary workers for community events. They serve in various capacities, as office and financial staff, social services specialists, job counselors, Corridor Managers and marketing, construction and maintenance, legal, historical preservation, Police liaison, Trash Czar and Anti-Litter efforts, event assistance, and for many other tasks. SGCDC also maintains a Youth/Young Adult Job Corps to provide part time and summer employment to at-risk young people in the community, and to afford them a source of income, job training, and recommendations for future employment. 

SGCDC assists small businesses with site searches, zoning applications, zoning hearings, building permits, Historical Commission/historical restoration issues, publicity, visibility at community events, and numerous other matters.