This summer the Chester Education Foundation had the ability to upgrade our facilities, making the move from the former Community Hospital to “The Crozer Building,” located at 419 Avenue of the States in downtown Chester, Pennsylvania.
To debut our relocation into the beautiful facilities which overlook the entirety of the downtown area, the Chester Education Foundation held an open house celebration with over 100 attendees. The event was a great success, featuring student demonstrations, scores of delicious foods, and music provided by CEF’s very own Program Director Gerald Rocha. The Chester community showed their support for CEF with discounted food for the event from local businesses pouring in: Local vendors such as Italian Brother’s, Big Var’s Water Ice (a CEF alum and businessman) and Kyj’s Bakery, as well as Reading Terminal Market and Fox and Son Fancy Corn Dogs.
Chester mayor Thaddeus Kirkland teamed up with CEF board members to cut the ribbon and welcome CEF into our new home, as well as present CEF’s new conference room. The room features a plaque dedicated to the late Charles Gray, who was essential in developing the foundation into what it is today.
The new site features an Alumni Wall of Honor featuring 7 distinguished CEF alumni who graduated between 1991 and 2016. This wall depicts students who have gone to college, including a Gates scholar, a pharmaceutical doctor, an IT administrator, social worker, research fellow, nutritional educator, and a licensed phlebotomist with a certificate in electrical engineering. This wall highlights the true mission of the Chester Education Foundation: to better the Chester community through educating the students in the area and giving them opportunities for growth and upward mobility. CEF plans to keep updating the wall, adding one or two alumni each year. The alumni featured were also honored in a video commemorating CEF’s nearly 30 years of service to the Chester community.
“We are excited about this new location that enables us to enhance the programs and services that we provide for the children and families of Chester,” remarked Executive Director of CEF, Cheryl Cunningham.
This post was written by Tejya Johnson.