Urban League of Greater Philadelphia Breaks Ground on New $8 Million Center for Well-Being and Headquarters

"Framing the Future" groundbreaking ceremony marked the construction launch of a new community hub and headquarters that will bring health care, workforce development, housing support, entrepreneurship services, and youth programming together in one location

PHILADELPHIA, June 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Urban League of Greater Philadelphia (ULGP) marked the official construction launch of its new Center for Well-Being and headquarters with a "Framing the Future" groundbreaking ceremony in West Philadelphia.

The $8 million project, located at 5616 Chestnut St., will transform a long-vacant building into a permanent community hub designed to expand access to essential services and economic mobility resources for residents and families. Once complete, the Center for Well-Being will bring free health care for the uninsured, workforce development, housing support, entrepreneurship services, youth programming, reentry resources, and other support services together in one accessible, community-based location.

The center is expected to serve more than 20,000 individuals and families annually in a neighborhood where life expectancy is as low as 67 years, and more than three in four residents qualify as low or moderate-income. The project reflects the Urban League's continued investment in addressing long-standing disparities and expanding opportunity for Black Americans and other historically underserved communities across Greater Philadelphia.

"The Center for Well-Being represents a major investment in the people, families, and future of Philadelphia," said Dr. Darrin Anderson, President and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Philadelphia. "For too long, Philadelphia residents have had to navigate fragmented systems to access health care, housing support, job training, entrepreneurship services, and youth programming. This center will bring those resources together under one roof and create a permanent home for opportunity, support, and community advancement."

The groundbreaking ceremony brought together federal, state, city, and community leaders who helped advance the project, including U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans; PA State Rep. Amen Brown; Dr. Valerie Arkoosh, Pennsylvania Human Services Commissioner; Dr. Palak Raval-Nelson, Philadelphia Health Commissioner; Dylan Wells, Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority; and Kathy Desmond, President of HopePHL.

During the event, speakers highlighted the importance of placing direct services in the communities where residents already live, work, and raise their families. The Center for Well-Being will strengthen the Urban League's ability to connect residents with services that address multiple needs at once, from preventive health care and housing stability to employment pathways, business development, and youth support.

"This project reflects years of work, partnership, and commitment to building a space that responds to the real needs of this community," said Dr. Anderson. "We are grateful to the elected officials, partners, and neighbors who helped make this possible, and we look forward to opening a center that will serve thousands of Philadelphians each year."

The Center for Well-Being will also serve as the Urban League's organizational headquarters, strengthening its ability to deliver direct services, convene partners, and connect residents with resources that support long-term stability and mobility. By locating health, workforce, housing, entrepreneurship, and youth services together in one site, the Urban League is expanding its capacity to meet residents where they are and support families navigating complex systems.

For more information about the Center or the Urban League of Greater Philadelphia, please visit https://www.urbanleaguephila.org/

About the Urban League of Greater Philadelphia

The Urban League of Greater Philadelphia is an affiliate of the National Urban League. Our mission is to help Black Americans and others in historically underserved communities achieve their highest level of social parity, economic self-reliance, power, and civil rights through youth education and job training, housing and community development, workforce development and reentry, entrepreneurship, and health equity.

Learn more at urbanleaguephila.org.

SOURCE Urban League of Greater Philadelphia