An artist's rendering of Face to Face's new planned dining room and modern kitchen facility.

by Sue Ann Rybak

Mary Kay Meeks-Hank, executive director of Face to Face, 109 E. Price St. in Germantown, said a multimillion dollar renovation of the organization’s 132-year-old headquarters will allow them to better serve the most vulnerable in Germantown – especially children.

“The children we serve are burdened with traumas beyond what most of us can imagine,” said Meeks-Hank. “The majority of the individuals and families we serve live in deep poverty, which means a family of four lives on $11,925 a year or less or an individual lives on $5,835 a year or less.”

Face to Face, a not-for-profit social service organization dedicated to the “health, well-being, and stability of Germantown and the surrounding community,” began as a church-sponsored soup kitchen in 1985.

Since then Face to face has grown into a multifaceted independent organization that offers a wide-range of services, including providing nutritious meals, art and writing classes, health and legal clinics, computer training and children’s programs.

Meeks-Hank said the $5 million capital campaign, “Building to Serve,” will allow them to “invest in the lives of those most in need in our community.” At first glance she said, the project “looks like it's about construction, but it isn't.”

“It's really about our capacity to serve,” she said. “We believe we are a transforming presence in this neighborhood. Our motto is hospitality, mutuality and transformation. We welcome everybody here as though they were a member of our family.”

Meeks-Hank said the organization could have chosen to build a new facility, but chose to stay at its current location “as a sign to the neighborhood” that Face to Face is a fixture in the community. So far, the “Building to Serve” capital campaign has raised $4.1 million.

“We are so grateful for the incredible support of our million donors, the Maguire Foundations and the Raynier Foundation,” she said.

“Maguire Foundation is delighted to support Face to Face in their commitment to improve the quality of life for those in need,” said Jim Maguire.  “We share Face to Face's dedication to meeting basic needs and to reduce suffering in an atmosphere of dignity and respect.”

“Through our campaign, we will create three classrooms and a large play area for physical activities in a 7,000 square foot space that has not been utilized since the 1970s,” said Meeks-Hank.

The proposed design will triple floor space within the historic building, which was erected in 1884 in the style of Frank Furness. The total square footage of the 132-year-old building, which was initially built as a community center, is 24,860. The basement is 7,700 square feet, the ground floor is 8,590 square feet and the upper level is 8,580 square feet.

Rich Powers, project manager, of Seiler and Drury Architecture, said they wanted to preserve “as much of the existing character of the building as possible.”

“We are maintaining most of the original wood trims, doors and wainscoting on the ground floor while meshing in new systems and functionality on the periphery of the main hallway,” he said.  “The hope is that by creating a modern facility, their mission of service can be more of a focus and able to be more widespread.”

Theresa Vicers, a client at Face to Face, said she is looking forward to seeing the project once it is completed.

“Everyone at Face to Face is warm and genuine,” she said. “I am amazed at how much they truly care.  Everyone there - Tara, Niki, Altenor -and everyone else goes out of their way.  I love Face to Face.”

Face to Face is partnering with Mercy Neighborhood Ministries of Philadelphia, Inc., whose mission “is to create partnerships and services that respond to the needs of those who are poor,” to provide high-quality children's programs.

“Our goal is to ensure that the children we serve today do not become the adult clients of Face to Face tomorrow,” Meeks-Hank said.

She said partnering with Mercy Neighborhood Ministries will allow Face to Face to provide children in the Germantown community with quality preschool and ensure “that the families of those children get all the help they need to begin to find a way out of poverty.”

Sr. Ann Provost, executive director of Mercy Neighborhood Ministries of Philadelphia, Inc., said the organization was thinking about expanding when they were approached by Face to Face about running a childcare program in the facility.

"Face to Face has been working with us since day one,” she said. “It truly is a partnership that I don't think happens a lot. It is really for both of us being faithful in the compatibility of our missions which is the underlying force that causes us to move forward - our missions are so aligned. In our serving, the families through the compatibility of our missions and services we will extend our reach from Tioga to Germantown in helping to transform lives one person at a time.”

Sue Ann Rybak can be reached at 215-248-8804 or sueann@chestnuthilllocal.com