In November 2025, Valley Youth House joined with the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA), Mayor Cherelle Parker and elected officials to open the newly constructed community called 2112 Ridge Avenue, a supportive housing initiative designed to support young adults exiting foster care or housing insecurities.
The first of its kind, this 36-unit mixed-use building in the Sharswood section of the city provides 30-one and six two-bedroom units. The ground floor provides communal amenities such as a lobby and reception area, bike storage, multipurpose room, kitchenette, food pantry, and a computer lab. Separate dedicated office spaces for supportive service operations are also located on the ground floor.
Eligibility is focused on young adults experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity who are ages 18-24 upon entry. Residents may only be referred by the city’s Department of Human Services of Office of Homeless Services.
This May, team members from our Philadelphia programs collaborated to organize a Community Baby Shower at this new location. Spearheaded by Ridge Avenue Program Coordinator Shakari Pennington, this event was a direct reflection of her program’s mission of ensuring every young person belongs to a nurturing community, including transition-age youth who are balancing the unique challenges of early parenthood.
Shakari collaborated closely with VYH teams at the Achieving Independence Center and 1880 JFK Boulevard locations to collect significant donations to equip new and expecting parents with essential supplies like clothes, bottles, and diapers alongside light refreshments.
More importantly, by providing direct linkages to the Philadelphia Family Resource Directory and creating a space where youth can engage resources for their advancement towards their goals, Shakari and our VYH Philly teams reinforced the stability and self-sufficiency at the heart of the Ridge Avenue program. Thank you all for your big hearts, hard work, and spectacular logistics in building such a supportive village for our families!
