PHILADELPHIA—It looked like an ordinary summer barbecue. Except the host was a city councilwoman having barbecue at the court yard of City Hall. Hundreds of the guests were homeless people. Information about how to get free medical care and medicine was served with the food. Jannie Blackwell, on the Philadelphia City Council since 1991, has invited the city’s homeless to her birthday party for twelve years.
It was July 10, almost noon on a sunny but comfortable Friday at Dilworth Plaza Southwest of City Hall. Dozens of tables and stands were lined up on both sides of the plaza, with food and drinks on one side and pamphlets and fliers on the other side. Music playing, people dancing, barbecue sizzling, people lining up to get food and drinks, the typical outdoor barbecue scene.
The councilwoman said her birthday is July 15, so the party has always been on Fridays near the 15th. She said the idea came from her late husband Lucien Blackwell. He started the program for the homeless people during Mayor Rizzo’s administration. The party continued when Michael Nutter was elected Mayor.
“Every one deserves to have fun and feel recognized,” she said. “We are all children, brothers and sisters under one God. We have a DJ, food and dancing. Just good feelings of brotherhood and sisterhood. Just to let people know we love them and there is always hope.”
It was July 10, almost noon on a sunny but comfortable Friday at Dilworth Plaza Southwest of City Hall. Dozens of tables and stands were lined up on both sides of the plaza, with food and drinks on one side and pamphlets and fliers on the other side. Music playing, people dancing, barbecue sizzling, people lining up to get food and drinks, the typical outdoor barbecue scene.
The councilwoman said her birthday is July 15, so the party has always been on Fridays near the 15th. She said the idea came from her late husband Lucien Blackwell. He started the program for the homeless people during Mayor Rizzo’s administration. The party continued when Michael Nutter was elected Mayor.
“Every one deserves to have fun and feel recognized,” she said. “We are all children, brothers and sisters under one God. We have a DJ, food and dancing. Just good feelings of brotherhood and sisterhood. Just to let people know we love them and there is always hope.”
