Episcopal Community Services Opens New Chapter in West Philadelphia
After more than 120 years at historic 3rd Street site, ECS moves headquarters to better serve families and address urgent community needs.
Philadelphia, PA – [September, 2025] – Episcopal Community Services (ECS), one of Philadelphia’s longest-serving social service organizations, is relocating its headquarters after more than a century at its historic 3rd Street site. The move to 6006 W. Girard Avenue in West Philadelphia positions ECS at the heart of the communities it serves – bringing resources, advocacy, and hope directly to families in Haddington, Carroll Park, and surrounding neighborhoods.
Founded in 1870, ECS has spent generations walking alongside individuals and families to break cycles of poverty. ECS’s move comes at a time when demand for food assistance and wraparound services continues to rise, particularly in the wake of federal benefit cuts. In the past year alone, ECS supported more than 1,800 food pantry participants—feeding nearly 5,000 family members—and helped nearly 700 students through after-school programs. Its innovative MindSet coaching program enables participants to earn, on average, $1,400 more per month. The organization’s new headquarters deepens its ability to meet urgent needs while building long-term pathways to stability.
“This move is about proximity and purpose,” said Anne Rice-Burgess, President and CEO of ECS. “For more than 120 years, we were rooted on 3rd Street. Today, our roots grow deeper in West Philadelphia—closer to the families we serve, and closer to the neighborhoods where transformation is most needed.”
This move builds on a season of growth for ECS. In June, the organization received an $874,000 state violence prevention grant to launch a 275-block cleanup initiative, in partnership with local social organization Glitter. This effort employs local residents at living wages, while also connecting them to housing assistance, job readiness, and financial coaching. ECS was also recently selected by the City of Philadelphia to serve as a Neighborhood Advisory Committee partner, a role that strengthens its long-standing work helping residents navigate housing, benefits, and essential services.
To celebrate these recent milestones and commemorate their relocation, ECS will host two special events and invites media to attend:
Farewell to 3rd Street
Wednesday, September 17, 4:30–6:30 PM
Old St. Paul’s, 225 S. 3rd St., Philadelphia, PA
A gathering of reflection and gratitude for ECS’s legacy of service at its historic home. As part of the farewell to Old St. Paul’s, a special historical exhibit will showcase photographs and artifacts that bring to life more than a century of service and commitment to the people of Philadelphia. Food and refreshments will be served for this evening of celebration and community engagement.
Community Celebration
Thursday, September 18, 5:30 PM
ECS | St. Barnabas Community Resource Center, 6006 W. Girard Ave., Philadelphia, PA
The celebration will highlight ECS’s expanded role in West Philadelphia, including its partnership with local social organization Glitter to launch Safe Steps West Philly—a neighborhood cleanup and outreach initiative across 275 blocks. Former Mayor Michael Nutter will join ECS leaders and community leaders to discuss the relationship between clean blocks and lowering gun violence rates, and to celebrate this new initiative. Attendees will learn information about the grant and the block cleaning, including how to find information about the status of their blocks in the clean-up process.
By pairing its long-standing mission with bold new approaches, ECS is making a clear statement: a future of stronger families and thriving neighborhoods begins here.
