| PAL Center |
Address
& Location |
Phone Number |
| 23rd PAL |
1845
N. 23rd Street, 19121
(23rd St. & Montgomery Avenue)
St. Elizabeth's RC Church |
215.684-0332 |
PAL Center
Director: Police Officer Tyrone Crawley
Twenty-two of Officer Tyrone Crawley’s 23 years as a police
officer have been spent at PAL. This veteran PAL officer has
enjoyed success as a professional boxer—Golden Gloves Champion,
All Army Champion, United States Lightweight Champion, induction
into the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame—yet said one of his
favorite and unique activities at his PAL center is chess.
This is because Crawley highly values education and encourages
youth to become well-rounded individuals. His mission is,
“to make sure that every youngster is aware of what PAL stands
for, and that everyone has an opportunity in life to get an
education." |
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Bluford PAL
Closed
for Renovations |
5702 Media Street, 19131-3823
(58th & media Streets)
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215.477-4740 |
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| Cozen PAL |
732 N.
17th Street, 19130
(17th & Brown Street)
PAL Center |
215.232-2101 |
PAL Director:
Police Officer Sharon Wells
Officer Sharon Wells has been a police officer for 20 years
and she has spent 12 of them at PAL. With an educational background
in Recreation/Physical Education and a Bachelors Degree in
Education, Wells teaches her PAL youth the importance of looking
toward the future. “My mission at Logan PAL is to provide
a safe environment for the children of the Logan community.
In doing so, I support the children in their effort to participate
in various activities. While serving as a role model to the
children, I encourage them to experience ‘Life’ outside of
the Logan area,” said Wells, adding a quote by Jane Goodall,
“Every individual matters, every individual has a role to
play, every individual makes a difference.”
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PAL Center
Director: Police Officer Vanessa Jennings
Officer Vanessa Jennings has a profound care for the children
who enter her PAL center. A 22 year veteran police officer
with 18 years at PAL, she feels that, in a special way, she
has adopted every child in her PAL center. Jennings’ PAL center
not only offers PAL’s staple activities, it is also the home
of Camp Invention, PAL’s math and science summer camp. “My
mission is to encourage excellence and inspire youth to go
beyond the every day obstacles in their life,” says Jennings.
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| Hartranft
PAL |
720 W.
Cumberland Street, 19133
Hartranft Elementary School |
215.232-1059 |
PAL Center
Director: Police Officer Cedric Jones
A graduate from Cherry Hill West High School in New Jersey,
Officer Cedric Jones has spent five of his 15 years as a police
officer encouraging PAL youth to work hard, believe in themselves
and become productive community members. “My mission is to
stress the importance of education, build character and have
young people be a positive role model in their community,”
said Jones. With a variety of programs at his center, Jones
wants his PAL kids to not only take pride in their accomplishments,
but to be proud of the work they did to get there, as proven
by his favorite quote: “Winners never quit and quitters never
win. Most people have the will to win; few have the will to
prepare to win.” |
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| Ford PAL |
631 Snyder
Avenue, 19148
(7th Street & Snyder Avenue)
Department of Recreation |
215.336-8750 |
PAL Director:
Police Officer Joseph Ellerby
The quote, “Life is what you make of it,” is certainly what
19-year police officer Joseph Ellerby has been teaching in
his PAL center for the past 15 years. Ellerby, who graduated
from West Philadelphia High School and ALL STAT Career Trucking
School, strives to show youth that they are the creators of
their own futures. His mission is to show the girls and boys
that they can make it anywhere. “As long as they put in hard
work,” he said, “it will pay off.” |
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| Gibbons PAL |
6901
Rising Sun Avenue, 19111
(Rising Sun & Longshore Street)
Trinity Church |
215.745-6465 |
PAL Director:
Police Officer Anthony D'Aulerio
“Running a PAL Center is a marathon not a sprint, so you should
pace yourself,” quotes Officer Anthony D’Aulerio, a PAL officer
for 18 of his 28 years as a police officer. A graduate of
Cardinal Dougherty High School, D’Aulerio attended Temple
University and has been involved with bowling and played semi-professional
baseball. D’Aulerio wants to create a positive atmosphere
at his PAL center so that the children can feel good about
themselves. “I would like to offer positive direction and
serve as a role model,” he said, “who children could look
up to for direction.”
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| Haddington PAL
|
5501
Market Street, 19139
(55th & Market Street)
Salvation Army Center |
215.474-3635 |
PAL Director:
Police Officer Darryl Johnson
With a M.A. in Special Education from Cheney University, a
B.A. in Social Work from Kutztown University and a graduate
of Bartram Motivational Center, Officer Darryl Johnson’s educational
background is a huge asset to the work he’s been doing at
PAL for the past eight years. With 13 years as a police officer,
he knows that keeping children engaged in structured, fun
activities is crucial to keeping them safe. “[I want] to keep
children off the streets and involved in organized activities
in the greater West Philadelphia area.”
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| Lenfest PAL |
3890 N.
10th Street, 19140
(10th & Pike Street)
Lenfest Center
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215.228-2024
215.228-2025
215.228-2026
FAX: 228-2027 |
PAL Director: Police Officer
Phyllis Young
Officer Phyllis Young has been on the police force for 19
years, 10 of them at PAL. She graduated from Olney High School,
where she played All Public for its basketball team. She was
also one of the original recreation coaches of the Belfield
Bulls and is known to have a very good scouting mind and to
be one of the best talent evaluators for high school and college
basketball around. “My mission is to teach kids about discipline,
diversity and building self-esteem through basketball.”
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| Locke-Millcreek PAL |
4550 Haverford Avenue,
19131
(N. 46th & Haverford Avenue)
Locke School |
215.662-0236 |
PAL Director:
Police Officer George Yuille
“There are two kinds of people in this world,” quoted Officer
George Yuille, “Talkers and Doers. What are you?” Yuille is
certainly a doer, with an Associates Degree in Marketing/Management
at Gloucester County College, a Bachelors Degree from Northeastern
University, where he also played basketball, and 14 years
as a police officer, five of them at PAL. In addition, Yuille
played semi-pro basketball in Africa. “My mission is to educate
the youth in the West Philadelphia area,” he said, “and provide
a safe place for them to enjoy themselves.”
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| Logan PAL |
1100
W. Rockland Street, 19141
(N. 11th & Rockland Streets)
Holy Trinity Presbyterian Church |
215.457-5878 |
PAL Center
Director: Police Officer Michael Pittman
Officer Michael Pittman has spent 14 of his 20 years as a
PAL Officer. He attended Simon Gratz High School and graduated
from Temple University with a degree in Business Education.
“My mission is to allow every youth to achieve his or her
endeavors by opening their pathways through the program that
PAL has to offer them.” |
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| Audenried PAL |
3301 Tasker Street,
19145
(33rd & Tasker Streets)
Audenried High School
|
215.732-5292 |
PAL Director:
Police Officer Kevin Ashton
“My mission is to let the kids know that they have the power
to make good decisions,” said Officer Kevin Ashton, a PAL
officer for six of his 13 years on the force. “Also, to give
back to others and don’t look down on anybody because it doesn’t
pay on the long run.” Ashton, a graduate of Penn Wood High
School, stresses to his youth that they are responsible for
their actions. |
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| Nicetown-Kenderton
PAL |
1500
W. Ontario Street, 19140
(15th & Ontario Street)
Kenderton School |
215.225-7121 |
PAL Director:
Police Officer Michael Ragucci
With 12 years on the police force and three years at PAL,
Officer Michael Ragucci wants to inspire kids to be whatever
they want to be. A graduate of Arch Bishop Ryan High School,
where he ran track, Ragucci is also an ISSA Certified Personal
Trainer. “My mission,” Ragucci said, “is to reach as many
children as I can by using the tools PAL provides, and to
use my insight of the world as a police officer to steer them
in the right direction.”
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| North Penn PAL |
2423
N. 27th St., 19132
(27th & Hagert Streets)
North Penn Baptist Church |
215.223-2246 |
PAL Director:
Police Officer Glenn Haskins
Officer Glen Haskins’ favorite quote, “Make every step in
your life a step up,” reflects the message that he sends to
the youth who attend his PAL center. “I would like to encourage
youth to go beyond their own expectations,” said Haskins,
a graduate of William Penn High School. One way he does this
is to encourage youth to take part in every program that PAL
has to offer. Mentoring is not new to Haskins, who is a martial
arts instructor and a former assistant coach for the Goodwill
Games Competition Team USA. With 12 years as a police officer,
he seems to have found his niche at PAL, his assignment for
the past two years.
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| Paley PAL |
5330
Germantown Ave., 19144
(Penn Street & Germantown Avenue)
PAL Center |
215.844-8417 |
PAL Director:
Police Officer Ernest Pollard
Officer Ernest Pollard has spent eight of his 14 years on
the police force at PAL. A graduate of Temple University,
where he excelled in basketball, Pollard describes working
with the children in his Northwest Philadelphia community
on a daily basis as more than his job, it is his passion.
Pollard stresses the importance of getting a good education
and attending school on a regular basis. His motto is, “You
are only going to get out of life what you put into it. No
deposit, no withdrawal.”
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| Point Breeze
PAL |
1599
Wharton St., 19146
(16th & Wharton Streets) |
215.336-1451 |
PAL Director:
Police Officer Janice Little
Officer Janice Little believes in education, and not just
in the academic sense. For her, learning is not just done
in the classroom, but is a lifelong experience. This is what
she tries to instill in the youth at her center. A graduate
of Theodore Roosevelt High School in Bronx, NY, Little has
been a Philadelphia Police Officer for 20 years and at PAL
for four. Her mission is to make a difference in the lives
of every PAL member she meets. “As a director, I will direct
youth toward education, multicultural experiences, sports
and recreational activities,” she said. “Each child is encouraged
to believe in themselves on a daily basis, despite the every
day challengers that may occur.” |
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| Police Memorial
PAL |
4253
Frankford Avenue, 19124
(Frankford Avenue & Ruan Street)
Police Memorial |
215.289-2569 |
PAL Director:
Police Officer Marcus Allen
A graduate of Murrell Dobbins Technical School, where he played
All Public and All City Football, 13-year police officer Marcus
Allen has spent the past four years working at PAL. His goal
is to make a difference in the lives of the young people who
come to his center each day. “[I want] to help make as many
positive young men and women as I possibly can,” said Allen.
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| Rivera PAL |
3201
N. 5th Street, 19140
(5th Street & Allegheny Avenue)
Department of Recreation |
215.423-8551 |
PAL Director:
Police Officer Efren Rivera
Officer Efren Rivera wants to get more volunteers involved
in his PAL programs. Having played basketball, baseball and
football, he understands what is needed to make PAL’s activities
run smoothly. Efren, who graduated from Mastbaum High School,
has been at PAL for 16 of his 20 years as a police officer.
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Rizzo PAL
•
Visit Web Page |
2524
E. Clearfield Street, 19134
(Belgrade & Clearfield Sts.)
PAL Center |
215.426-6583 |
PAL Director:
Police Officer Ernie Rehr
For 19 of his 25 years as an officer, Officer Ernest Rehr
has been showing youth that life’s possibilities are endless.
A graduate of Frankford High School, where he played three
years of varsity basketball and baseball, Rehr is very passionate
about PAL His PAL center offers many unique activities, including
the PAL Youth Wrestling Program. “I want to make sure there
is a smile on the face of every child who walks through the
doors of the Rizzo PAL Center,” said Rehr. “All kids participate
no matter what skill level or experience.” |
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| S.E.A.S. PAL |
500 E.
Allegheny Avenue, 19134
(D Street & Allegheny Avenue)
Elkin School |
215.291-9680 |
PAL Director:
Police Officer Maurice Scott
Officer Maurice Scott graduated from Parkway High School and
has completed various certificates through the Reserves and
National Guard. With nine years as a police officer and five
years at PAL, Scott works to impact the community his PAL
center is located in. “My mission is to build healthy relationships
with the individual youth, parent or guardian and the community,”
he said. “We must strive to not just produce education and
sports programs, but build up the body of people as a whole,
socially and emotionally. We can shift dysfunctional behavior
by teaching hope, love and practical living, leading to a
renewed way of life.”
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| St. Benedict
PAL |
6300
Garnet Street, 19126
(20th St. & Chelten Avenue)
St. Benedict's RC Church |
215.924-2361 |
PAL Director:
Police Officer Kraig Henry
Officer Kraig Henry, a graduate of Germantown High School,
the Community College of Philadelphia and The Air Force Community
College, has recited his motto, “Just play, have fun and enjoy
the game,” at his PAL center for the past four years. With
17 years as a police officer, Henry strives to teach kids
the fundamentals of team sports, especially good sportsmanship.
“I want to show them that it’s not always about them, that
the team is only as good as the weakest link,” he said. “I
want to open them to opportunities they may not have otherwise
had.” |
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| Southwest PAL |
5900
Elmwood Avenue, 19143
(59th St. & Elmwood Avenue)
St. Mary's RC Church |
215.727-8181 |
PAL Director:
Police Officer Darren James
Officer Darren James wants to inspire youth to take on the
opportunities they are given. James played varsity basketball
and baseball at Martin Luther King High School, and has been
a police officer for 20 years, 15 of them at PAL. “I want
to make sure that every young child who enters through my
center doors are aware of the possibilities in their life
and to help enrich their lives by supplying those tools that
will help guide them toward their future goals, whether it
is in athletics or education,” he said, adding, “When they
leave they can say that their hopes and dreams were fed.” |
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| Steel PAL |
4301 Wayne Avenue
(Wayne & Bristol Street)
Steel School |
215.329-5870 |
PAL Director:
Police Officer Bruno Estevez
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| Tacony PAL |
4401
Aldine Street, 19136
(Jackson & Aldine Streets)
St. Bernards RC Church |
215.335-4656 |
PAL Director:
Police Officer William Schneider
“It’s not always about being the best, but participating and
trying your best,” is the mantra at Officer William Schneider’s
PAL center. After earning his Associates Degree in Education
and a Certification Degree in Drug and Alcohol Counseling,
Schneider worked in drug and alcohol/mental health counseling
for nine years before becoming a police officer. He has spent
eight of his 13 years as a police officer at PAL. “My mission
[at PAL] is to continue to run good, structured, fun in-house
leagues and to have the children feel that they have a place
where they can be an MVP,” said Schneider, adding, “a place
where they can feel important.” |
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| Tucker PAL |
4614
Woodland Avenue, 19143
(46th & Woodland Avenue)
Wilson School |
215.382-6341 |
PAL Director:
Police Officer Cassandra Parks-Devaughn
“The youth today is a vision of what tomorrow will be,” quotes
13-year police officer Parks-Devaughn, who, through a partnership
with the University of Pennsylvania, has been assigned to
PAL for the past seven years. Her interests as an athlete
have influenced many of the activities at her PAL center,
such as cheerleading and the Tucker Fitness Team. A graduate
of Overbrook High School, Parks-Devaughn earned her Bachelors
Degree in psychology from Cheney University. She hopes to,
“introduce the youth to a broader world, allowing them to
know they have choices and to guide them to resources to utilize
in their future.” |
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| West Oak Lane
PAL |
7105
Limekiln Pike, 19138
(Walnut Lane & Limekiln Pike)
St. Athanasius RC Church |
215.924-6193 |
PAL Director:
Police Officer Lewis Boyer
“My mission is to give guidance to every child who comes to
my center,” said Officer Lewis Boyer, a graduate of Martin
Luther King High School and 20-year police officer, who has
spent three years at PAL. “I want them to know that they are
special and to teach them to respect themselves first and
then others. I encourage them to take advantage of every opportunity
that PAL has to offer because it may be a turning point in
their life.” |
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Wissinoming PAL
•
Visit Web Page |
4419
Comly Street, 19135
(Comly & Jackson Streets)
United Methodist Church |
215.744-6914 |
PAL Director:
Police Officer Paul Zenak
Officer Paul Zenak’s favorite quote, “When life gives you
lemons…make lemonade,” is an example of how he encourages
his PAL kids to make the best of the situation they are in
everyday. After graduating from Father Judge High School,
Zenak went onto Holy Family College and then joined the Police
Force, where he has been for 20 years. He hopes, “to allow
children to have a lot of natural fun while slipping in a
life lesson or two,” at his center.
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| Wynnefield PAL |
2251
N. 54th Street, 19131
(54th & Wynnefield)
Pinn Memorial Baptist Church |
215.878-6439 |
PAL Director:
Police Officer Andre Epps
Officer Andre Epps, who has spent five years as a police officer
and a year and one-half at PAL, teaches more than just academics
at his PAL center. He teaches his youth to value themselves,
their peers and their lives. His mission is “[to teach] every
young person who comes into my center to respect themselves
and respect others.” A graduate of Benjamin Franklin High
School, Epps enjoys athletics like basketball, boxing, cross
country and track. “If you apply yourself in life,” he quotes,
“anything is possible.” |
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he
following listing of current PAL centers is provided so you can locate
a center that is closest to you and so you can contact the center
director with any questions you may have concerning a program or activity
you may be interested in.
