Michelle Feldman, Tracy O'Drain, Dan Lodise

The annual public board meeting of the Frankford Community Development Corporation was held at Aria Health on January 19th.  The meeting provides and opportunity for residents to come out to talk with the CDC about past accomplishments and future plans.

The board is presently made up of: Marie DeLany (President), Dan Lodise (Vice President), Patricia Miller (SEPTA), Terence McSherry (NET), Michael O’Brien (resident), Mike Galdi (Century 21 Realty), Herb Frayer (S&A Cleaners), Santo Caruso (Aria Health), Faye Allen (SPIN) and Fernando Torres (Mark My Flesh).  In addition Tracy O’Drain is the Managing Director.  Michell Feldman  is Corridor Manager and Special Events Coordinator.  Lisa DeMore is the Bookkeeper.

Some highlights:

• Significant progress in social media and marketing – The CDC has a revamped and useful web site and is a prominent Frankford resource on Facebook.
• The CDC is working closely with the Philadelphia Workforce Development Corporation to get people working.
• Has recruited new business (A Cupcake Wonderland and Philly Love Bar to the Globe)  to Frankford and assisted existing businesses (Avenue Shoes, Denbys, Gilberts, Just Good Scents, Quickie Mart, Simply Flawless).
• Raised the profile of Frankford with some significant special events like the Second Saturday festivals.
• Began work on the 4600 block of Frankford Avenue project.  Impact Services under an existing contract with the city will begin work this year on those improvements.
• New computer lab via PhillyRising came this month.

Dan Lodise announced at the end of the meeting that he will be stepping down as Vice President.  The board has room for several more members and I believe we need more residents on the board.  There were two exceptional people at the meeting who were interested in possibly joining.  I hope they do. Both are business women in Frankford.  Just the people we need.

Tracy and Michelle did a great Power Point presentation at the meeting that I recorded for my notes but it is so detailed I am including it below for your information if you care to see some of the details.

It works best in full screen and pause it at each slide if you need time to read them.

You may have noticed on our event calendar an item about the new computer center.  The Frankford CDC has been working closely with PhillyRising toward providing the community with a computer center that would be open to the public.  The details have been worked out and the equipment is being installed this week at the Frankford CDC office at Griscom and Harrison Streets.  Mayor Nutter will be there on Friday at noon for the ribbon cutting ceremony.

This service is badly needed in a community where the majority of the residents do not have access to the internet.  The library is the only other public location where people can go to do job searches or type a resume.  There will be an ample number of workstations available.  The hours of availability have yet to be worked out and an announcement will be published when it is finalized.

The CDC is scheduled to host a free FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)  and tax filing workshop on February 26, 2012 in the new computer center.

We bet you’ve passed Irqaa’s Cafe at 4663 Frankford Avenue a million times, but that shop is home to a lot more than good, home cooked food. Nafisah Lewis, owner and chef, is quite the entrepreneur: she caters and sews, but most importantly she is a world class candle maker. She started making candles five years ago, after she and her sister-in-law attended a flea market and struck up a conversation with a woman selling her own home made candles. “I can do this,” Nafisah thought. Her first forays in to candle making were, in her own words, a disaster, but she soon mastered the science and art of the craft.

Today, Nafisah makes candles of all scents, colors and sizes for as low as five dollars. Scents include fruit slice, banana nut bread, lavender, and cranberry. But if her standard candles are not what you’re looking for, she’ll work with you to create a scent to call your own. As she puts it, “What I love about making candles is the response I get from my customers, seeing them smile and hearing them say, ‘Oh your candles are just the best!’ That’s when you know you have a good product. I’ve been told my candles are better than Yankee Candles!”

Nafisah has lived in Frankford for thirty years, and she and her husband opened Irqaa Cafe thirteen years ago. She loves the restaurant, but loves being busy and multi-tasking even more. She’s always looking to expand upon her business efforts, and satisfy her increasingly large customer base.

So stop in Irqaa’s (open Monday through Thursday from 8:00a to 5:00p, and from 8:30a to 6:00p on Fridays and Saturdays), eat some of Nafisah’s famous blueberry pancakes, and then ask her to make you a blueberry pancake scented candle! We guarantee she can do it. Or, if you can’t make it in to the shop, give her a call at 267-738-4529 and check out her new website, www.justgoodscents.webs.com.

Nafisah Lewis

This past weekend the Frankford CDC & the Mural Arts program teamed up to petition the neighborhood and film Frankford residents telling their stories, to help inspire the murals that are coming to Frankford. It was a great day – as you can see from the pictures below! We’ll be filming again on Tuesday, November 15th, from 2:00p to 6:00p at the CDC’s offices, 4900 Griscom Street. 

Remember that date because it’s a busy day in Frankford: the CDC will also be celebrating America Recycles Day, so stop by to be filmed AND get a blue recycling bin! And if you thought that wasn’t enough, the Frankford Business & Professional Association will be meeting from 12:00n to 2:00p at Northeast Treatment Centers (4625 Frankford Ave) that day.  Come listen to a representative from Beautiful Blooms in the Piazza talk about being a good business neighbor and building a supportive business community. Lunch will be provided.
 
We hope you’re as excited as we are about how much is going on in Frankford!