History of the Neighborhood Interfaith Movement
The Neighborhood Interfaith Movement (NIM) is an alliance of over 50 Protestant, Catholic, Unitarian, Jewish and Muslim congregations and other faith-based organizations in and around Northwest Philadelphia. NIM is a non-profit, non-sectarian organization which “promotes vibrant, healthy neighborhoods in Philadelphia by uniting faith, business, civic and community partners with neighbors to advocate for social justice and to serve people in need.” In its Theory of Change, NIM states that it has been a “catalyst for change in Northwest Philadelphia for over 40 years – establishing programs, hosting events, and convening conversations that address urgent community needs and are guided by faith-based shared values of justice, respect, and generosity. While NIM’s work reflects Northwest Philadelphia’s rich diversity of culture and faith, NIM freely shares its wisdom and knowledge with other communities. NIM’s work is frequently replicated in other neighborhoods of Philadelphia, and NIM partners with faith-based, private, and public institutions on issues that are citywide in scope.”
NIM’s programs provide opportunities for the faith community to express its values through hands-on activities. NIM Early Learning Alliance (ELA) focuses on quality improvement in child care, job training for child care providers, and parent education throughout the city and beyond. Its West Philadelphia Council serves as a model for other neighborhood-based community alliances supporting early childhood education. NIM Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program assures proper care for residents of long-term care facilities throughout half of the city. NIM Northwest Programs carries out the new mission of initiating and maintaining programs that support NIM congregations and Northwest residents and strengthening congregations by planning and providing opportunities for institution building and collaborative projects within the broader community. Resources for Older Adult Living (ROAL) is one of its ongoing programs. Its annual programs include Martin Luther King Interfaith Celebration, an Annual Assembly honoring congregational members whose exemplary work in the community furthers NIM goals, and Children’s Sabbath. The NIM Community Resource Center houses one of two ELA Early Learning Resource Centers, serves as a drop-in center for residents seeking help with various life issues, and houses other community resources.
NIM has created and then spun off three organizations and acted as the catalyst in coalescing two collaborative groups to found two independent organizations. This pattern reflects NIM’s belief that no organization can hope to house every good idea that results in an on-going program. Further, NIM encourages citizens to take ownership of institutions affecting the quality of life. Programs NIM has created include:
- Northwest Meals on Wheels (independent in 1976)
- Central Germantown Council (founded in 1980)
- Northwest Victim Services (independent in 1985)
- Germantown Interfaith Housing, Inc. (founded in 1989)
- Philadelphia Early Childhood Collaborative, which served 4000 child care professionals through training, technical assistance and advocacy throughout Philadelphia. In July 2009 the Collaborative was reabsorbed by NIM, leading to the establishment of the NIM Early Learning Alliance.
Other innovative NIM past program development initiatives include Dean House (1977), the first home in Philadelphia for runaway children; and Pastorius Child Health Watch (1995), started originally by the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, a NIM member, which assisted low-income families with school-age children in accessing no-cost/low-cost health insurance and primary care. For ten years, the Philadelphia Religious Leadership Development Fund (1990) provided small grants for congregation-initiated community outreach projects in low-income areas throughout the city. NIM has provided leadership and support to numerous citywide advocacy efforts, including Philadelphia Clergy Coalition for Education (1981) and the Philadelphia Coalition on the Utility Crisis (1983). In 1984, NIM staff, with a dozen other civic leaders, created the Delaware Valley Community Reinvestment Fund (now the Reinvestment Fund). In 1995, NIM brought together educators, advocates and stakeholders to form the Child Care Advocacy Coalition to improve child care environments by advocating for progressive City child care policies.
For these and other community outreach efforts, NIM has been recognized:
1985 – by the National Conference of Christians and Jews for its "outstanding role as a coalition builder."
1987 – by the Jewish Community Relations Council for its long history of working for “racial and religious harmony.”
1996 – as the recipient of the Ecumenical Recognition Award from the National Council of Churches for its work with the Philadelphia Early Childhood Collaborative.
1998 – as the recipient of USA-TLA’s (Toy Library Association’s) “Player of the Year” award for developing the Philadelphia Early Childhood Collaborative’s network of Toy and Material Resource Rooms throughout the City.
2003 – as the recipient of the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging Reverend Francis Shearer Award for outstanding human service program, awarded to NIM’s Seniors in Partnership Across the Northwest Project (SPAN)
2004 – by the Green Power award for Sustaining Creation environmental work
2009 – by the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations Award for years of diversity outreach and training
2009 – by the Community College of Philadelphia for contributions to education in Northwest Philadelphia