University City Hospitality Coalition

In October 1984 on a very cold night, Stanley Biddle, a homeless man who was a familiar figure on the University of Pennsylvania campus, froze to death after falling asleep near 38th Street. In response, a small group of students, clergy, and local residents came together to confront the bleak and tragic realities of homelessness in their own community. This group formed the University City Hospitality Coalition (UCHC). The first action of the group was to offer one "meal of hospitality" per week that would be open to everyone. To operate, donations were informally solicited and volunteers recruited from churches, colleges, and neighborhood organizations. The meal program expanded to include more evening meals and sandwiches at lunchtime. In 1986 the group obtained an office in the Christian Association. Incorporated in 1987, UCHC is a federally recognized nonprofit organization with 501(c)(3) status.

UCHC's mission has always been to be more than a soup kitchen. It is an organization designed to encourage leadership among its guests. The structure of the organization is democratic. All persons who attend meals are considered members of UCHC and have a right to participate in the decision-making process for the entire group. Officers of UCHC are elected by a majority of the membership, and general membership meetings are held twice a year. UCHC's bylaws specify that the Board of Directors should reflect UCHC's constituency: homeless and impoverished persons, members of the community, students, representatives of the institutions that provide space for meals, and members of the local business community. The Board of Directors meets once a month during the academic year.

Until 1989, UCHC was staffed entirely by volunteers, but in that year the first salaried executive director was hired to pursue the possibility of opening a "survival center" in West Philadelphia, where homeless people could receive mail and telephone calls, take showers, meet social service workers, or just relax. The University had promised UCHC the use of an empty lot at 42nd and Chestnut for $1.00 per year rent, and a donor had promised several trailers that could be adapted for various uses. Negotiations for setting up such a center seemed very promising, but the cost of insurance stalled progress on the plans. UCHC no longer has an executive director and again is an all-volunteer organization.

At present, the meal program provides a hot meal Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday through Friday evenings and sandwiches at noon on Saturday. A medical clinic, legal clinic, and dental clinic are available at the Wednesday meal site. A resume preparation service is available when needed. An outreach social worker from Horizon House comes every evening to the meal sites to place clients in available shelter spaces and to inform them about alcohol and drug rehabilitation programs, mental health programs, job training programs, and programs for special interest groups such as veterans. UCHC's mailbox can be used by homeless persons as a mailing address and as an address for voting purposes. Because UCHC is a small, all-volunteer organization, it tries to establish working relationships with other agencies and programs that provide services for poor and homeless people to better achieve its mission.

UCHC receives no city, state, or federal money to support its programs. Primary funding sources are donations from individuals, donations and grants from religious institutions, and the United Way Donor Option program. For the last few years a Wharton management class at Penn has organized a fall fund raiser for UCHC. Primary sources of food for the meal program are the Greater Philadelphia Food Bank, University of Pennsylvania Dining Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture Surplus Food Program, SHARE, Nutritional Development Services, and Philabundance.