Our Mission:
PCF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that supports Philadelphia public schools by installing internet-ready computers in classrooms and publicly accessible locations. We also help outfit school libraries with books, provide computers to low-income families that do not have them, and teach 3D printing and computer literacy classes.
Our mission is to help children of all ages find their passion, develop needed skills, and make positive career and life decisions for a successful future.
- Improving reading skills. 40% of Philadelphia students scored below proficient in reading & 22% of the city’s population is illiterate and 41% of Phila households do not have a computer.
- Decrease drop-out rates. 42% of students entering 9th grade in 2006 failed to graduate in 2010.
- And address youth unemployment. The unemployment rate is 22% for Philadelphia residents ages 20-24, and 76% of Philadelphia households are economically disadvantaged.
How P.C.F. Got Started/History
Founder John Bannan shown on the left along with other current and past Board members.
John Bannan formed the Philadelphia Children’s Foundation (PCF) in July of 2006. It was John’s involvement with sports and the mentoring relationships he had with his coaches that helped him become a successful Olympic Rowing Coach, business person, and leader of PCF.
John was motivated by three things: his passion to provide young people with the support they need to excel in life; the understanding that resources in the city are abundant, but do not connect fully with the community they aim to serve; and the educational inequality that many students in Philadelphia face.
In 2013, 4,500 students in grades K-12 in 20 area schools were touched by PCF’s programs. PCF started libraries in 12 elementary schools with over 16,500 donated books and provided more than 1,500 refurbished computers to low-income families.
PCF & Sponsors News:
PCF Receives Support from Univest Bank and Trust Co.
PCF is thrilled to receive support from Univest Bank and Trust Co. Last week, PCF picked up 25 powerful Dell computers that had been partially refurbished already (the drives were wiped clean and all are in working order). [...]
Support PCF by Shopping at Amazon
Now you can support kids while you shop! PCF is now accepting charitable donations through the AmazonSmile Foundation. We are pleased to announced that PCF is now officially listed as a partner charity [...]
Radnor School District Equipment Donation
The Radnor Township School District donated a truck full of laptops and a few overhead projectors to PCF during the summer! The equipment was picked up from 4 different Radnor District schools. What was great about their donation [...]
Books and Financial Support from A.A.L.L.
PCF was thrilled to receive a car-load of childrens' books along with a very generous donation of $1,225 from the members of the American Association of Law Libraries! The books were collected by AALL members and [...]
Equipment Donation by PMHCC
PCF would like to thank PMHCC (The Philadelphia Mental Health Care Corporation) for their generous donation of computers, monitors, keyboards, mice and cabling. The equipment was picked up by our recycler (hard drive shredder, recycler, and [...]
Financial Support from Interphase Medical Equipment
PCF was thrilled to receive support from Interphase Medical Equipment. We received a check for $500 which will be used to support our Classroom Computers program. We could not do our work without the financial support [...]