Last night, 300 people came out, hell or high water, to support LIFT Philadelphia’s “upLIFTing Leadership Award” celebration at World Live Café. LIFT is an organization that helps people get out of poverty.The national organization with locations in five U.S. cities was co-founded when Kirsten Lodal, then a student at Yale, saw that there wasn’t a single organization that took care of the needs of people in poverty, and that as a result the impoverished often had to go to several different organizations to get the help they needed. Today, Lodal’s vision is realized as LIFT, a national nonprofit working to “lift” people out of poverty for good.
Last night Drexel University’s president John Fry was presented with the “upLIFTing Leadership Award” for his visionary leadership and commitment to civic engagement. Fry told the guests that LIFT was the perfect partner for Drexel, as he attempts to instill similar values — that they must help others to achieve success — in his students.
Jill Aschkenasy, a Haverford resident and founder of Our Closet, a pop-up shop for free clothing, was presented with the “upLIFTing Community Award” for her innovative approach to providing struggling community members access to free, high-quality clothing during times of crisis.
The recipient of the “upLIFTing Commitment Award” went to LIFT member Tyrone, who has benefitted over the years from LIFT services to help him get back on his feet again.
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HughE Dillon covers parties, events and more for Philadelphia magazine’s The Scene. You can follow him on Twitter at @iPhillyChitChat and visit his daily online social diary PhillyChitChat.com.
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