Located in the Logan neighborhood of North Philadelphia, Courtland Street is an area of Philadelphia that rates in the top 5 in most categories of crime. It is also a place of extremes, and the duality of Courtland Street is not something that has escaped the notice of the families and children who live, work, and play there, nor that of Front Step. The community center being built at 16th and Courtland will go a long way in providing education, training, and safe recreation for the people of this community, with the expectation that some of them will elevate their socioeconomic situation, if desired.

Home to Front Step’s administrative offices, northeast Philadelphia has a slightly different demographic than other areas of the organization’s focus, but comes with challenges of its own. Northeast High School, located across the street from Front Step’s offices, was recently named the most diverse high school in the nation, and with 3,600 students, is one of the largest schools in Philadelphia. The area supports a wide range of nationalities, languages, and socioeconomic levels, and there is no cookie-cutter approach to reaching and helping the residents of such an area.