Temple University’s commitment to North Philadelphia remains as strong as ever, with the latest example of that being the Temple Community Gateway, which is now officially open to the public. 

Located on the fourth floor of Temple’s Entertainment and Community Education Center at 1509 Cecil B. Moore Ave. right off Broad Street, the Gateway serves as a one-stop shop for North Philadelphia community members to receive on-site and in-person guidance about services available through Temple as well as its community and government partners. The Temple Community Gateway is a free neighborhood resource center designed to improve outcomes in North Philadelphia.  

“Our center offers something for people in our city from all walks of life, so once you enter our Gateway, we aim to create a pathway that will help you reach your full potential,” said Antonio Romero, director of the Community Gateway center. 

“With Temple being in the heart of North Philadelphia, it is necessary that we continue to lead this work.” 

Antonio Romero's commitment to both Temple and North Philadelphia has been longstanding. Before becoming director of Temple's Community Gateway, Romero was associate director of Diversity Initiatives and Community Relations within the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. In this role, he was responsible for recruiting prospective students from the School District of Philadelphia. (Photography courtesy of Temple News) 

According to Valerie Harrison, the vice president for diversity, equity, inclusion and community impact at Temple, the Gateway also supports a citywide effort to address violence.  

“Crime is down in Philadelphia and across the country, and experts suggest that the drop is partly a result of greater investments in programs that are meeting the needs of communities at highest risk of violence,” Harrison said.  

“We are beginning an asset mapping process and hope to coordinate community services that respond to specific needs on blocks in and around Temple’s footprint.”  

Romero added that staff at the Gateway are committed to one-on-one engagement with North Philadelphia community members. Gateway staff go door-to-door in the community to connect members to resources and services that help meet them where they are so they can reach their goals. The center offers opportunities for residents to network with organizations they may not even know existed.  

Shakina Thomas, a North Philadelphia native, benefited from the Gateway’s small business development and summer programs. She got connected to youth programs for her daughter and learned new business strategies.  

“The Gateway taught me about business strategies that I had no idea about,” said Thomas, the founder of Kina Boots Kreations, an apparel and custom items company. “It offered a list of grants and assisting us with writing our business plans, like what people are looking for when they give out funding which will help grow my business.    

“I am excited that the center is close to our neighborhood and offers a hub of free resources for everyone, because services tend to be expensive,” she added. “So, it’s amazing to have many resources directly in our neighborhood.”  

Other North Philadelphia community members interested in learning more about the Gateway center can visit the Gateway website temple.edu/gateway and sign up by filling out a form online, calling the Gateway team at 215-204-7363 or simply stopping by.  

The Gateway also had a table at Temple’s Lenfest Center for Community Workforce Partnerships’ first annual Reentry Second Chance Job Fair. 

“I hope that we’ll get to a level where the university as a whole will come through the Gateway to work hand in hand with community members and vice versa,” Romero said. “Many community services and resources are right here at Temple, and it is key that we work together to effectively bring them to our neighbors,” he added. “A long-term investment in people to develop and hone skills will improve health and increase prosperity in the North Philadelphia community.”