November 20, 2025 • 29 mins
The holidays are right around the corner, and finding the perfect gift can be a challenge — but Fine Wine & Good Spirits makes it easy to surprise and delight everyone on your list. Joining us is, Russell Johnson, Wine Specialist at Fine Wine & Good Spirits, to share smart and festive gift ideas for wine and spirit lovers this season.
🌐 Fine Wine & Good Spirits — Website & Socials Website: www.finewineandgoodspirits.com
Social Media: @PAWineSpirits (Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Threads, YouTube)
Please drink responsibly.
Philanthropy takes many forms, but when communities unite, the impact multiplies. That's the driving force behind Philly Gives, a collaborative initiative led by the Philadelphia Foundation, in partnership with the Lenfest Institute for Journalism and William Penn Foundation, to support ten essential nonprofits serving Greater Philadelphia. Joining us is Heather Huot (Hewett), Secretary & Executive Vice President of Catholic Charities of Philadelphia, one of this year’s grantees, to discuss how this support extends vital services to individuals and families across the region.
🌐 Philly Gives — Website & Socials Website: www.phillygives.org
Social Media: @PhilaFound (Philadelphia Foundation)
Hashtag: #PhillyGives
In today’s world, internet access is as essential as electricity — yet too many families still find themselves on the wrong side of the digital divide. Bridging that gap is why partnerships like this one are so vital. Comcast has unveiled its newest Flagship Lift Zone in collaboration with OIC Philadelphia at 1231 North Broad Street — a space designed to expand digital access, job training, and workforce readiness. Backed by more than $1 million in investment, the project continues Comcast’s nationwide Project UP, a $1 billion commitment to connect communities and create a future of Unlimited Possibilities. Joining us to discuss how this collaboration is transforming lives through technology and skill-building are Bret Perkins, Senior Vice President of External and Government Affairs at Comcast, and Drew Bergman, Chief Advancement Officer for OIC Philadelphia.
🌐 Comcast Project UP & OIC Philadelphia — Website & Socials Comcast Project UP / Lift Zones: https://corporate.comcast.com/impact/project-up
OIC Philadelphia: https://www.oicofamerica.org/oic-philadelphia
🌐 Fine Wine & Good Spirits — Website & Socials Website: www.finewineandgoodspirits.com
Social Media: @PAWineSpirits (Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Threads, YouTube)
Please drink responsibly.
Philanthropy takes many forms, but when communities unite, the impact multiplies. That's the driving force behind Philly Gives, a collaborative initiative led by the Philadelphia Foundation, in partnership with the Lenfest Institute for Journalism and William Penn Foundation, to support ten essential nonprofits serving Greater Philadelphia. Joining us is Heather Huot (Hewett), Secretary & Executive Vice President of Catholic Charities of Philadelphia, one of this year’s grantees, to discuss how this support extends vital services to individuals and families across the region.
🌐 Philly Gives — Website & Socials Website: www.phillygives.org
Social Media: @PhilaFound (Philadelphia Foundation)
Hashtag: #PhillyGives
In today’s world, internet access is as essential as electricity — yet too many families still find themselves on the wrong side of the digital divide. Bridging that gap is why partnerships like this one are so vital. Comcast has unveiled its newest Flagship Lift Zone in collaboration with OIC Philadelphia at 1231 North Broad Street — a space designed to expand digital access, job training, and workforce readiness. Backed by more than $1 million in investment, the project continues Comcast’s nationwide Project UP, a $1 billion commitment to connect communities and create a future of Unlimited Possibilities. Joining us to discuss how this collaboration is transforming lives through technology and skill-building are Bret Perkins, Senior Vice President of External and Government Affairs at Comcast, and Drew Bergman, Chief Advancement Officer for OIC Philadelphia.
🌐 Comcast Project UP & OIC Philadelphia — Website & Socials Comcast Project UP / Lift Zones: https://corporate.comcast.com/impact/project-up
OIC Philadelphia: https://www.oicofamerica.org/oic-philadelphia
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning, Welcome to Insight, a show about empowering our community.
I'm Lorraine Balladmorrow, we'll take a look at Comcast in
OIC Philadelphia's new flagship Lift Zone. Will also highlight the
power of giving through Philly Gifts, with insights from Catholic
Charities of Philadelphia about how this support strengthens families across
our region, expanding digital access and job training in North Philadelphia.
(00:22):
But first, we're getting you holiday ready with gift ideas
from Fine Wine and Good Spirits. As the holiday's approach,
a lot of us are thinking about the perfect gift
for friends, family, and colleagues. Joining us today is Russell Johnson,
Wine specialists for Fine Wines and Good Spirits. His share
expert tips on wine gifting, festive ideas, and how to
(00:43):
make this season both joyful and tasteful. Well Russell, for
those who may not be familiar, tell us about the
Chairman's Selection Program and why that's kind of a good
one stop shop for holiday gifting.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Absolutely, and thanks again for having me on today, Lorain. So,
the Chairman's Selection Program is very cool because it's actually
a bulk buying program that we do for wines and Essentially,
that allows us to get a large purchase where we
get as savings and we pass that on to the consumer.
Every product has a description from a certified wine professional,
and the very cool thing is you can actually see
(01:17):
the savings that you're getting on each bottle. It's on
every display we have, so you know you're definitely getting
a great bottle at a really wonderful price.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Well, you know, one of the things that I enjoy
about shopping at fine wine and good spirits is the
unique offerings that you have. For instance, I have a
relative who loves RUMs, so I got Kraken, so I
can present him with the bottle of Kraken and say,
release the Kraken. And there are also lots of spirits
(01:46):
and wines that are produced by celebrities that make giving
those gifts kind of special. So I wonder if you
can talk a little bit about some of the unique
gifts that are available at your stores.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Yeah, I mean it does seem like every week there's
a new celebrity wine or spirit coming into the store.
It's kind of unique how many people have them. We
have Isa Rays Prosecco. Of course, we have Cosamigos, the
tequila brand that George Clooney helped co create. But other
than that, one thing I really enjoy is that we
carry a lot of gift sets for these various brands,
(02:18):
So anything from you know, Bullet, Bourbon, Woodford Reserve, Jack Daniels, Cossamigos.
As I mentioned, these are going to come with glassware, stemware, stirbers, accessories, coasters,
all kinds of neat stuff to help you kind of
fill out your bar. And the thing that is my
favorite about them is that they generally cost about the
same as the bottle itself, so you're not really spending
(02:39):
a lot more money to get all those accessories for free.
That's why I think it's a good gifting idea, but
it also helps you stay on budget.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
Yeah, well, there are also some folks who are very
hard to buy for. So what would you say to
someone who's trying to find the perfect gift for that person.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Well, definitely, you can't go wrong with a gift card
because you're pretty much leaving it right in your gut hands.
We have those in the stores and you can also
purchase them online in pretty much any denomination, in store
or online. In twenty five fifty seventy five or one
hundred dollars increments. Our website is FWGS dot com. You
can go over there twenty four to seven. Makes it
(03:15):
very very simple. Another thing I'll mention is that if
you order products on there, anything over ninety nine dollars
can be shipped for free right to your home, so
it takes the shipping price out of it. I think
it's a really great deal.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Well, I'm all about personalizing my gifts, and every year
I make a big batch of cooquito and that is
a traditional Hispanic drink that involves lots of very sweet
milk products and lots of rum. So I wonder if
you can talk a little bit about the DIY types
(03:47):
of gifts that you can come up with when you
go to your stores.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
Absolutely, I would once again recommend going to our website
for those. We have a lot of different videos about
how to put together different gift sets. We also have
videos educating you on how to make cocktails, how to
do wine pairings. We have explanations on different categories of line.
So if you're a DIY type of shopper you want
to put a little bit more effort into it, we
(04:12):
can help you out in terms of creating the recipes
and learning what ingredients you need to stock your bar with.
I think it's also really helpful if you happen to
be the host for any of the holidays this season,
help you be a little bit more unique, a little
bit more impressive for the guests. So really check out
the website videos. I think they're very helpful.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
The COVID epidemic was a difficult situation for everybody, but
in some ways it's kind of changed the way that
we've kind of approached retail. That means that you can
order online, you can order for pickup as well as
going into this store. So talk about the different options
that are now available for everyone.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
Absolutely, I really enjoy the fact that we can ship
both to the customer's home and to the store. I know,
especially if you live in the cities, a lot of
folks are sort of nervous about leaving their packages outside
or maybe it's difficul to get to their location. The
fact that you can ship to a store means you
won't miss the shipment, you won't have to come back
and reschedule it. We can safely and securely hang on
(05:09):
to it for you and you can come and pick
it up when it's convenient for you. And given the
hours that we have, I think it's really nice that
we're able to deliver that to the consumers. If you
want to deliver it straight to your home, it's very
very easy. I think you can do that twenty four
to seven on the website, and as I said, I
recommend going over ninety nine dollars. That's going to take
the shipping cost right out of it. You can do
(05:30):
that seven days a week.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Yeah, And I think when you have things shipped directly
to the stores, it does make things a little bit
easier because I know during the holiday seasons it gets
really busy at your stores and not to have to
negotiate the long lines or elbowing someone who's trying to
grab the same wine bottle but you are.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
It's definitely true. Yeah, yeah, we are getting very very
busy as the holidays approached. A lot of folks don't
know that Thanksgiving is actually the number one day for
wine and spirit consumption and purchase it. So you might think,
you know, Christmas, New Year, some of the other holidays
we have, but Thanksgiving is when we're at our very
busiest and that's when I would recommend to you to
(06:09):
utilize the website the most.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Yeah, that's great. Now I have to get a little
bit personal here. So Russell Johnson, you are a wine specialist.
How did you get there? What was your inspiration? Were
you always thinking wine or was your path a little
more convoluted than that?
Speaker 3 (06:23):
Definitely a little more convoluted and complicated. I'm a musician
by trade. That's what I started out doing, That's what
I still do. My family's always had an interest in wine.
I had an uncle who was a big collector. He
got me into it. I eventually decided to get my
somalier certification, so now I'm a certified wine professional. The
wine and spirits premium collection stores all generally have a
(06:47):
wine specialist, and I know a lot of folks don't
know a ton about wine or how to food pair it.
But if you just look for the green apron, that's
the wine specialist. We can help you out picking the walline,
doing the food pairing. And the other thing I really
want to encourage is look for the wine tastings at
your local premium collection stores. Most of them do a
wine tasting at least once per week, but some do
(07:08):
it two or three days per week.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
So if you.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
Don't know a lot about wine or you want to
taste something before you invest in it, that's a great
opportunity to do it for free. I think you're going
to meet a lot of new folks as well. It's
a really nice social environment.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
So where can we hear your music?
Speaker 3 (07:23):
I have a few things here and there on YouTube,
things like that. I mostly do it for fun with
friends these days, to be honest with you, but I
feel like maybe I should do some recording get back
out there a bit.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
Absolutely, Yeah, And of course people will be enjoying their
wine or their beers or whatever while they listen to
you perform.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
So hopefully good idea.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
But more directly, they will go to you for expert
advice on wine and spirits and if people want to
find you particularly. I know that they're wine specialists in
every store. But where is your store?
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (07:55):
So I'm located at four eleven North twentieth Street, and
that's basic. We twentieth in Calo Hill. We are right
near the Art Museum, so a very very busy area.
If you want to come and try some wines with me,
I'm doing free tastings every Friday and Saturday night from
four to six pm. Like I said, four eleven North
twentieth twentieth in Calo Hill. If you come four to
(08:16):
six Friday Saturday, I have four different wines lined up,
and I do different wines both days. I have a
lot of regulars, so if you want to come on out,
you could actually try eight wines for free every single
week and I'll be educating you as we taste them.
So I think it's a lot of fun.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
Well, that sounds like a lot of fun. Now, if
people want gift inspirations or they want more information about
all the things we talked about, where do they go?
Speaker 3 (08:37):
Definitely check out the website fwgs dot com. And if
you're following us on social media, we have pages on
Facebook x Instagram. We have a YouTube page, so you
can check us out on there as well. If you're
more of a social media user, that's where a lot
of the videos are. So come and leave us a comment,
give us a like. We're on there all the time.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
Well, in a time when sometimes it's very difficult to
find the right press and for someone, somehow, wine or
spirits always seems to come through as the perfect gift
and I want to thank you so much for all
of your suggestions and all of your advice. Russell Johnson
Wine Specialists for Fine Wine and Good Spirits, thank you
so much.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
Absolutely, I want to encourage everyone to drink responsibly this
holiday season, but have a ton of fun and please
come visit me at the wine tastings. I'd love to meet.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
All of you. Philanthropy takes many forms, but when communities unite,
the impact multiplies. That's the driving force behind Philly Gives,
a collaborative initiative led by the Philadelphia Foundation in partnership
(09:41):
with a Lensfest Institute for Journalism and the William Penn
Foundation to support essential nonprofits serving Greater Philadelphia. Joining us
is Heather Hewitt, who's secretary and executive vice president of
Catholic Charities in Philadelphia and one of this year's grantees,
to tell us how to support this extended program to
(10:03):
provide vital services to individuals and families across the region.
So thank you so much for joining us here today,
and first of all, for those who may not be familiar,
tell us about Catholic Charities of Philadelphia and the core
mission that guide your work.
Speaker 4 (10:20):
Well, thank you so much for this opportunity. We are
honored to be a part of Philly Gibbs twenty twenty five.
Catholic Charities of Philadelphia works throughout the five county region
to serve all of our sisters and brothers in need,
and we do that in a variety of different ways.
We empower those who are living with disabilities by providing
(10:41):
residential and day programs. We provide housing for the homeless,
food for those who are struggling to make ends meet.
We support seniors in our communities through community programs and
affordable housing developments. And we work to stabilize families and
provide for our youth who are living in a very
(11:03):
difficult time these days. So our work is vast and
impacts a lot of different communities. It is a blessing
every day to do the work that we do, and
again we're honored to be among the organizations that are
part of Philly Gives this year.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
Certainly your work is more important now than ever, certainly
most definitely, so tell us how does Philly Give Gives
help strengthen your organization's capacity to serve families and communities
in need.
Speaker 4 (11:32):
Well, what's remarkable about Philly Gives is that one hundred
percent of all the donations are going directly to the
organizations that are honored to be partners. So anyone that
donates to Philly Gives can feel very assured that their
dollars are going right to those in need. And just
like you said, right now is a really, really difficult time.
(11:54):
This past week, we have seen the numbers in our
food cupboards double across every program area that we have.
So it's a time where Philly Gives really makes it
easy for the generous people the Philadelphia region to step
in and support one another. And it's it really, it's
(12:15):
just it's just such an easy way to be a
part of the solution.
Speaker 5 (12:20):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (12:22):
And and again we're just honored to be a part
of it.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
I wonder if you can share a story or an
example that illustrates how Catholic Charities is making a tangible
difference in someone's life. You certainly mentioned the importance of
these food covereds cupboards and how the need has has
increased so dramatically. Tell us more.
Speaker 4 (12:44):
That's that's one example, and and and again it's really
important to be able to give families the essentials they
need like food. It's also really important to give them
the skills they need to make their lives different. So
I am going to tell a story about a program
that that's provide food, but provides perhaps the way of
(13:05):
looking at life differently. So we have a program in
Southwest Philadelphia called Youth Skills Building Program where every day
we bring youth about ten at a time. They come
with us for about six months and after school they
come to our program and they learn carpentry skills, they
learn interviewing skills, they learn how to build their resume
(13:27):
so when they graduate from high school, they have options
and a clear path forward. And it's we're bringing in
youth that are living in very specific neighborhoods in Philadelphia,
that are growing up with gun violence all around them,
and to be able to give them this path and
these skills, these tangible skills to move forward with life.
(13:50):
Hopefully they're not coming to us for help with food
in ten years because we've made an incredible impact in
the victory of their lives.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
Yeah. So you know, give a person a fish and
feed them for a day, teach them how to fish,
and they will never grow hungry. So that's exactly a
perfect example of that how can listeners get involved, whether
through donations, volunteering, or spreading the word both about Philly
Gives and the work of Catholic charities.
Speaker 4 (14:21):
Well, I think donating is easy. Just go to Phillygives
dot org. There's a donate button, and we welcome any
level of generosity, So don't feel like you don't have
enough to give. Every dollar makes a difference, and especially
right now. So and volunteering, I think all of the
organizations that are part of Philly Gives have wonderful opportunities
(14:44):
if there is something you feel really called to. All
of us on our websites have links to volunteer reach out.
We welcome people to join with us in our mission,
whether that be financially or with us in our programs
helping out. So never hesitate. There's all room for one
more around our table.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
Well, I love to hear that, And certainly now the
need is greater than ever, and it's good to know
that there is a collaborative which we call Philly Gives,
an initiative led by the Philadelphia Foundation in partnership with
the Lensfest Institute for Journalism and the William Penn Foundation.
Heather Hewitt, Secretary and executive vice president of Catholic Charities
(15:24):
of Philadelphia, one of the recipients of the generosity of
folks who have given to Phili given to Philly Gives.
Thank you so much for joining us here today. And
besides Phillygives dot org. What's the website for more information
about Catholic Charities.
Speaker 4 (15:39):
Our website is Ccphila dot org.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
All right, thank you again for joining us today.
Speaker 4 (15:45):
Thank you so much for this opportunity.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
Thanks. In today's world, internet access is as essential as electricity,
yet too many families still find them on the wrong
side of the digital divide. Bridging that gap is what
makes this partnership that we're going to be talking about
so vital. Comcast has unveiled its newest flagship Lift Zone
(16:09):
in collaboration with OIC Philadelphia at twelve thirty one North
broad Street, a space designed to expand digital access, job training,
and workforce readiness. Joining us to talk about this collaboration
and transforming lives through technology and skill building are Brett Perkins,
Senior and Vice president of External and Government Affairs at Comcast,
(16:31):
and Drew Bergman, Chief Advancement Officer FORIC Philadelphia. So Brett
Let's start with you. Can you talk about what a
lift zone is and how this new flagship location is
going to make a huge difference.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
Bet, great, thanks for having us the rank. Great to
be with you. So the zones are.
Speaker 5 (16:52):
Partnerships that Comcast has with local organizations to provide a
couple of things versus connectivity. Even more important, you know,
it is partnership around digital skills and other tools that
people need to use the connectivity. And in this case,
we've launched what we call flagship lift zones, which are
(17:15):
significant partnerships, including this one in Philadelphia with OIC.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
And the model for this is finding kind.
Speaker 5 (17:23):
Of best in class partners locally partnering with them on
providing services to folks that Mary's technology with workforce development
and digital skills.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
So that's what.
Speaker 5 (17:36):
We announced about a week ago, and so so fortunate
to be able to partner with OIC, an organization that
has both the national and global presence and awareness.
Speaker 1 (17:49):
Andrew, let's talk about what this actually means, because I
think in the past, people recognized Comcast and in terms
of Internet essentials, getting low income and people who have
the lack of ability to connect with the internet, the
low cost Internet connections but this kind of takes it
a large step forward because it's really looking at the
(18:10):
whole ecosystem of what it means to be digitally ready.
And I wonder if we can talk a bit more
about what this project up is and how it connects
with the flagship lift zone at OICE.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
Yeah. Absolutely, So.
Speaker 6 (18:25):
You know, oftentimes we say that in today's labor market,
you cannot connect to family sustaining wages with career ladder
opportunities for growth without digital literacy and digital skills, and
so at all, I see what we've been intentionally focused
on is what we call digital al which is access, literacy,
and equipment. You need to have access points to be
(18:47):
able to get connected to the internet. You need to
have the literacy and the fundamental skills around how to
navigate the Internet and technology, and you also need to
have equipment. No, it's great to know how to use
if you don't have the resources available, how are you
going to be able to utilize them on a regular basis.
And so this partnership really addresses each of those components,
(19:09):
the access component by just opening the doors of OIC's
lobby and making that a free, welcoming environment to community members.
To connect to Internet. The literacy component is imbibing short
little digital literacy assessment so that when folks log onto
those computers that we're getting some kind of pulse check
(19:29):
as to what the skill set is the folks that
are coming through the doors of OIC, so that we
can better understand how we can support them.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
And then from the equipment.
Speaker 6 (19:37):
Standpoint, you both Comcasts has made a significant donation of
more than fifty laptops for the organization, in addition to
a donation that we've received from the state of two
hundred laptops, which has enabled OIC to imbibe digital literacy
skills training in all of our workforce training programs. So
now regardless of whether you're in our culinary department or
whether you're in your Green Jobs training program, you all
(20:00):
have access to technology as you're coming through our workforce
training programs. And this is really, you know, the innovation
that's happening at OIC as we look to the future
of work and look to align our workforce training programs
to where those industries are.
Speaker 1 (20:17):
You know, Brett, there's so much technology evolution that's happening
and over the last actually a couple of years, AI
is becoming such a huge catchphrase right now, and it's
having an impact on everybody's life. But I wonder if
you can talk about some of the biggest challenges to
reaching populations who still have no idea what AI is
(20:38):
or even some of the basics of what internet provides
and what resources that can help them advance in their
careers and in their lives. How do you kind of
shape the future and the direction of Comcast's commitment to
lifting people up in the midst of all this tremendous
evolution and disruption in technology.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
Yeah. No, it's a great question, and it really is at.
Speaker 5 (21:02):
The heart of our Project Up initiative, which is really
meant about creating a future of what we call unlimited possibilities.
You know, one part of this is understanding that people
need access to the technology, right so it's broadband service,
is a computer, some form of technology. But the other
part of it that often, to your point, gets overlooked,
(21:24):
is that how do we use this technology to improve
our employability, education, healthcare, and even just staying connected socially
to folks. And what we found really over the last
decade and a half is that you have to meet
people where they are right, And so you know, part
of being partners with and OIC is Oice has you know,
(21:47):
six plus decades of work meeting people where they are
to prepare them for the next thing. And so here
it's you know, the perfect marriage of you know, our
experienced skill background in technologology and our interest in partnering
that marriage that is a little bit of magic. And
in this case, one of the things that is a
(22:09):
part of this partnership is an organization called Perskolis that
is working with OIC and to provide tuition free training
for individuals. So you know that to us is if
you're going to talk about the digital divide and talk
about how people can utilize technology for the future, you've
got to see them holistically, meet them where they are.
(22:30):
What we know about that is that organizations like OIC
are critical to it. We're a national global company even
though we are founded in Philadelphia, and we know that
if we're going to do this successfully, we need an
OIC to make it work.
Speaker 1 (22:43):
Yeah, Ji, when you talk about OIC, and certainly I've
been following the history of OIC for many years. Other
reverent Leone Sullivan being the founder of this organization that
really was about providing opportunities for individuals who are under resource,
and so job training and career training has really been
at the heart and encouraging entrepreneurship and business acumen as well.
(23:06):
And I wonder if you can talk a little bit
more about how I SEE is expanding its scope to
address the tremendous changes that are ahead. I mean, we're
really seeing a true see change in terms of what
work is these days and what it's going to be.
Speaker 6 (23:24):
Yeah, absolutely so to your you know, both of you
guys kind of have mentioned or alluded to the kind
of the legacy of OICE, which for anyone that isn't
as familiar. You know, OIC was founded back in nineteen
sixty four in North Philadelphia by Reverend doctor Leon Sullivan
during the height of the Civil rights movement. And I
always say what started as a moment in North Philadelphia
(23:45):
expanded to become a global movement where at the height
there was more than one hundred and fifty oics across
the globe. We still have eight OICS that are operational
in Africa today. You know, all around this premise of
helping people get connected to opportunities. But you know the
evolution of all I SEE has been consistently based on
(24:06):
the pulse of the workforce. You know, All I SEE
stands for Opportunities Industrialization Center because it was founded during
the era of industrialization, and you know, today we you know,
it's almost like this Opportunity's Innovation Center, right there is
this future of work that we are building towards and
(24:28):
really ensuring that we're aligning our workforce training programs to
jobs of the future, ensuring that our training programs are
connected to family sustaining wages, with career ladder opportunities for growth.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
You know, we've shifted out of any of those roles.
Speaker 6 (24:42):
That are routine, noncognitive work, you know, because we see
the people that come through All I See with respect
and dignity and see the possibilities that exist within themselves.
And so our programs have consistently evolved over time to
meet the evolution of the workforce and the labor market.
So some of those evolution have been Our longest standing
program was our Hospitality Training Institute, which has been around
(25:05):
for thirty six years in partnership with the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
This past year we expanded to hospitality and tourism in
preparation for twenty twenty six where we're building out full
digital media studios here at OC so that we can
build diverse storytellers for the City of Philadelphia. So that's
a nuance. Then as you look to our Green Jobs
Training program, which has been around since twenty seventeen in
(25:25):
partnership with PICO, that's been training individuals for jobs in
solar installation, and this most recent year we expanded that
to become a state wide network. It's called the Keystone
Green Jobs Training Program, where we're now funding OIC's in
Montgomery County, Chester County, and Tri County, which is Harrisburg
to build this state wide network around green jobs. As
(25:47):
Brett mentioned, the partnership with Perscolos to bring it into
the building. And then we also have behavioral health job
training programs. Recognizing the critical shortage of mental health and
behavioral health professionals in our community, especially post COVID, how
do we begin to build entry level mental health and
behavioral health professionals for the communities that we serve. So
all of these sectors are really aligned to what the
(26:09):
workforce needs are in the City of Philadelphia and in
the region and ensuring that we're meeting the needs of
those employers.
Speaker 1 (26:17):
Well, that's phenomenal. Certainly the reverie Leon Sullivan started something extraordinary,
and it seems as though oh SEE is continuing to
evolve over the years to really meet the needs of
this very evolving workforce. And Brett, if people want more
information about the lift zones and also Project Up, which
is your billion dollar commitment to connect communities, foster digital opportunity,
(26:39):
and create a future of possibility, how do you find
out more?
Speaker 5 (26:43):
You absolutely can go to our website and what you'll
find there the Comcast website is that we actually have
over twelve hundred of lift zones around the country, fifty
of them right here in Philadelphia. We have one of
our flagship lift zones in Philadelphia. And that's so you
can go find o c's website or find the Comcast
(27:04):
website for that, and you know what you'll see.
Speaker 2 (27:07):
On there's also kind of an expansive view.
Speaker 5 (27:10):
Of how we look at a future of unlimited possibilities,
similar to how you know Drew talked about you know
what oi C does. We look at it along the
continuum of where technology you know, shows up in your life,
from arts and entertainment to workforce Development and drew.
Speaker 1 (27:28):
If people want to know more about specifically the o
C Flagship Lift Zone that's at one two three one
North broad Street, and all the many programs that you
just mentioned. A hospitality I have to give a shout out.
I've met a number of graduates from the hospitality program
and one of them and just rows up through the
Convention Center and is now like a super high manager
(27:50):
there and just started with a program at OIC and Hospitality.
So shout out to that program in particular, and all
the things that you do. If people want to know
more about the programs, tell us more.
Speaker 6 (28:01):
Yeah, Oh, that's so wonderful to hear, Lorraine, thank you
for sharing that. There's so many success stories like that
all around the city of Philadelphia. It really gives you
the chills every time. But for anyone that wants to
learn more, you can visit our website www dot Ocphilla
dot org. As we mentioned our addresses twelve thirty one
North Broadstreet. We're just a block north of Gerard Avenue,
(28:23):
a few blocks south of Temple University campus. Feel free
to come in. We have a brand new lobby space.
It's gorgeous, it's light bright, It has truly been transformational
for the block itself and everybody that comes in just
this over the last weeks since the unveiling has just
been blown away by the improvements that have been made.
(28:44):
So come on by to learn more about programming and
how you can get involved with.
Speaker 1 (28:48):
OSA and what's the website.
Speaker 6 (28:50):
Www dot Oicphila dot org.
Speaker 1 (28:53):
Great, and there's parking by the way. Red Perkins, Senior
vice president of External and Government Affairs and Comcast Drew Bergman,
Chief Advancement Officer for OIC Philadelphia talking about Comcast's newest
flagship Lift Zone in collaboration with OIC at one two
three one North broad Street. So check it out. Thank
you both.
Speaker 2 (29:12):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
You can listen to all of today's interviews by going
to our station website and typing in keyword Community. You
can also listen on the iHeartRadio app ye Words Philadelphia
Community Podcast. Follow me on Twitter and Instagram at Lorraine Ballard.
I'm Lorraine Ballard MOREL and I stand for service to
our community and media that empowers. What will you stand for?
(29:34):
You've been listening to Insight and thank you
Good morning, Welcome to Insight, a show about empowering our community.
I'm Lorraine Balladmorrow, we'll take a look at Comcast in
OIC Philadelphia's new flagship Lift Zone. Will also highlight the
power of giving through Philly Gifts, with insights from Catholic
Charities of Philadelphia about how this support strengthens families across
our region, expanding digital access and job training in North Philadelphia.
(00:22):
But first, we're getting you holiday ready with gift ideas
from Fine Wine and Good Spirits. As the holiday's approach,
a lot of us are thinking about the perfect gift
for friends, family, and colleagues. Joining us today is Russell Johnson,
Wine specialists for Fine Wines and Good Spirits. His share
expert tips on wine gifting, festive ideas, and how to
(00:43):
make this season both joyful and tasteful. Well Russell, for
those who may not be familiar, tell us about the
Chairman's Selection Program and why that's kind of a good
one stop shop for holiday gifting.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Absolutely, and thanks again for having me on today, Lorain. So,
the Chairman's Selection Program is very cool because it's actually
a bulk buying program that we do for wines and Essentially,
that allows us to get a large purchase where we
get as savings and we pass that on to the consumer.
Every product has a description from a certified wine professional,
and the very cool thing is you can actually see
(01:17):
the savings that you're getting on each bottle. It's on
every display we have, so you know you're definitely getting
a great bottle at a really wonderful price.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Well, you know, one of the things that I enjoy
about shopping at fine wine and good spirits is the
unique offerings that you have. For instance, I have a
relative who loves RUMs, so I got Kraken, so I
can present him with the bottle of Kraken and say,
release the Kraken. And there are also lots of spirits
(01:46):
and wines that are produced by celebrities that make giving
those gifts kind of special. So I wonder if you
can talk a little bit about some of the unique
gifts that are available at your stores.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Yeah, I mean it does seem like every week there's
a new celebrity wine or spirit coming into the store.
It's kind of unique how many people have them. We
have Isa Rays Prosecco. Of course, we have Cosamigos, the
tequila brand that George Clooney helped co create. But other
than that, one thing I really enjoy is that we
carry a lot of gift sets for these various brands,
(02:18):
So anything from you know, Bullet, Bourbon, Woodford Reserve, Jack Daniels, Cossamigos.
As I mentioned, these are going to come with glassware, stemware, stirbers, accessories, coasters,
all kinds of neat stuff to help you kind of
fill out your bar. And the thing that is my
favorite about them is that they generally cost about the
same as the bottle itself, so you're not really spending
(02:39):
a lot more money to get all those accessories for free.
That's why I think it's a good gifting idea, but
it also helps you stay on budget.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
Yeah, well, there are also some folks who are very
hard to buy for. So what would you say to
someone who's trying to find the perfect gift for that person.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Well, definitely, you can't go wrong with a gift card
because you're pretty much leaving it right in your gut hands.
We have those in the stores and you can also
purchase them online in pretty much any denomination, in store
or online. In twenty five fifty seventy five or one
hundred dollars increments. Our website is FWGS dot com. You
can go over there twenty four to seven. Makes it
(03:15):
very very simple. Another thing I'll mention is that if
you order products on there, anything over ninety nine dollars
can be shipped for free right to your home, so
it takes the shipping price out of it. I think
it's a really great deal.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Well, I'm all about personalizing my gifts, and every year
I make a big batch of cooquito and that is
a traditional Hispanic drink that involves lots of very sweet
milk products and lots of rum. So I wonder if
you can talk a little bit about the DIY types
(03:47):
of gifts that you can come up with when you
go to your stores.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
Absolutely, I would once again recommend going to our website
for those. We have a lot of different videos about
how to put together different gift sets. We also have
videos educating you on how to make cocktails, how to
do wine pairings. We have explanations on different categories of line.
So if you're a DIY type of shopper you want
to put a little bit more effort into it, we
(04:12):
can help you out in terms of creating the recipes
and learning what ingredients you need to stock your bar with.
I think it's also really helpful if you happen to
be the host for any of the holidays this season,
help you be a little bit more unique, a little
bit more impressive for the guests. So really check out
the website videos. I think they're very helpful.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
The COVID epidemic was a difficult situation for everybody, but
in some ways it's kind of changed the way that
we've kind of approached retail. That means that you can
order online, you can order for pickup as well as
going into this store. So talk about the different options
that are now available for everyone.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
Absolutely, I really enjoy the fact that we can ship
both to the customer's home and to the store. I know,
especially if you live in the cities, a lot of
folks are sort of nervous about leaving their packages outside
or maybe it's difficul to get to their location. The
fact that you can ship to a store means you
won't miss the shipment, you won't have to come back
and reschedule it. We can safely and securely hang on
(05:09):
to it for you and you can come and pick
it up when it's convenient for you. And given the
hours that we have, I think it's really nice that
we're able to deliver that to the consumers. If you
want to deliver it straight to your home, it's very
very easy. I think you can do that twenty four
to seven on the website, and as I said, I
recommend going over ninety nine dollars. That's going to take
the shipping cost right out of it. You can do
(05:30):
that seven days a week.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Yeah, And I think when you have things shipped directly
to the stores, it does make things a little bit
easier because I know during the holiday seasons it gets
really busy at your stores and not to have to
negotiate the long lines or elbowing someone who's trying to
grab the same wine bottle but you are.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
It's definitely true. Yeah, yeah, we are getting very very
busy as the holidays approached. A lot of folks don't
know that Thanksgiving is actually the number one day for
wine and spirit consumption and purchase it. So you might think,
you know, Christmas, New Year, some of the other holidays
we have, but Thanksgiving is when we're at our very
busiest and that's when I would recommend to you to
(06:09):
utilize the website the most.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Yeah, that's great. Now I have to get a little
bit personal here. So Russell Johnson, you are a wine specialist.
How did you get there? What was your inspiration? Were
you always thinking wine or was your path a little
more convoluted than that?
Speaker 3 (06:23):
Definitely a little more convoluted and complicated. I'm a musician
by trade. That's what I started out doing, That's what
I still do. My family's always had an interest in wine.
I had an uncle who was a big collector. He
got me into it. I eventually decided to get my
somalier certification, so now I'm a certified wine professional. The
wine and spirits premium collection stores all generally have a
(06:47):
wine specialist, and I know a lot of folks don't
know a ton about wine or how to food pair it.
But if you just look for the green apron, that's
the wine specialist. We can help you out picking the walline,
doing the food pairing. And the other thing I really
want to encourage is look for the wine tastings at
your local premium collection stores. Most of them do a
wine tasting at least once per week, but some do
(07:08):
it two or three days per week.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
So if you.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
Don't know a lot about wine or you want to
taste something before you invest in it, that's a great
opportunity to do it for free. I think you're going
to meet a lot of new folks as well. It's
a really nice social environment.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
So where can we hear your music?
Speaker 3 (07:23):
I have a few things here and there on YouTube,
things like that. I mostly do it for fun with
friends these days, to be honest with you, but I
feel like maybe I should do some recording get back
out there a bit.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
Absolutely, Yeah, And of course people will be enjoying their
wine or their beers or whatever while they listen to
you perform.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
So hopefully good idea.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
But more directly, they will go to you for expert
advice on wine and spirits and if people want to
find you particularly. I know that they're wine specialists in
every store. But where is your store?
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (07:55):
So I'm located at four eleven North twentieth Street, and
that's basic. We twentieth in Calo Hill. We are right
near the Art Museum, so a very very busy area.
If you want to come and try some wines with me,
I'm doing free tastings every Friday and Saturday night from
four to six pm. Like I said, four eleven North
twentieth twentieth in Calo Hill. If you come four to
(08:16):
six Friday Saturday, I have four different wines lined up,
and I do different wines both days. I have a
lot of regulars, so if you want to come on out,
you could actually try eight wines for free every single
week and I'll be educating you as we taste them.
So I think it's a lot of fun.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
Well, that sounds like a lot of fun. Now, if
people want gift inspirations or they want more information about
all the things we talked about, where do they go?
Speaker 3 (08:37):
Definitely check out the website fwgs dot com. And if
you're following us on social media, we have pages on
Facebook x Instagram. We have a YouTube page, so you
can check us out on there as well. If you're
more of a social media user, that's where a lot
of the videos are. So come and leave us a comment,
give us a like. We're on there all the time.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
Well, in a time when sometimes it's very difficult to
find the right press and for someone, somehow, wine or
spirits always seems to come through as the perfect gift
and I want to thank you so much for all
of your suggestions and all of your advice. Russell Johnson
Wine Specialists for Fine Wine and Good Spirits, thank you
so much.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
Absolutely, I want to encourage everyone to drink responsibly this
holiday season, but have a ton of fun and please
come visit me at the wine tastings. I'd love to meet.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
All of you. Philanthropy takes many forms, but when communities unite,
the impact multiplies. That's the driving force behind Philly Gives,
a collaborative initiative led by the Philadelphia Foundation in partnership
(09:41):
with a Lensfest Institute for Journalism and the William Penn
Foundation to support essential nonprofits serving Greater Philadelphia. Joining us
is Heather Hewitt, who's secretary and executive vice president of
Catholic Charities in Philadelphia and one of this year's grantees,
to tell us how to support this extended program to
(10:03):
provide vital services to individuals and families across the region.
So thank you so much for joining us here today,
and first of all, for those who may not be familiar,
tell us about Catholic Charities of Philadelphia and the core
mission that guide your work.
Speaker 4 (10:20):
Well, thank you so much for this opportunity. We are
honored to be a part of Philly Gibbs twenty twenty five.
Catholic Charities of Philadelphia works throughout the five county region
to serve all of our sisters and brothers in need,
and we do that in a variety of different ways.
We empower those who are living with disabilities by providing
(10:41):
residential and day programs. We provide housing for the homeless,
food for those who are struggling to make ends meet.
We support seniors in our communities through community programs and
affordable housing developments. And we work to stabilize families and
provide for our youth who are living in a very
(11:03):
difficult time these days. So our work is vast and
impacts a lot of different communities. It is a blessing
every day to do the work that we do, and
again we're honored to be among the organizations that are
part of Philly Gives this year.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
Certainly your work is more important now than ever, certainly
most definitely, so tell us how does Philly Give Gives
help strengthen your organization's capacity to serve families and communities
in need.
Speaker 4 (11:32):
Well, what's remarkable about Philly Gives is that one hundred
percent of all the donations are going directly to the
organizations that are honored to be partners. So anyone that
donates to Philly Gives can feel very assured that their
dollars are going right to those in need. And just
like you said, right now is a really, really difficult time.
(11:54):
This past week, we have seen the numbers in our
food cupboards double across every program area that we have.
So it's a time where Philly Gives really makes it
easy for the generous people the Philadelphia region to step
in and support one another. And it's it really, it's
(12:15):
just it's just such an easy way to be a
part of the solution.
Speaker 5 (12:20):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (12:22):
And and again we're just honored to be a part
of it.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
I wonder if you can share a story or an
example that illustrates how Catholic Charities is making a tangible
difference in someone's life. You certainly mentioned the importance of
these food covereds cupboards and how the need has has
increased so dramatically. Tell us more.
Speaker 4 (12:44):
That's that's one example, and and and again it's really
important to be able to give families the essentials they
need like food. It's also really important to give them
the skills they need to make their lives different. So
I am going to tell a story about a program
that that's provide food, but provides perhaps the way of
(13:05):
looking at life differently. So we have a program in
Southwest Philadelphia called Youth Skills Building Program where every day
we bring youth about ten at a time. They come
with us for about six months and after school they
come to our program and they learn carpentry skills, they
learn interviewing skills, they learn how to build their resume
(13:27):
so when they graduate from high school, they have options
and a clear path forward. And it's we're bringing in
youth that are living in very specific neighborhoods in Philadelphia,
that are growing up with gun violence all around them,
and to be able to give them this path and
these skills, these tangible skills to move forward with life.
(13:50):
Hopefully they're not coming to us for help with food
in ten years because we've made an incredible impact in
the victory of their lives.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
Yeah. So you know, give a person a fish and
feed them for a day, teach them how to fish,
and they will never grow hungry. So that's exactly a
perfect example of that how can listeners get involved, whether
through donations, volunteering, or spreading the word both about Philly
Gives and the work of Catholic charities.
Speaker 4 (14:21):
Well, I think donating is easy. Just go to Phillygives
dot org. There's a donate button, and we welcome any
level of generosity, So don't feel like you don't have
enough to give. Every dollar makes a difference, and especially
right now. So and volunteering, I think all of the
organizations that are part of Philly Gives have wonderful opportunities
(14:44):
if there is something you feel really called to. All
of us on our websites have links to volunteer reach out.
We welcome people to join with us in our mission,
whether that be financially or with us in our programs
helping out. So never hesitate. There's all room for one
more around our table.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
Well, I love to hear that, And certainly now the
need is greater than ever, and it's good to know
that there is a collaborative which we call Philly Gives,
an initiative led by the Philadelphia Foundation in partnership with
the Lensfest Institute for Journalism and the William Penn Foundation.
Heather Hewitt, Secretary and executive vice president of Catholic Charities
(15:24):
of Philadelphia, one of the recipients of the generosity of
folks who have given to Phili given to Philly Gives.
Thank you so much for joining us here today. And
besides Phillygives dot org. What's the website for more information
about Catholic Charities.
Speaker 4 (15:39):
Our website is Ccphila dot org.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
All right, thank you again for joining us today.
Speaker 4 (15:45):
Thank you so much for this opportunity.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
Thanks. In today's world, internet access is as essential as electricity,
yet too many families still find them on the wrong
side of the digital divide. Bridging that gap is what
makes this partnership that we're going to be talking about
so vital. Comcast has unveiled its newest flagship Lift Zone
(16:09):
in collaboration with OIC Philadelphia at twelve thirty one North
broad Street, a space designed to expand digital access, job training,
and workforce readiness. Joining us to talk about this collaboration
and transforming lives through technology and skill building are Brett Perkins,
Senior and Vice president of External and Government Affairs at Comcast,
(16:31):
and Drew Bergman, Chief Advancement Officer FORIC Philadelphia. So Brett
Let's start with you. Can you talk about what a
lift zone is and how this new flagship location is
going to make a huge difference.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
Bet, great, thanks for having us the rank. Great to
be with you. So the zones are.
Speaker 5 (16:52):
Partnerships that Comcast has with local organizations to provide a
couple of things versus connectivity. Even more important, you know,
it is partnership around digital skills and other tools that
people need to use the connectivity. And in this case,
we've launched what we call flagship lift zones, which are
(17:15):
significant partnerships, including this one in Philadelphia with OIC.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
And the model for this is finding kind.
Speaker 5 (17:23):
Of best in class partners locally partnering with them on
providing services to folks that Mary's technology with workforce development
and digital skills.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
So that's what.
Speaker 5 (17:36):
We announced about a week ago, and so so fortunate
to be able to partner with OIC, an organization that
has both the national and global presence and awareness.
Speaker 1 (17:49):
Andrew, let's talk about what this actually means, because I
think in the past, people recognized Comcast and in terms
of Internet essentials, getting low income and people who have
the lack of ability to connect with the internet, the
low cost Internet connections but this kind of takes it
a large step forward because it's really looking at the
(18:10):
whole ecosystem of what it means to be digitally ready.
And I wonder if we can talk a bit more
about what this project up is and how it connects
with the flagship lift zone at OICE.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
Yeah. Absolutely, So.
Speaker 6 (18:25):
You know, oftentimes we say that in today's labor market,
you cannot connect to family sustaining wages with career ladder
opportunities for growth without digital literacy and digital skills, and
so at all, I see what we've been intentionally focused
on is what we call digital al which is access, literacy,
and equipment. You need to have access points to be
(18:47):
able to get connected to the internet. You need to
have the literacy and the fundamental skills around how to
navigate the Internet and technology, and you also need to
have equipment. No, it's great to know how to use
if you don't have the resources available, how are you
going to be able to utilize them on a regular basis.
And so this partnership really addresses each of those components,
(19:09):
the access component by just opening the doors of OIC's
lobby and making that a free, welcoming environment to community members.
To connect to Internet. The literacy component is imbibing short
little digital literacy assessment so that when folks log onto
those computers that we're getting some kind of pulse check
(19:29):
as to what the skill set is the folks that
are coming through the doors of OIC, so that we
can better understand how we can support them.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
And then from the equipment.
Speaker 6 (19:37):
Standpoint, you both Comcasts has made a significant donation of
more than fifty laptops for the organization, in addition to
a donation that we've received from the state of two
hundred laptops, which has enabled OIC to imbibe digital literacy
skills training in all of our workforce training programs. So
now regardless of whether you're in our culinary department or
whether you're in your Green Jobs training program, you all
(20:00):
have access to technology as you're coming through our workforce
training programs. And this is really, you know, the innovation
that's happening at OIC as we look to the future
of work and look to align our workforce training programs
to where those industries are.
Speaker 1 (20:17):
You know, Brett, there's so much technology evolution that's happening
and over the last actually a couple of years, AI
is becoming such a huge catchphrase right now, and it's
having an impact on everybody's life. But I wonder if
you can talk about some of the biggest challenges to
reaching populations who still have no idea what AI is
(20:38):
or even some of the basics of what internet provides
and what resources that can help them advance in their
careers and in their lives. How do you kind of
shape the future and the direction of Comcast's commitment to
lifting people up in the midst of all this tremendous
evolution and disruption in technology.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
Yeah. No, it's a great question, and it really is at.
Speaker 5 (21:02):
The heart of our Project Up initiative, which is really
meant about creating a future of what we call unlimited possibilities.
You know, one part of this is understanding that people
need access to the technology, right so it's broadband service,
is a computer, some form of technology. But the other
part of it that often, to your point, gets overlooked,
(21:24):
is that how do we use this technology to improve
our employability, education, healthcare, and even just staying connected socially
to folks. And what we found really over the last
decade and a half is that you have to meet
people where they are right, And so you know, part
of being partners with and OIC is Oice has you know,
(21:47):
six plus decades of work meeting people where they are
to prepare them for the next thing. And so here
it's you know, the perfect marriage of you know, our
experienced skill background in technologology and our interest in partnering
that marriage that is a little bit of magic. And
in this case, one of the things that is a
(22:09):
part of this partnership is an organization called Perskolis that
is working with OIC and to provide tuition free training
for individuals. So you know that to us is if
you're going to talk about the digital divide and talk
about how people can utilize technology for the future, you've
got to see them holistically, meet them where they are.
(22:30):
What we know about that is that organizations like OIC
are critical to it. We're a national global company even
though we are founded in Philadelphia, and we know that
if we're going to do this successfully, we need an
OIC to make it work.
Speaker 1 (22:43):
Yeah, Ji, when you talk about OIC, and certainly I've
been following the history of OIC for many years. Other
reverent Leone Sullivan being the founder of this organization that
really was about providing opportunities for individuals who are under resource,
and so job training and career training has really been
at the heart and encouraging entrepreneurship and business acumen as well.
(23:06):
And I wonder if you can talk a little bit
more about how I SEE is expanding its scope to
address the tremendous changes that are ahead. I mean, we're
really seeing a true see change in terms of what
work is these days and what it's going to be.
Speaker 6 (23:24):
Yeah, absolutely so to your you know, both of you
guys kind of have mentioned or alluded to the kind
of the legacy of OICE, which for anyone that isn't
as familiar. You know, OIC was founded back in nineteen
sixty four in North Philadelphia by Reverend doctor Leon Sullivan
during the height of the Civil rights movement. And I
always say what started as a moment in North Philadelphia
(23:45):
expanded to become a global movement where at the height
there was more than one hundred and fifty oics across
the globe. We still have eight OICS that are operational
in Africa today. You know, all around this premise of
helping people get connected to opportunities. But you know the
evolution of all I SEE has been consistently based on
(24:06):
the pulse of the workforce. You know, All I SEE
stands for Opportunities Industrialization Center because it was founded during
the era of industrialization, and you know, today we you know,
it's almost like this Opportunity's Innovation Center, right there is
this future of work that we are building towards and
(24:28):
really ensuring that we're aligning our workforce training programs to
jobs of the future, ensuring that our training programs are
connected to family sustaining wages, with career ladder opportunities for growth.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
You know, we've shifted out of any of those roles.
Speaker 6 (24:42):
That are routine, noncognitive work, you know, because we see
the people that come through All I See with respect
and dignity and see the possibilities that exist within themselves.
And so our programs have consistently evolved over time to
meet the evolution of the workforce and the labor market.
So some of those evolution have been Our longest standing
program was our Hospitality Training Institute, which has been around
(25:05):
for thirty six years in partnership with the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
This past year we expanded to hospitality and tourism in
preparation for twenty twenty six where we're building out full
digital media studios here at OC so that we can
build diverse storytellers for the City of Philadelphia. So that's
a nuance. Then as you look to our Green Jobs
Training program, which has been around since twenty seventeen in
(25:25):
partnership with PICO, that's been training individuals for jobs in
solar installation, and this most recent year we expanded that
to become a state wide network. It's called the Keystone
Green Jobs Training Program, where we're now funding OIC's in
Montgomery County, Chester County, and Tri County, which is Harrisburg
to build this state wide network around green jobs. As
(25:47):
Brett mentioned, the partnership with Perscolos to bring it into
the building. And then we also have behavioral health job
training programs. Recognizing the critical shortage of mental health and
behavioral health professionals in our community, especially post COVID, how
do we begin to build entry level mental health and
behavioral health professionals for the communities that we serve. So
all of these sectors are really aligned to what the
(26:09):
workforce needs are in the City of Philadelphia and in
the region and ensuring that we're meeting the needs of
those employers.
Speaker 1 (26:17):
Well, that's phenomenal. Certainly the reverie Leon Sullivan started something extraordinary,
and it seems as though oh SEE is continuing to
evolve over the years to really meet the needs of
this very evolving workforce. And Brett, if people want more
information about the lift zones and also Project Up, which
is your billion dollar commitment to connect communities, foster digital opportunity,
(26:39):
and create a future of possibility, how do you find
out more?
Speaker 5 (26:43):
You absolutely can go to our website and what you'll
find there the Comcast website is that we actually have
over twelve hundred of lift zones around the country, fifty
of them right here in Philadelphia. We have one of
our flagship lift zones in Philadelphia. And that's so you
can go find o c's website or find the Comcast
(27:04):
website for that, and you know what you'll see.
Speaker 2 (27:07):
On there's also kind of an expansive view.
Speaker 5 (27:10):
Of how we look at a future of unlimited possibilities,
similar to how you know Drew talked about you know
what oi C does. We look at it along the
continuum of where technology you know, shows up in your life,
from arts and entertainment to workforce Development and drew.
Speaker 1 (27:28):
If people want to know more about specifically the o
C Flagship Lift Zone that's at one two three one
North broad Street, and all the many programs that you
just mentioned. A hospitality I have to give a shout out.
I've met a number of graduates from the hospitality program
and one of them and just rows up through the
Convention Center and is now like a super high manager
(27:50):
there and just started with a program at OIC and Hospitality.
So shout out to that program in particular, and all
the things that you do. If people want to know
more about the programs, tell us more.
Speaker 6 (28:01):
Yeah, Oh, that's so wonderful to hear, Lorraine, thank you
for sharing that. There's so many success stories like that
all around the city of Philadelphia. It really gives you
the chills every time. But for anyone that wants to
learn more, you can visit our website www dot Ocphilla
dot org. As we mentioned our addresses twelve thirty one
North Broadstreet. We're just a block north of Gerard Avenue,
(28:23):
a few blocks south of Temple University campus. Feel free
to come in. We have a brand new lobby space.
It's gorgeous, it's light bright, It has truly been transformational
for the block itself and everybody that comes in just
this over the last weeks since the unveiling has just
been blown away by the improvements that have been made.
(28:44):
So come on by to learn more about programming and
how you can get involved with.
Speaker 1 (28:48):
OSA and what's the website.
Speaker 6 (28:50):
Www dot Oicphila dot org.
Speaker 1 (28:53):
Great, and there's parking by the way. Red Perkins, Senior
vice president of External and Government Affairs and Comcast Drew Bergman,
Chief Advancement Officer for OIC Philadelphia talking about Comcast's newest
flagship Lift Zone in collaboration with OIC at one two
three one North broad Street. So check it out. Thank
you both.
Speaker 2 (29:12):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
You can listen to all of today's interviews by going
to our station website and typing in keyword Community. You
can also listen on the iHeartRadio app ye Words Philadelphia
Community Podcast. Follow me on Twitter and Instagram at Lorraine Ballard.
I'm Lorraine Ballard MOREL and I stand for service to
our community and media that empowers. What will you stand for?
(29:34):
You've been listening to Insight and thank you
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