West Philadelphia is one of the most climate-vulnerable urban neighborhoods in America.
Extreme heat, flooding, environmental contamination, and long-term disinvestment have left too many residents on the front lines of climate change. But that also created an opportunity: to invest in a community-led solution rooted in resilience, restoration, and hope.
Donate to the Resilience Hub
Who is PLS?
The Presidential Leadership Scholars (PLS) answered that call. PLS is a non-partisan leadership program founded by the four presidential foundations of George H. W. Bush, William J. Clinton, George W. Bush, and Lyndon B. Johnson. Each year, a cohort of leaders from medicine, law, business, education, government, the military, and the social sector is selected to spend six months learning leadership in service of others.
Why PLS Chose Overbrook
As a class gift, the PLS scholars decided to partner with and support the Overbrook Environmental Education Center (OEEC), whose mission is community-driven, environmentally focused, and deeply aligned with the principles of PLS. Located in West Philadelphia, this class gift stands as an enduring legacy in an underserved community against the backdrop of America's 250th anniversary. The OEEC's work at the intersection of environmental justice and community resilience makes it a natural partner for PLS's mission of leadership in service of others.
The Presidential Leadership Scholars Class of 2026.
The Overbrook neighborhood lived for decades beside contamination on Lancaster Avenue.
At 6122–6150 Lancaster Avenue, a 2-acre former brownfield site once housed an abandoned supermarket, auto repair shop, and storage facility. For years, the community lived next to this toxic, underused land—waiting for a place that could be transformed into something healthier and more hopeful.
JASTECH Development Services, Inc. is a PA-based 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1997 by Jerome and Gloria Shabazz to foster a sustainable and equitable Philadelphia. In 2002, JASTECH established the OEEC in West Philadelphia. The OEEC focuses on environmental education, conservation, public health, and literacy primarily in urban communities. Its mission is to broaden access to regional technological and environmental resources while empowering residents to combat local pollution.

Today, the OEEC campus features a community resilience hub, two high-tunnel greenhouses, active urban agriculture and orchards, an urban forest, green roof, bioretention systems, and eco-friendly stormwater features including flow-through planters, swales, and permeable pavers.
Urban Agriculture
Year-round urban farming, orchards, and youth stewardship programs cultivating food security and environmental literacy.
Green Stormwater Infrastructure
Bioretention systems, swales, and permeable pavers that manage stormwater and protect the neighborhood from flooding.
Emergency Response Site
The facility serves as a critical emergency response hub during extreme weather events including heatwaves, floods, and power outages.
Overbrook Milestones
From a single educator's vision to a nationally recognized model for urban resilience — two decades of transformation on Lancaster Avenue.
1
1998 — The Seed is Planted
After a 25-year career with the PA Water Department and Philadelphia Gas Works, founder Jerome Shabazz began teaching environmental education at Overbrook High School, laying the groundwork for a dedicated, community-based environmental learning space.
2
2002 — OEEC Launches
The parent non-profit, JASTECH Development Services, secured a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Clean Water Act grant to officially launch the OEEC.
3
2004–2005 — Brownfield Targeted
OEEC targeted a toxic 2-acre commercial brownfield at 6122–6150 Lancaster Avenue, formerly a quarry, supermarket, and auto repair shop, initiating a Targeted Brownfields Assessment. OEEC then secured a pivotal EPA grant to build some of the city's first Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) systems on a commercial corridor, establishing a national model for urban water management.
4
2006 — National Recognition
The Academy of Natural Sciences awarded the OEEC the Stormwater Best Management Practices Award for its innovative bio-retention basin and green architecture.
5
2012 — Urban Agriculture Begins
The center partnered with the Philadelphia Orchard Project (POP) to introduce urban agriculture, planting a community orchard and introducing native flora.
6
2021 — Hurricane Ida: The Infrastructure Holds
Hurricane Ida overwhelms Philadelphia. At OEEC, the green stormwater infrastructure built over fifteen years holds. No flooding. No infrastructure damage.
7
2022–2024 — Major EPA Remediation
The EPA awards JASTECH $423,088 to remediate two neighboring brownfield lots at 6122 and 6150 Lancaster, sites contaminated with asbestos, lead, and petroleum for more than thirty years. Over 100 tons of lead and other contaminants are removed. Partners join the cause: The Nature Conservancy, the PA Department of Community and Economic Development, Viridian Landscape Studio, SMP Architects, Cloud Gershan Design, and Mural Arts Philadelphia.
8
2025 — Land Declared Safe
Following a massive EPA-funded cleanup that successfully removed over 1,800 tons of contaminated soil and debris, the 6122 Lancaster Ave (Overbrook Farmacy) site achieved final Philadelphia Act 2 environmental regulatory approval, declaring the land safe for full public use.
9
Early 2026 — Keystone Award
The center was honored with the 2026 Philadelphia Brownfields Keystone Award for its "Overbrook Farmacy & NatureWorks" project, celebrating its transformation of a toxic scrapyard into a thriving climate resilience hub.
10
2026 — The Resilience Hub Breaks Ground
That's where PLS comes in. The Presidential Leadership Scholars Class of 2026 joins as partners to help bring the Resilience Hub to life for the West Philadelphia community.
6150 Lancaster Ave.
The Resilience Hub — Priority Projects
The PLS Class of 2026 is helping raise a single pooled fund. The OEEC will allocate the gift across three priority projects of the Resilience Hub campus, following the sequence required by the construction calendar and matching opportunities. The goal is to raise between $10,000–$75,000 to see the following projects to completion as identified by OEEC.
🌳 Living Park
Mature shade trees, native plant beds, and pollinator habitat that turn the cleared site into a green canopy and a cooler block — bringing nature back to Lancaster Avenue.
☀️ Park Amenities
Solar-powered benches, modular planters, and ADA-accessible seating that turn the lot into a gathering place and a backup grid for neighbors during outages.
🎨 Ground Mural
A signature ground mural designed and installed with Mural Arts Philadelphia — a centerpiece that will define the Hub for decades and tie into America250 commemorations.

All three projects are part of a single pooled gift. Every dollar raised goes directly to the Resilience Hub campus at 6150 Lancaster Avenue, West Philadelphia.
Your Gift. Your Legacy on Lancaster Avenue.
Every gift leaves a mark — literally. Supporters are recognized publicly on the Resilience Hub campus, honoring the people who helped build something lasting for West Philadelphia.
All gifts to OEEC are tax-deductible. No gift is too small — every dollar goes directly to the Hub.
Friend of the Hub
$100–$999
Name listed on OEEC digital donor list.
Steward
$1,000–$9,999
All Friend benefits, plus named recognition per an on-site donor plaque.
Visionary
$10,000–$24,999
All Steward benefits, plus a dedicated feature in your honor — a named tree, bench, or mural section.
Founder's Circle
$25,000+
All Visionary benefits, plus a named grove, bench cluster, donor wall, or mural section inscribed on-site.
Help spread the word. Download and share this graphic on social media to help us reach our $75K goal for the Resilience Hub.
📲 Share on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or X — and tag @OverbrookEEC and #ResilienceHub #PLS2026
Make Your Gift Today
The Resilience Hub is breaking ground in 2026. Your gift — at any level — helps make it real for the West Philadelphia community. Here’s how to give.
🌐 Online
Visit the OEEC giving page and select "PLS Class Gift" in the donation purpose field.
✉️ Check
Payable to Overbrook Environmental Education Center. Memo line: PLS Class of 2026 Gift. Mail to: 6134 Lancaster Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19151.
All gifts to OEEC are tax-deductible. No gift is too small — every dollar goes directly to the Hub.
📈 Stock, DAF, or Larger Gifts
Contact Jerome below for transfer instructions, pledge schedules, and matching-gift coordination.
Points of Contact
Overbrook Center
Jerome Shabazz
[email protected]
PLS Class of 2026
Rebecca Kaduru
[email protected]
Hamada Zahawi
[email protected]
The moment is now. Stand with Overbrook, help bring the Resilience Hub to life, and be part of something lasting.