Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker visited Germantown on June 10 to celebrate Jumpstart Germantown’s 10th anniversary. 

Founded by local real estate developer Ken Weinstein in 2015, Jumpstart trains and mentors developers from within the community, connecting them to resources they may not have working alone. 

Since 2015, more than 1,600 people have graduated from Jumpstart. The program has provided more than $60 million in loans. The funds support the renovation of thousands of housing units across Philadelphia, most of which, they say, remain “naturally affordable.” 

The 10th-anniversary celebration saw a large turnout, with attendees packed into the main room, at Jumpstart’s Germantown office at 4701 Germantown Ave., and others directed to the overflow room upstairs. 

Weinstein told the Local, “The 250 people who turned out in person for Jumpstart Germantown's 10th-anniversary celebration, and the hundreds of others who watched via Zoom, shows the power and potential of the Jumpstart program. The energy in the room was amazing. And the appearances by Mayor Parker and Governor Shapiro were icing on the cake.” 

Weinstein’s familiarity with Parker and Shapiro dates back to early in Parker and Shapiro’s political careers. 

Speaking at the event, Weinstein said, “The last time I hosted an event for these two wonderful people was more than 20 years ago … They were both running for state rep. for the first time. It certainly wasn't my highest-grossing political fundraiser, but I can now say it was my most impactful political event because of the quality of the elected officials that it produced.” 

After an introduction from Weinstein, Shapiro spoke to the crowded room. 

He congratulated Weinstein on 10 years of Jumpstart, but then directed his praise to the Jumpstart graduates, saying, “But I also wanted to be here tonight to get the chance to see all of you, those who give a damn about your community, those who are trying to lift yourselves and others up in the process, and I want you to know just how grateful I am to all of you, and so that's why I wanted to be here tonight.” 

Shapiro spoke for almost 15 minutes, touching on his connection to Weinstein and Parker and current issues such as housing and funding SEPTA. Weinstein then presented Shapiro with Jumpstart Germantown T-shirts, before introducing Parker as the next speaker. 

Weinstein said, “Mayor Parker has been an advocate for Jumpstart Germantown since her days on City Council when we funded dozens of Jumpstart projects in the 9th Councilmanic District, which is just north of here.” 

Speaking for nearly 20 minutes, Parker outlined some of her previous undertakings, including trash cleanups in commercial corridors, and future plans such as her housing initiative, which aims to develop 30,000 units of affordable housing over the next four years.

She concluded by thanking Weinstein, saying, “He's been testifying and supporting and using his voice and resources to help with making Philadelphia a better place for a long time, and for that, we are grateful.” 

Looking ahead, Weinstein hopes to expand Jumpstart’s reach in the coming decade. He told the Local, “After 10 impactful years, Jumpstart is just getting started. By 2029, we expect to surpass $100 million in loans to our aspiring developers. And we plan to welcome five to 10 new Jumpstart programs every year around the country.” 

Tommy Tucker can be reached at Tommy@chestnuthilllocal.com.