PCDC EXPO
On June 18, PCDC hosted its 8th annual Expo—an event aiming to make resources more accessible to the Chinatown Community. With sunny skies and the excited attitudes of the community, the PCDC 2016 Expo was a great success. Over 20 organizations, including myDoc Urgent Care, Community Legal Services of Philadelphia and the Free Library of Philadelphia, presented informative displays and helpful hand-outs such as pamphlets and hand-sanitizer. Throughout Expo, a variety of these organizations were highlighted, offering introductions to their program and services over the loudspeaker at the front of the room.
As in other years, this year at Expo attendees had the opportunity to register to vote, to acquire a recycling bin, to participate in a free health screening offered by Drexel Family Medicine and to become new members of PCDC’s $1-a-Day program. New this year, and a great hit with both young and old alike, the Chinatown Fire Department (House of Dragons) welcomed visitors to participate in a close-up and interactive tour of the fire truck. This exhibition allowed community members to realize the importance of fire prevention and the role the Chinatown Fire Department plays in protecting the community.
Approximately 200 (the largest turn-out yet) attendees found themselves busy for the entirety of Expo. Besides the various exhibitors and activities, Expo offered four different workshops throughout the three and a half hours. At the first workshop of the event, guest speaker Jing Jing Cai, CFO of my DocUrgent Care, and PCDC’s own Program Manager, Ping Lee, gave an overview of health insurance and preventative care options. Participants could then choose between attending either the Medicare Saving Program presented by Christine McBennet, APPRISE Project Director or a Housing Counseling workshop presented by PCDC staff, Wendy Lee. The last workshop of the event, a tax overview presented by Roger Lee (PCDC/VITA) helped participants understand how federal tax refunds and tax dues are calculated.
Maintaining energy until the very end of the event, visitors were able to participate in a raffle drawing with a variety of exciting door prizes. At the very least, even if unsuccessful in the raffle drawing, all participants left this year’s PCDC Expo with a recycling bin, a variety of useful and informative giveaways from the various participating organizations and a new wealth of knowledge about the various community, health and legal resources available to them.
PCDC thanks all the vendors, prize donors, attendees and volunteers for participating in this event and making it such a success!
~Misha Rodriguez, PCDC Intern