ongoing community programs
PULL STATIONS
AHHAH conceived and spearheaded a grass roots campaign to put 100 lending libraries, called PULL Stations, throughout the 19320 (Coatesville) municipality in locations where children gather both indoors and outdoors. AHHAH coordinated community workshops to build, design, paint and install the PULL Stations throughout Coatesville.
Today our PULL Station initiative continues to grow as we support the Coatesville & Kennett Square area, as well as neighboring communities. This program is made possible by our Community Partners with the Coatesville & Kennett Square Public Libraries as well as our generous donors and volunteers. In the last year alone AHHAH has collected over 60,000 books, installed 87 PULL Stations across the Coatesville & Kennett Square area, and engaged over 100 volunteers in the installation and upkeep of our PULL Stations.
"The PULL project in Kennett Square has been a practical and magical success from its inception to its final realization. People readily joined the effort with gratitude and joy. Within hours of each box being placed and filled kids ran up and gleefully took a book and smiling at their treasure. We could say with pride: Yes! you can have that book! It’s yours! And our community said YES a common purpose - to share the wonder and excitement of a simple book."
- Laura Florence from her letter to ERCC about collaborating with AHHAH.
Cultivating Change
As part of our ongoing programming with CCYC we have developed an agricultural workshop that focuses on connecting our youth to their cultural roots through food and various spice blends. We are currently compiling the spice blends that youth develop, along with the poetry they've written to publish our third book, Cultivating Change: Voices of Restorative Justice.
PEOPLE'S LIGHT
AHHAH partners with local theaters in an effort to make theatre accessible to students and families in Coatesville. People's Light has been one of our major partners in this area and we are excited to expand that partnership in the coming years.
Voices of Restorative Justice
Over the last several years AHHAH has collected numerous writings from youth in detention. As part of our effort to center the voices of the youth, we have worked with CCYC and Adc Kid to publish two books of poetry from incarcerated youth. Justice Restored, & Justice Restored 2.0 are the first in our series documenting the artistic expression and lived experience of incarcerated youth in Chester County. As our organization and outreach grows we hope to engage more youth in our expressive arts workshops and creative writings projects.