AHCOPA's inaugural celebratory breakfast

Last Friday morning, AHCOPA proudly hosted about 150 guests at our inaugural awards ceremony at The Arts Ballroom in Center City Philadelphia. The festive breakfast served as a moment for partners in our work to come together and celebrate the collective efforts of the housing justice network within Philadelphia. 

Rachel Gallegos, staff attorney at Community Legal Services of Philadelphia – who was honored with AHCOPA’s Community Partner Award for their work advancing estate planning – commented on the occasion, “These moments where we take time to celebrate are very important because the work is hard, but it's made better when we can look around at our partners and realize we are not doing this alone. We all deserve a safe place to live, food on the tables, and to educate our kids. It is our common goal and together we are working towards it every day." 

A safe, stable and affordable home is the bedrock of a successful life, healthy communities, and a vibrant city... We need housing counselors like AHCOPA" -- Councilmember Jamie Gauthier

Philadelphia councilmember Jamie Gauthier was honored with the Community Advocate Award for her continued support of housing counseling and constant pursuit of housing justice, especially in West Philadelphia. Speaking at the Celebratory Breakfast, Gauthier thanked “every single person here who helps us to achieve housing justice.”

The councilmember spoke about her lifelong commitment to Philadelphia’s housing, stating emphatically, "I have been working alongside many of you in this room to steer our city towards a more equitable future, and we're not slowing down! A safe, stable and affordable home is the bedrock of a successful life, healthy communities, and a vibrant city. But we cannot accomplish this alone, we need housing counselors like AHCOPA to help bridge the divide between the city and the community."

AHCOPA has been at the forefront of promoting homeownership opportunities, enhancing mortgage access, and fostering intergenerational wealth creation in the region. Through unwavering dedication and collaborative efforts, AHCOPA has significantly expanded the reach of its programs, directly supporting and empowering thousands of residents to achieve their housing goals.

Speaking at the event, our Executive Director, Kenneth Bigos, stated, “This day means so much to me. It’s wonderful to see so many people who we have worked with over the years take the time to come together.”

Our staff was recognized throughout the breakfast for their hard work and dedication to serving Philadelphians through housing counseling. Guests also enjoyed a comedy performance, mimosa toast, and a silent auction! 

Additionally, we awarded Univest Bank and Trust with Top Lender for granting  the most mortgages to first time homebuyers, and Wells Fargo received the Corporate Partner Award for providing the funding to launch AHCOPA's Will Power program which has served over 1,400 Philadelphia Homeowners in its first year.

The morning was a delightful and meaningful celebration, and there were many smiles and hugs throughout the ceremony. Thompson Smith, our Development Director, even surprised Kenneth with an Executive Leadership Award and councilmember Jamie Gauthier’s office also awarded Ken with a citation for his outstanding service to the community!

The Celebratory Breakfast was sponsored by Wells Fargo, with additional support from Exude, Citizens, and PNC, as well as Fulton Bank and Ally. HomeFreeUSA, TD Bank, Unviest, Essa Bank and Trust, First Citizens Bank, Radian, Philadelphia Mortgage Advisors, Reliance Standard, PA Health and Wellness, and Tompkins VIST Bank also donated to AHCOPA’s work by sponsoring the breakfast.

**All Photos Taken by Darnell A. Barnes at DSQ Photography​**

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Sarah Kellogg

Sarah works with AHCOPA as the Director of Communications