Wharton Centre.

The Wharton Centre was founded in 1931 by the Whittier Centre, a South Philadelphia agency which provided services to the growing African American population of North Philadelphia. The Wharton Centre provided social welfare, recreational, and community services to the population of North Philadelphia, particularly the neighborhood of 22nd Street and Columbia Avenue.

The organization helped establish neighborhood daycare and recreation centers and started a youth-work program which included extensive contacts with gangs throughout North Philadelphia. The Wharton Centre also established neighborhood housing programs to organize neighborhoods into block associations for the purpose of beautifying streets and converting vacant lots into playgrounds.