Who We Are

Chester Eastside, Inc. works to help children and families by providing access to hunger safety net programs and a safe environment for adult and youth education and exploration. CEI’s mission is to be a welcoming and inclusive community that enables individuals of all ages to achieve their goals and aspirations, promoting a peaceful co-existence in Chester through advocacy and programs for education, social services, and justice.

Youth soccer team posing in front of a net.

Our Values

Integrity

We are committed to operating with integrity in everything we do.

Social Justice

We believe in fostering and advocating for a just community that ensures all Chester residents are treated with dignity.

Love and Respect

We maintain an environment that is grounded in love and respect for all people.

History of Chester Eastside

Founded in 1985 as part of the Presbytery of Philadelphia, Chester Eastside is a welcoming and inclusive community that enables individuals of all ages to achieve their goals and aspirations, promoting a peaceful co-existence in Chester through advocacy and programs for education, social service and justice. We are committed to living that mission every day with integrity, social justice and love and respect.

Illustration of three figures holding up two figures, which are holding up one figure looking through a telescope. The illustration is surrounded on the sides by 3 phrases: Meeting basic human needs, Working for a more just society, and Helping people of all ages be all they can be
A blue wooden sign in a garden behind a small stone fence. The sign says St Paul's Episcopal Church, Founded 1702

Originally known as Chester Eastside Ministries, the organization operated from Third Presbyterian Church until 2012. When the aging facility required a move, we were grateful to be invited to the historic St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on 9th Street, where the relationship has blossomed and deepened.

Chester Eastside has been led by Executive Directors Rev. Bernice Warren (1985-2016), Rev. Zuline Wilkinson, M.Div., MSW (2016-2022), and Rev. Andy Jacob (2022-). In 2014, the agency changed the nature of its relationship with the Presbytery, striking out on its own by incorporating as a not-for-profit 501c (3) organization. Successfully navigating the transition has allowed Chester Eastside, Inc. to expand its services.

Reverend Andy Jacob profile picture
Rev. Andy Jacob
Rev. Bernice Warren
Rev. Bernice Warren
Zuline Wilkinson
Zuline Wilkinson
A Black male child wearing an orange and gray shirt sitting at a white table reading a book open flat in front of him

CEI focuses both on Chester’s present and its future, evolving with the city in an effort to meet needs in three primary spheres: Intergenerational Education, Emergency and Healthy Food Initiatives and Community Engagement. Programs such as our Food Ministry, which provides more than 100,000 meals each year, are coupled with those including our Out of School Time (OST) program and award-winning Community Garden.

CEI is committed to developing and implementing programs that incorporate best practices and evidence-based approaches and reflect the lives of our clients. We are proud of the long history and even more excited about the burgeoning potential of the constantly evolving environment that is Chester Eastside, Inc.

Chester Eastside logo. It is a yellow sun with the blue words Chester Eastside est 1985