Helping Immigrants THRIVE

At GROW, we help immigrants in Northeast Philadelphia thrive through teaching ESL, life skills, and friendship.

Two women smiling with their arms around each other
A GROW teacher helping a student with her worksheet during class.
A group of students standing together in a classroom smiling and putting their hands in the air.
A street of red brick row homes in Philadelphia
A group of students listening to an ESL lesson with their workbooks open infront of them.

Our Mission

"Serve one another humbly in love." — Galatians 5:13b


At GROW, we want to see immigrants and their neighbors thriving in community and experiencing the love of Jesus. We carry out our mission in three ways:

Teaching ESL

We serve immigrants and refugees through six levels of conversational English class, designed to increase fluency so that immigrants can thrive in their new communities.

Life Skills

Our curriculum is designed with life application, helping our students navigate everyday life from grocery shopping to medical appointments and job interviews.

Friendship

GROW provides a welcoming community where our students and families develop authentic, caring, relationships, fostering a sense of belonging in their community.

About Us

Creating Opportunity

Since 2014, we've welcomed students from many nations, peoples, and languages:

3,486

StudentS

78

CoUntries

43

Languages

See Our Impact in the Community

Discover how your support helps our learners master English, unlock new opportunities, and build confidence this past year.

PDF Format • 15.7 MB

Our Locations

We serve our students wHere they live and work

We want to be where our students are, and our three site locations were strategically chosen to help our students easily access classes within their communities, often by walking or taking public transportation. We are very grateful to each of our partnering host sites and to all our partnering local churches who send volunteers, share resources, and join us in our mission.

Byberry

Starting Fall 2026

Third Reformed Presbyterian Church

3024 Byberry Rd

Lawncrest

Starting Fall 2026

International Christian High School

5500 Tabor Ave

Mayfair

Northeast Community Church

3300 Tyson Ave

Bustleton

Closing Spring 2026

Seven Mile Road Church

525 Welsh Rd

"Learning English is not just about learning language; it's about opening doors."

— Kesia (Brazil)

See more testimonials
Two volunteers at a food pantry standing next to a table with food essentials.
Togetherness

Neighbors Helping Neighbors

Immigration is a significant transition, and many of our neighbors face layered challenges. Although our central focus is English language instruction, we are committed to serving families holistically. Through meaningful community support and collaboration with trusted local partners, we help connect students and families to the resources they need to thrive beyond the classroom.

Community Resources

We connect students to local providers for food, healthcare, housing, and social services.

Local Partnerships

We partner with churches for volunteers and resources, and mentor new ESL programs.

Immigration Resources

We offer resources to foster understanding and compassionate engagement with immigrants.

Benevolence Funds

We provide relief and tuition scholarships for students facing significant hardships.

Join Us

Join us in what GROW is doing

GROW is more than a classroom—it’s a community. Whether you share your time as a volunteer, give a gift to support our students, or simply want to learn more, your involvement makes a lasting impact in Northeast Philly.