Heights Philadelphia

In 2022, Philadelphia Futures and Steppingstone Scholars merged to create Heights Philadelphia, which brings together leaders from two powerful educational nonprofit organizations — Philadelphia Futures and Steppingstone Scholars — and provides additional resources and financial relief for the city's in-need youth. The new organization, which boasts 70 staff members, serves more than 3,000 area students with a support system that begins in middle school and includes personal advising, academic enrichment, internship opportunities, and financial support to ensure success in the classroom and far beyond. With 23 partner schools in the School District of Philadelphia, Heights Philadelphia is guided by co-presidents and proven educational leaders Sara L. Woods, Esq. (former president of Philadelphia Futures) and Sean E. Vereen, Ed.D (former president of Steppingstone Scholars).

White-Williams Scholars merged with Philadelphia Futures in 2011 under the name Philadelphia Futures: A Union of White-Williams Scholars and Philadelphia Futures. White-Williams Scholars began its work in 1800 as the White-Williams Foundation, which was dedicated to serving young women. Over time, its focus evolved to provide in-need students with the resources needed to pursue their academic dreams in high school.

Philadelphia Futures was founded in 1989 with a similar mission to support underserved students throughout high school and on the path to a college degree, while Steppingstone Scholars was created in 1999 to support students from the ages of 10 to 24 in Philadelphia's in-need communities with the resources that they need to navigate middle school, high school, and college.