“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”
Jane Goodall
Giving Back to the Community
As many wealthy families in the Wissahickon Valley Region showed off their wealth in the community, they contributed to the community by helping those in need using the money they inherited. Many people in the community talked about these families because of how they did to make the community better.
The Independent School District of Ambler was established in 1881, and the town built their first school on Forest Avenue, previously named Hart's Avenue after prominent citizen Mary C. Hart who lived on that street. In 1884, Mary Hart made a gift of $25 to the school in hopes to purchase books for the children as Christmas gifts.
The John C. Mercer Home for Disabled Clergymen of the Presbyterian Faith was founded by Ann Jane Mercer, wife of Philadelphia businessman John C. Mercer. Stated in her will, Ann Mercer wished to establish a corporation who would take charge of her estate near Ambler to maintain and support the clergymen of Presbyterian faith.
Anna Keasbey, wife of Henry G. Keasbey and founder the Woman's Christian Temperance Union in Ambler, found an opportunity to establish a library in Ambler after the Upper Dublin library faced a decline of patrons. This lead to her campaign to fund for a new library building and increase subscription from the residents of Ambler.
With the collaboration of prominent citizens who lived in the Lower Gwynedd area, including Francis E. Bond, they established the Gwynedd Home for Convalescent Children on Dekalb Pike, near the William Penn Inn, to help children in need. After facing difficulties managing the home, Volunteers of America founder Maud Ballington Booth came along and founded the Rainbow House: Home for Prisoners' Wives & Children.
Anna M. Drayton, wife of Henry E. Drayton of the Cedars Estate in Whitpain, established the YWCA Holiday House in Penllyn for women who needed to take a break from working in the factories in Philadelphia.