Color Me Back

Color Me Back launched in 2019 through a partnership among Mural Arts Philadelphia, Mental Health Partnerships, The Barra Foundation, The Sheller Family Foundation, and the Scattergood Foundation to create same-day, low-barrier paid work opportunities for people experiencing economic instability in Philadelphia. Initially focused in Center City and Kensington, the program combines meaningful work, social connection, and access to supportive services.

As a strategic partner, the Scattergood Foundation helped guide the program’s early development through a discovery process that included community interviews and the creation of a theory of change. This work informed the design, implementation, and evaluation of the Same Day Work and Pay model and resulted in a publicly available report that has helped shape the initiative’s continued growth.

Since its launch, Color Me Back has expanded to include the Community Life Improvement Program (CLIP). The Scattergood Foundation is proud to have served as a core partner in the development of this model.