Matthew George in front of the Good Samaritan Clubhouse. (Photo: Rasheed Z. Ajamu)

When you love our community like this neighbor does, it’s hard not to wear many hats. And though each hat holds a very different responsibility, the throughline is community building and connecting.

Matthew George is a Mt. Airy native, but spent much of his adolescence in Germantown. He remembers going to camps at Germantown Friends School, the Powell Center, the Boys & Girls Club, and more, which he says helped him really value the diversity within Germantown at a young age.

Now an adult, Matt has officially stamped himself a Germantowner, moving to Wayne and Chelten in 2017. But since that time, George has emerged as one of Germantown’s model neighbors, often appearing at different events in one day and often for various reasons, as the aforementioned “hats” suggest.

While George is the business corridor manager at Germantown United CDC, where he helps connect businesses and entities with the resources they need to thrive, he’s also the mind behind the big orange cans you may see across Germantown, and even within other neighborhoods.

These cans are the official stamp that someone on the block indeed loves their hood. And that’s George’s mission through his business, I Love Thy Hood — to spread the importance of keeping the city and streets clean.

And when George isn’t doing that work? You might catch him DJing at a local function under his alias, MATIGEO. He started this as a hobby in high school, but finally realized it as a lucrative hustle and passion three years ago.

Now, George lives on the East Side of Germantown, up Chelten Avenue, with his wife Bria and “beautiful big old Bernadoodle” pup, Dewey. They’ve been there since 2022, and George says he hopes to invest more in that section of the neighborhood.

When asked why he loves Germantown, he said, “for a lot of different reasons.” He names the history within the roads and homes alone, saying it feels like we sometimes live in a book. 

Other than that? “It’s the people, the bonds, and friendships that I’ve built,” he says. And while George can’t beat the transplant allegations, he makes it clear that “Germantown is home” and thanks it for everything.

The Germantown Info Hub sat down with George to ask him about his favorite things in the neighborhood, and he obliged. Check out his favorites below!

Favorite places to get food

• Salam Cafe (5532 Greene St) for chicken kebabs
• Cluck-n-Gills (5729 Germantown Ave) for crab fries or a shrimp basket
• Hot Clucks (10 W Chelten Ave) for “the number one (chicken sandwich) with fries”

Favorite parks to frequent

George names Howell Park right on Greene, between Queen Lane & Hansberry Street. “It’s like being in a silo in the middle of the city,” he points out, saying it’s usually pretty empty. He also says, besides Awbury, it’s Dewey’s second favorite park.

Favorite leisure activities

Like the many who love it, George names riding his bike as his pick. He recently switched from a fixed gear to a single speed because of the hills. “I’m able to act like I’m in a triathlon sometimes and ride through some beautiful places,” he says, naming Lincoln Drive as just one example.

Another fun activity George enjoys? Kite-flying. “Germantown is very windy,” he says, revealing the recipe for a great glide.

Favorite shops

• Good Samaritan’s Clubhouse (only open through April 20 at Our House Culture Center)
• Uncle Bobbie’s (Germantown Ave & Church Ln)
• Real Deal Merchandise (132 W Chelten Ave) 

Recommended Historic Destination

He names the Johnson House on Washington Lane and Germantown Avenue. He remembers going as a child, with Miss Cornelia Swinson still leading the charge, and recalls stories of folks like Henry “Box” Brown, who quite literally packaged and shipped himself to freedom in a box.

He calls the historic house and institution a “nod to our ancestors [and] of everything that they had to endure.” But, he also says it’s “a reminder to keep that resilience going forward.”

Fun fact about the neighborhood

While George says there are many gems in Germantown, he names the Sun Ra House on Morton Street. 

He says, “When you go into the house, it looks like nothing has been changed for the past 50 years. It’s like a little time capsule.”

Favorite seasonal activity

• Maplewood Night Markets (one coming in July and another in the Fall)
• Vernon Park Bazaar
• Writers and Poets Jazz Festival (though it’s been MIA for the past few years)

Neighbor/Organizational Shoutout

“Shout out to Lonnie Young Recreation Center,” George said. “I’ve been introduced more to all the programming and all the cool things that they do for the youth.” 

He particularly shouts out Miss Debbie Fortune, the recreation center’s advisory council president.

One addition to the neighborhood

George wants something like an old-time “watering hole,” where folks can socialize over drinks after hours — not just breakfast, lunch, or dinner. He names that while we have A King’s Cafe, he “selfishly” wants a spot where he can DJ.