This is the time of year when many organizations are reaching out to the community with year-end messages and a reminder that there’s still time to donate and claim your charitable tax deduction for 2016. Some of the non-profits will receive a double amount of funding thanks to matching gift challenges from sponsors, so if you wanted to make a contribution hurry up since there are only two days left. Here are the messages that we received (for the list of other West Philly non-profits, check out our Civic Life page):

Raven Society Volunteers on behalf of Free Library of Philadelphia

“Those of us who care about the Free Library have to work together, so we are sending you this quick reminder about the matching gift challenge… The Free Library is such a great part of living in Philadelphia. Our family has a long tradition of support because we are committed to literacy and education for all. And we know how integral the Library is to each community and the city as a whole… With less than 48 hours left, we wanted to make sure you didn’t miss this chance to have your year-end gift make twice the impact. Please don’t wait. Join us and donate today.” – Kara Chickson Verghese and Subhash Verghese, Raven Society Volunteers 

Happy New Year from Curio Theatre Company!

Photo by Rebecca Gudelunas from The Bald Soprano 2015.

“As we continue into the New Year, we are as committed as ever to making high quality productions accessible to all who live in our wonderful and vibrant West Philadelphia and beyond, and to bring theatre education to school aged youth through summer camp, in-school programs, and Saturday classes. It has been an honor to live and work in this incredibly rich community of generous and welcoming people.

Please help keep this spirit alive by contributing to our annual appeal. We are now 3/4 of the way towards reaching our goal! Please consider a 100% tax-deductible donation to Curio today! Donate here. We look forward to seeing you throughout our Twelfth Season and for many seasons to come!”

Families Forward Philadelphia Annual Appeal – Help Homeless Families This Holiday Season!

“For over 100 years, Families Forward Philadelphia has helped families in crisis and we need your help today! Families Forward Philadelphia continues to help families find the path to stability from the crisis of homelessness… We strive to be creative and innovative with every dollar we have by offering customized case management for each and every family, educational supports such as tutoring and afterschool programming for every school age child, new quality assurance measures to ensure we are providing our services utilizing best practices. I am humbled when any of our participants, such as Waltrina, has met with success in her life for herself and her son, after going through all three levels of our programs – emergency shelter, transitional housing, and now has permanent housing and is thriving!

Visit our website at www.familiesforwardphilly.org to make your contribution to help a family like Waltrina’s transition from shelter to a home of their own… Happy Holiday and thank you for your kindness!” – Diana McWilliams, CEO

University City District

“University City District is changing places and changing lives. Every day, University City District works to realize this simple, yet demanding goal on behalf of our dynamic, diverse community. We keep the streets clean and safe, create and sustain public spaces, and connect people and businesses with opportunities to thrive. A gift to UCD is a gift to the community, helping us effect positive change in so many ways.” – Matt Bergheiser, President, University City District. To donate to UCD, click here.

Bartram’s Garden – ‘Thanks to you, we’re growing beyond our borders’

“How do you measure the reach of a garden? The geography is easy: our 45 riverfront acres have welcomed everyone from the Founding Fathers to migrating birds, from the city’s earliest native settlements to a modern urban farm. But Bartram’s Garden isn’t bound by gates or fences. For almost 300 years, the Garden has reached beyond its borders: to the European estates that received John Bartram’s plant shipments, to the Seminole villages that hosted William Bartram, and to the home gardens stocked with Ann Bartram Carr’s exotic hybrids.

Our connections are even richer today. Bartram’s Garden is the city’s premier river garden, inspiring a new generation of gardeners, stewards, and explorers. Our community boathouse welcomes thousands of visitors onto the river, many for the first time, and our farm provides more than 12,000 pounds of organic produce each year for low-income local families… Your support keeps the Garden growing. Make a gift to the Bartram’s Garden Annual Fund today to help reach beyond our borders.”

University City Arts League

“There is still time to make a tax-deductible donation to the Arts League before the year’s end. This piece of cake celebrates the Arts League’s 50th Anniversary and was drawn by Indira, age 6, who takes Beginner Digital Art (among other classes) in our daily Arts After School program. Please give to the Arts League and invest in the future of creativity.”

ACHIEVEability

“As 2016 comes to an end, there is still time to make a meaningful difference in the lives of families who are choosing to pursue self-sufficiency, financial security and independence. With your support, you are choosing to help ACHIEVEability to build families and community – impacting families who live in some of the most economically distressed neighborhoods in the City. You are choosing to help make the dream of becoming a college graduate the reality for parents and children who we serve. With your contribution, we will be able to help families like Carol’s in 2017. Carol has been sober for years, earned an Associate’s degree magna cum laude at Community College of Philadelphia, received her Bachelor’s degree from Chestnut Hill College and is currently working towards a Master’s in Social Work from Temple University.

For over 35 years, ACHIEVEability has been creating stories like Carol’s, helping more than 1,200 homeless and low income families achieve self-sufficiency. ACHIEVEability’s program requires parents to work and pursue an education while they live in our affordable housing and receive job training and holistic support services.” – Tim Thornton, Board Chair. Click here to donate to ACHIEVEability.

International House Philadelphia

“You’re the reason we were able to offer hundreds of films, art exhibits, cultural celebrations, and language classes to more than 20,000 people last year. Can you help us enrich even more lives this year? Please make your gift by midnight on December 31st to claim your charitable tax deduction for 2016. Click here to donate online, or visit our website to learn about other ways to give. Thank you for thinking of us this holiday season. We look forward to seeing you in the new year! P.S. We’re excited to offer free membership for any gift of $75 or above, and two free film tickets for any amount you’re able to give!” – James M. Papada, III.