If you’re looking for ways to cope with the upcoming presidential inauguration (we’re in West Philly, right?), check out these local events on Friday, Jan. 20. There will be an opportunity to have a conversation with other community members, to relax with some free acupuncture treatments, and dine at a local restaurant in support of refugees.

West Philly Community Solidarity Gathering

Calvary Center for Culture and Community (48th and Baltimore)

5:30 – 8 p.m.

Join your West Philly neighbors for an evening of solidarity, connection, conversation, song and food. Everyone is welcome, including young people accompanied by parents or caregivers. The schedule includes: Gathering and Interfaith Service at 5:30 p.m; Dinner and discussion groups at 6:30 p.m.; Singing and more conversation at 7:30 p.m.

Free-will donations at the door will be collected to cover expenses and to benefit the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). Suggested donation range is $5-25, and no one will be turned away due to financial restrictions.  Continue Reading

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is this Monday (Jan. 16). Here’s a list of events and Day of Service opportunities for local residents. Some events are being held starting this weekend and will go on until Feb. 2. More MLK Day of Service community projects can be found here.

Friday, Jan. 13

• MLK Weekend of Service at Repair the World: Philadelphia  – Jan. 13-16

Repair the World: Philadelphia will honor the legacy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. all weekend long through offering a variety of volunteer opportunities and chances to engage with other community members. Click here to register.

Sunday, Jan. 15

• Annual Symposium on Social Change Honoring Martin Luther King Jr. at the University of Pennsylvania – Jan. 15-Feb. 2, 2017

The University of Pennsylvania will honor the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. with film screenings, lectures, workshops, panel discussions and musical performances. All events are free and open to the public. Click here for more information.  Continue Reading

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  Continue Reading

Community members are invited to St. Francis de Sales Church (47th and Springfield) for a candlelight Christmas concert under the dome this Wednesday (Dec. 14). The church’s choir will preview pieces from their annual Midnight Mass carol service, and their lineup this year will showcase pieces by Vaughan-Williams, Victoria, Franck, Garau and others, as well as feature a carol sing-along.

The concert is free and open to the public, but donations are encouraged. All proceeds go toward restoration projects in the church building, which dates to 1907.

“Since the departure of the old pastor, there are a number of cultural and community events that SFDS is looking to relaunch,” writes SFDS sexton Michael Nevadomski. “Most of them are pretty Catholic, but we’re looking to start doing more regular concerts, the first of which is a candlelight Christmas concert by our very talented choir and organist on December 14.”  Continue Reading

Last week, we published information about the annual Cedar Park Neighbors Holiday Basket Drive. There are also a few opportunities to help local women and children in need this holiday season. Here’s information on some more holiday drives and donation opportunities:

Holiday Toy & Personal Care Drive at Local 44 (44th and Spruce)

Through Dec. 15

Join Local 44 once again this year in collecting toys and personal care items to benefit the residents of the People’s Emergency Center (PEC), a West Philly shelter that helps women and children battling homelessness. Bring your donations to the Bottle Shop at Local 44 any time through Thursday, Dec. 15. Click here for a list of useful personal care items accepted by PEC. NOTE: Please bring new and unwrapped items.  Continue Reading

Carol Isom

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help offset funeral expenses for Carol Isom, the woman killed when she was struck near 52nd and Locust by a car fleeing police on Nov. 29.

Carol Isom, 55, is survived by her husband of 34 years, five children, including a 19-year-old daughter in her second year at Temple University, and five grandchildren.

“My mom was everything. She was everything to everybody around here. She was like the neighborhood mom, and she did nothing but love, nothing but smile,” Brittany Isom, Carol’s daughter, told 6ABC.

Police say the pursuit began when two men in two vehicles began shooting at each other along Westminster Avenue and ended at 52nd and Locust when one of the vehicles struck the vehicle Isom was driving. She lived nearby on the 200 block of S. 53rd St. Her 56th birthday would have been on Dec. 10.