The regional non-profit Repair the World: Philadelphia just moved its headquarters to West Philly (4029 Market Street) and tonight from 6 – 8:30 p.m. community members are invited over to celebrate the brand new office’s opening together with staff and volunteers. We reported on the pending move last month.

The open house will have food, drinks and entertainment, including a photo booth and kids activities. You can also meet neighbors participating in community-building collaborative art projects.

One of the main goals of Repair the World is to mobilize Jewish youth to help improve communities and guests can learn about volunteer opportunities available in the area.

For more information, email: matthew.renick@werepair.org. The open house registration page is here.

Through June 15, the West Philadelphia YMCA is accepting donations of everyday necessities for local infants and newborns. YMCA is teaming up with Youth Services Inc. in this effort to help our little neighbors. The basic necessities include:

• Diapers
• Socks
• Rattles
• Bottles
• Onesies
• Receiving blankets
• Pacifiers
• T-shirts

These items can be dropped off at the designated box in the Y’s lobby. For more information, please contact Shalann K. Graves at 215-476-2700 X 2017.

The West Philadelphia YMCA is located at 5120 Chestnut Street.

Here’s a sweet way to support a local library! This Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, you can buy some ice cream at the 40th Street Ben & Jerry’s location and help the Walnut West Library across the street. Ben & Jerry’s will donate 20 percent of the proceeds toward the library and its summer programming from all sales between 3:30 and 5:30 p.m. on these days.

So stop by the shop located at 218 S. 40th St, enjoy some treats with your family and friends and also meet the wonderful folks from the Friends of Walnut St West Library who are behind this cool event.

Tickets are still available for the University City Arts League‘s annual fundraiser, “Spring Fling,” happening this Saturday, May 10 at the University of Pennsylvania’s Hall of Flags (Houston Hall, 3417 Spruce St). Traditionally, the fundraiser includes a silent auction featuring many great items and dinner. The online portion of the auction is also still open (closes tonight at 10 p.m.). You can choose from a number of unique experiences, classes, works by local artists and more. To view the auction items, to bid, and to buy tickets, go here.

The Spring Fling fundraiser will take place on Saturday from 6 – 9 p.m. and here are some more details (from ucartsleague.org):

Times

6 p.m. – Cocktails and Silent Auction; 7:30 – Dinner (by chef Greg Salisbury); 8 p.m. – Live Auction.

Parking

Free parking will be available at the Penn Museum Garage at South St and Convention Center Blvd. A shuttle will be running from the garage to the Hall of Flags from 6 to 7 p.m. and then from the Hall of Flags to the garage at the end of the evening.

Child Care

The Arts League will be offering an evening of pizza, movies and activities for children aged 5 to 12 from 5:30 to 9:30. Cost will be $35 for the first child and $25 for each additional child for the evening. Please contact the Arts League Office to make arrangements for child care.

Sample of Auction items

• Six oriental carpets including beauties from Tibet and Pakistan will be available at the Auction plus two silk on silk wall hangings. Winning bidders can also get free custom padding for their carpets at Woven Treasure.
• An iPad from the University of Pennsylvania Computer Connection, one of the special items to be auctioned at the Arts League auction.
• Gift certificates to numerous local restaurants including the White Dog Cafe will be available.
• Numerous spa services.

For more information, call 215-382-7811 or email: info@ucartsleague.org.

Neighbor Kate Krauss, one of the organizers of “Fund for Phil” set up to help Philippe Holland, the pizza delivery driver shot by police near 51st and Willows on April 22, has sent us an update on Philippe’s condition, the fund and a couple of other important messages:

“Philippe has been transferred to a rehab hospital in Newark, New Jersey. He read the original card we sent for the first time three days ago and was very touched. His mother says that she can’t even find the words to express how grateful she is. So let’s keep this going–we will continue to collect money at Mariposa through June.

We have $969 in the PayPal account, so today is a great time to try to reach $1,000… Here is the link: https://www.paypal.com/webapps/mpp/send-money-online [please enter “FundforPhil – at – Gmail.com”].

[Bindlestiff Books owner] Alexis Buss has already collected about $400 at Bindlestiff Books…”

We also hear that a Channel 3 news reporter is coming to Bindlestiff Books (4530 Baltimore Ave) tomorrow (Thursday) at 11:00 a.m. to do a little spot on the neighborhood’s response to the shooting of Phillipe Holland and those who donated money are welcome to stop by.

Neighbors have set up a fund to help with the medical expenses of Philippe Holland, the 20-year-old pizza delivery driver who was shot by police in a tragic misunderstanding near 51st and Willows on April 22.

Philippe Holland

Holland, a Community College of Philadelphia student, is recovering in the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) with three gunshot wounds, including one in the face.

Holland had just finished making a delivery when two plain-clothes officers attempted to stop and question him as he was walking along a sidewalk with his hands in his pockets and his hood up. The officers were investigating a shooting that had happened in the area minutes earlier. Holland, who police believe may have thought he was being robbed, ran to his car and drove toward the officers. The officers fired at least 14 shots into the car, according to reports. Holland was struck in the face, leg and neck.

Neighbors Patty Bulack and Kate Krauss, who live near where the shooting took place, have organized the “Fund for Phil.” Krauss said she recently spoke with Holland’s family at HUP.

“We want to offer the family some tangible solidarity,” Krauss said.

Holland will survive but needs facial reconstructive surgery and “probably a lot more,” she said.

Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey has visited Holland in the hospital. The shooting is still under investigation and the officers involved have been placed on desk duty.

Krauss said Holland’s mother asked her to convey to residents her hope that they keep Phillipe in their thoughts and prayers. She also hoped there could be a different way to get food to people at night other than drivers, who are often the target of violence.

There are two ways to help. You can drop a donation off at the Mariposa Food Coop at 4824 Baltimore Ave or you can go to Pay Pal, where the family has set up an account.  You will need to enter “FundforPhil – at – Gmail.com.”