Many local organizations and groups are hosting MLK Day events and volunteer projects throughout the city on Monday, Jan. 16. Here’s a list of events and volunteer opportunities in West and Southwest Philadelphia (please feel free to add your event in the comments below). More events can be found on the Global Citizen website.

MLK Job Fair

Parks and Recreation District 8 and the 16th Police District are hosting an MLK Job Fair on Monday, Jan. 16, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Lucien E. Blackwell Center, 761 N. 47th St.

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Lancaster Avenue MLK DAY 2023 “Freedom Now Edition”

9 a.m.-5 p.m. at 4000 Lancaster Ave.

Mural Arts Philadelphia and Full Court Development are partnering to place the existing mural onto the facade of the new building, which would make it one of only a handful of lighted murals in Philadelphia. The mural was commissioned in 2010 to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King’s “Freedom Now Speech” which drew over 10K to 12k people to the site. In addition, there will be other events throughout the day at 40th and Lancaster, sponsored by local organizations. See the flyer for more details.

Day of Service at Hand 2 Hand Farm

11 a.m.-3 p.m. at 5317 Westminster Ave.

Hand 2 Hand Farm will be clearing debris, reconstructing stalls and fences, and tending livestock.

Day of Service at the Mantua Civic Association

8 a.m.-4 p.m. at 3543 Fairmount Ave.

The Mantua Civic Association will be cleaning, painting, greening, and plating in the morning. In the afternoon, they will host a fair with art, panels, resources, food, and giveaways. Continue Reading

The Friends of Clark Park continues working on the new master plan for the park, which includes gathering input from the community. All interested community members and groups have another chance to learn more about the plan and discuss in person their vision for the park, which stretches from Baltimore Ave. to Woodland Ave. from 43rd to 45th St. FCP will hold an Open House session on Thursday, Dec. 14 in Rosenberger Hall which is the Saint Joseph’s University (formerly USciences) building at the south end of Clark Park.

The event will provide an opportunity for an open discussion and interested community members can stop by the open house at any time between 5:00 and 8:00 p.m.

The first Clark Park Master Plan Open House took place at the Farmers’ Market on Nov. 19., and the results will inform this open house.

The goal of the master plan is to set the vision for future park development and investment plans. It is expected to be completed early next year.

The annual Cedar Park Neighbors Holiday Basket Drive has kicked off. CPN, in collaboration with area churches and other nonprofit organizations, will again prepare and distribute food baskets for neighbors in need during the holiday season.

A suggested donation is $45. This amount will help the organizers feed two families in their commitment to “neighbors helping neighbors.” In the year before the pandemic, CPN was able to raise enough money to reach over 200 local families (800 people total).

As always, volunteers are an integral part of this event. Help is needed on Saturday, Dec. 17, from 2:30-4:30 p.m. at the Calvary Center for Culture and Community (48th and Baltimore), where the baskets will be packed and distributed. Please feel free to contact CPN at mlewis1071@gmail.com if you would like to volunteer or donate bulk items for the drive.

For more information and to submit your donation, go here.

The Cobbs Creek community is invited this Wednesday, Dec. 7 to come see the recently opened West Philadelphia Boys & Girls Club, located at 5843-55 Catharine Street. Caring People Alliance is celebrating the grand opening of this long-awaited facility with a ribbon cutting followed by an indoor coat giveaway and mobile food pantry for the community.

Community members are invited to visit the mobile food pantry presented by The Print Foundation, Inc. and select a new children’s coat in the newly refitted gymnasium. The event kicks off at 3 p.m. and goes until 4:30.

The 25,000-square-foot Boys & Girls Club provides two floors of classrooms, a large multi-purpose room, and a gym with a pull-down screen and a professional basketball court. The entire building is handicapped accessible.

“We are very excited to bring this full-service, state-of-the-art facility to the community,” says Jerry Macdonald, president and CEO of Caring People Alliance. “It features an early learning center and after school programming. In the future, it will offer teen and senior programming.” Continue Reading

Today is Giving Tuesday, the day when we’re reminded of all the hard work done in our community by local non-profits and community groups.

Throughout the day, we’ll be posting messages from local non-profits and encourage you to support them with your donation or volunteer work. You can also find a list of local organizations on our Civic Life page. Continue Reading

Friends of Clark Park, a volunteer-run organization, is working on a new master plan for the popular West Philly park, known for its farmers and flea markets, outdoor theater productions and film screenings, music festivals, sports and recreation programs, and many other community events. The plan, which is expected to be completed next year, “will set the vision for future park development and investment plans,” according to Ari Kessler, Friends of Clark Park Communications Committee Chair and Board Director.

Studio Bryan Hanes, a Philadelphia landscape architecture firm, has been selected by the Friends as a partner in the planning process. As part of this process, the partners are looking for community input. Community members have a chance to provide their feedback at a meeting hosted by SBH at Clark Park Farmers Market (43rd and Baltimore) on Saturday, Nov. 19, 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. See the flier below for more details. Continue Reading