Henry C. Lea Elementary School (47th and Locust)

Dock Street Brewery is joining efforts to support public education in Philadelphia, with a focus on West Philly schools.

Every month, they will be tapping a special beer (aged, soured, oaked, irresponsibly hopped, blended…) and giving it away. In return, they ask that you bring in and exchange school supplies that will be donated to West Philadelphia public schools. This month, Dock Street will be working with Lea Elementary at 47th and Locust.

Photo from Dock Street Brewery’s Facebook page.

If you like beer and want to help Lea Elementary, come to Dock Street at 50th and Baltimore this Wednesday (Dec. 16) and bring one ream of 8 x 11 copy paper (paper is an essential tool in most classrooms and is often in short supply). In return, you’ll get a 6 oz pour of Mah Nà Mah Nà, a Belgian Golden Ale, aged for eight months in a freshly drained tequila barrel. If you want you can bring more school supplies; they will be gladly accepted and delivered to the school. The event starts at 3 p.m. and goes on all night.

If you can’t make it to Dock Street this Wednesday, you can follow them on Facebook for information on future school supply drives. You can also donate to Lea Elementary and other schools on the Donors Choose website. Check out this list of school projects that need funding, compiled by the West Philly Coalition for Neighborhood Schools:

Lea Elementary School

1. Reaching Higher Resources
This project is about halfway to its goal but only has 15 days left for funding. Ms. Harris is hoping to buy sets of reading and math games to offer her students hands-on practice.
http://www.donorschoose.org/…/reaching-higher-reso…/1660214/  Continue Reading

A new PA CareerLink West Philadelphia Center began operations today at 5070 Parkside Avenue (5th floor), providing all job readiness services to area residents. This interim location will serve all West Philadelphia job seekers until the permanent facility for the PA CareerLink West Philadelphia Center at 3901 Market Street is open in the spring of 2016.

PA CareerLink offers Philadelphia job openings and training resources to help job seekers prepare for and find work regardless of their background, skill level and educational level. The new center serves both traditional PA CareerLink clients as well as those receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits, who previously reported to a separate Employment Advancement and Retention Network (EARN) center for job readiness and placement services. The West Philadelphia Center will be operated by a consortium of workforce partners that include SER Metro; Educational Data Systems, Incorporated; PA Department of Labor & Industry (L&I); PA Department of Human Services and the L&I Office of Vocational Rehabilitation.

More information about the new center can be found here: http://www.philaworks.org/career-link/pa-careerlink-centers.

The holiday edition of the popular Go West! Craft Fest returns to The Rotunda (45th and Walnut) on Sunday, Dec. 13. The number of local artists and craftspeople participating has reached 100! As always, Go West! is a great chance to shop for unique, handmade gifts, such as artwork, jewelry, ceramics, clothing (including warm knitted items), prints, stationery, soap, candles, home accents, children’s items, and more. Check out the vendor list here, and also follow Go West! Craft Fest on Facebook and Instagram.

The event will take place from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Go West! Craft Fest Instagram page screenshot.

Photo courtesy of IHP

International House Philadelphia (37th and Chestnut) will host a free screening of an inspiring documentary film about two best friends and world-class acrobats from remote corners of the globe who share the same dream of bringing hope and change to their struggling communities through circus. Circus Without Borders follows performers Guillaume Saladin and Yamoussa Bangoura whose dream unfolds in the Canadian Arctic and Guinea, West Africa, where they help Inuit and Guinean youth achieve unimaginable success while confronting suicide, poverty and despair.

Seven years in the making, this tale of two circuses — Artcirq and Kalabante — is an inspiring story of resilience and joy. Both troupes use art and the power of dreams to transform themselves and their communities. Circus Without Borders was the opening film for the 2015 Margaret Mead Film Festival in New York City.

Saladin and Bangoura will attend the screening and treat the audiences to a special performance following the film. They will also participate in a Q&A session with director Susan Gray.

The screening begins at 7 p.m. Visit this page for more information and to RSVP.

There are tons of festive events happening in the area this weekend, including one of the biggest local shopping events of the year, a new restaurant grand opening party, a craft show opening, a big FREE holiday family event, a dance party supporting a local non-profit, and more. More information about these and other upcoming events is below. If you want to buy a Christmas tree or holiday wreaths, greens and decorations this weekend, check out this post. For local gift ideas and more holiday shopping opportunities, visit our “Buy Local for the Holidays” page.

Friday, Dec. 4

• University City Arts League Holiday Craft Show Opening Reception, 6 – 8 p.m., 4226 Spruce St.

Thirty local artists will present their wares—just in time for the holidays! This is a great opportunity to shop for hand-made gifts for you and the whole family, such as cards, pottery, soaps, t-shirts, and more! Complimentary drinks and eats will be offered while you shop during the opening reception this Friday. The Craft Show is open daily Dec. 4-20. Monday-Friday, 5-8 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 12-6 p.m. Closing reception will take place on Dec. 20, 4-6 p.m. The list of 2015 vendors is available here.

• Clarkville Grand Opening Party, 5 p.m., 43rd and Baltimore

New Baltimore Avenue bar and restaurant, Clarkville, is opening this Friday. The grand opening party kicks off at 5 p.m.

• West Philly jeweler Amy Neukrug presents her holiday collection at Hello World, 5 – 9 p.m., 3610 Sansom St.

• The Bald Soprano opens at Curio Theatre, 8 p.m., 48th and Baltimore  Continue Reading

There are a few efforts in the area to help neighbors in need during the holidays. Recently, we wrote about the annual Cedar Park Holiday Food Drive. Here are two more opportunities to help out:

Holiday Drive at Local 44 (44th and Spruce)

Get into the Holiday Spirit by donating new and unwrapped toys or personal care items for the People’s Emergency Center, a West Philly shelter offering support services to women and children. Click here for a list of most wanted items. Drop off your donations in the Bottle Shop through Dec. 18.

Winter Coat and Book Drive at Renewal Presbyterian Church (47th and Cedar)

Winter coat and book drive benefits Cradles to Crayons, a local charity that serves communities in the Philadelphia area. With cold weather on the way, there is an urgent need for coats, socks, gloves, and PJs for children of all ages. Only new and gently used items are accepted. Donations can be dropped off between 8:30 a.m.- 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 19 at Renewal Presbyterian Church, located on the corner of 47th and Cedar Ave. You can also contact Jeannette Bennicelli (jbennice[at]mail.med.upenn.edu) and bring donations to her house (now until Dec. 20).