The Penn Community School Student Partnerships (CSSP) and the West Philly Recess Initiative program (WPRI) work on improving recess environment at Alexander Wilson and Henry C. Lea elementary schools in West Philadelphia. As part of this initiative, a campaign is underway to raise funds for new recess supplies. To donate, please visit this page.

WPRI is also looking for additional adult volunteers to work with Lea and Wilson students. WPRI volunteers help organize recess activities and assist the lunchtime staff. Their work includes encouraging interactive play, increasing physical fitness and outdoor play, and minimizing conflicts and bullying during recess. If you would like to help or for more information, please contact Kate Mills at: katewmills@gmail.com.

You can read more about West Philadelphia Recess Initiative here.

Clark Park Youth Soccer, a non-competitive and family-friendly program, is looking for volunteer coaches to work with children between ages 5 and 11.

The Fall season begins on Saturday, September 22 and continues until November 17. Kids ages 5-7 practice and play at 10:30-Noon; kids ages 7-11 practice and play from Noon to 1:30. Each team has two to three coaches assigned (with a roster of subs).

If you want fresh air and exercise on Saturday mornings or afternoons and enjoy working with kids, please email to: clarkparksoccer@yahoo.com. Parents, students, or neighborhood soccer enthusiasts are welcome to apply. More information about the program is available here.

iPRAXIS, a nonprofit located in the University City Science Center, is currently recruiting volunteer STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) experts to work at their partner middle schools. Volunteers expose students to the STEM disciplines and increase their excitement for, and understanding of, science.

Different types of volunteering opportunities are available, including science fair presenters and project mentors and afterschool mentors. Mentoring begins as early as September 14 and the schools located in West Philadelphia are Belmont Charter at 4030 Brown Street, Martha Washington at 44th and Aspen, and Lea at 47th and Locust.

iPRAXIS volunteers range from students from the region’s universities to PGW engineers to CEO’s and leading surgeons. Click here to learn more about iPRAXIS and its impact over the years.

If you are interested in volunteering with iPRAXIS, please visit www.ipraxis.org and fill out a registration form. If you have questions, please call Meagan Hopkins-Doerr, Program Director at 215-966-6253 or email: Meagan@ipraxis.org.

Public school students in West Philly need our help now more than ever. Budget cuts have led to closed school libraries and hits to literacy programs. Luckily, the West Philadelphia Alliance for Children (WePAC) is doing its best to keep elementary school kids reading – but they need volunteers.

WePAC, which opens and staffs closed elementary school libraries, is seeking volunteers for the upcoming school year to help students develop literacy skills. Volunteers will read stories to children and help them select and check out books. Most elementary schools in West Philadelphia no longer have open libraries, according to WePAC. The program keeps the libraries open at no cost to the school.

This fall, WePAC will be serving Anderson, Blankenburg, Cassidy, Cook-Wissahickon, Gompers, Heston, Lea, Leidy, Longstreth, McMichael, Powel and Rhoads elementary schools.

WePAC volunteers serve as literacy assistants in K-2 classrooms and help run after-school newspaper clubs in several schools. As these programs grow, many new volunteers are needed. The minimum time commitment is 2-3 hours each week.

Orientation sessions begin this week and continue through August. If you are interested in volunteering, please visit WePAC’s website at www.wepac.org or call (215) 990-6084.

The Walnut West Chess Cadets are in need of volunteer staff to assist in conducting a weekly class and acting as mentors to our young student players. You do not need to be a “Master” chess player, but knowledge of the game would be very helpful.

Kids range from 1st to about 8th grade in age. The club is going into its fourth year and has experienced rapid growth and recognition at the city-wide tournaments where we compete during the school year. It is a very rewarding experience for the right person. The club meets on Wednesdays from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at the library, 201 S. 40th Street.

You can contact Joe Clarke, 215-626-7332 or philly.joe.c [at] gmail.com or Ms. Susan Ben at the Walnut West Library, 215-685-7671.

Here’s one of the holiday volunteer opportunities. Project MEOW is looking for foster parents for their cats this holiday season.

Project MEOW adoptables (like Dewey, pictured) are nurtured in individual foster homes, allowing for personal assessments of their character, to make the best matches possible with their future forever homes. Project MEOW covers medical and health care, promotes the cat’s adoptable status, and reviews the adoption applications – you provide food, litter, toys, and most rewarding of all, the love and attention the kitty needs. Please contact projectmeowadoptions[at]gmail.com to meet your holiday cuddler, and give the gift of fostering.

Project MEOW is an all-volunteer, animal welfare group that humanely reduces the stray cat population in West Philadelphia through rescue, trap-neuter-return and building strong relationships with the residents who feed and care for stray cats.