Over 65 parks across Philadelphia will host volunteer clean-up events on Saturday, Nov. 14 as part of the bi-annual “Love Your Park” Service Day.

Residents are encouraged to join local Park Friends groups and help them clean up parks after a busy summer season, collect leaves for compost, plant trees and flower bulbs, and more.

Clean up events are being organized at many West Philly and Southwest Philly parks as well, including Clark Park (43rd and Baltimore), Cedar Park (49th and Baltimore), Malcolm X. Park (51st and Pine), Barkan Park (50th and Spruce), Carroll Park (58th and Girard), Cobbs Creek Park (Cobbs Creek Pkwy and Whitby), Bartram’s Garden (54th and Lindbergh) and more.  Continue Reading

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation has extended the application deadline for their Playstreets program to Monday, June 15. Playstreets is the City’s free summer feeding program for children and Parks & Rec is accepting applications from residents who want to volunteer as block captains for this program.

Each summer, 300 to 350 city streets are closed temporarily to vehicular traffic to give children a safe place to gather, play, and eat a free, nutritious meal. The program has been running for more than 50 years and takes place in every neighborhood of the city.  Continue Reading

Penn Medicine is looking for sewing volunteers who can make disposable cuffs for powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs) (see photo). The supply of cuffs will be crucial for keeping the staff safe while treating COVID-19 patients.

If you want to help, please review the instructions here and here and watch two videos (Video 1, Video 2) to see how to make the cuffs and how the cuffs are used.

Penn Medicine will provide the fabric, zippers, elastic and a pattern to make 25 cuffs. You would need to provide your own thread and be able to pick up and drop off materials at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.  Continue Reading

Philadelphia is getting ready to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday, Jan. 20 with a bunch of events, activities and volunteer projects. Some began earlier this week and will be held throughout this and next month, like the MLK Jr. Sermon Discussion Group at Mosaic Community Church (123 S. 51st St).

Check out some events and volunteer opportunities in West and Southwest Philly below. Also visit the MLK Day of Service and the University City District websites for more events and volunteer projects in the area.

MLK Day Events at UPenn

• A Community Beautification Project will take place on Monday, Jan. 20 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Volunteers will work on service projects at the following sites: Mitchell Weir Elementary, Hamilton Elementary, Antioch Home School Center, and Laura Sims Skate House. Light refreshments will be provided. Meet at 9:45 a.m. in the main lobby of Houston Hall (3417 Spruce St) for transportation to locations.  Continue Reading

Are you good at chess and like working with kids? Here’s a great volunteer opportunity. The Walnut St. West Library children’s chess club is looking for volunteer chess coaches for the upcoming school year (September 2019 – May 2020). The club meets Wednesdays 5:30-7 p.m. at the library located at 40th and Walnut Streets.

The club is looking for volunteers to teach and supervise children ages 6-14 who are learning chess. Their skill levels vary from beginner to quite proficient. Coaches will not get to play much themselves but will enjoy helping the children improve their skills.

The Chess Club won the first place in the 2017 MasterMinds Scholastic Summer Chess League Championship.

If you are interested to volunteer on a regular basis – once a month or more – please contact Mary Goldman at: marylgoldman@gmail.com

On August 3rd 1965, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at 40th and Lancaster during a Freedom Now Rally in front of a crowd of 10,000 people. The Peace March ended there in 2018 with speeches from community leaders. (Photo courtesy of People’s Emergency Center).

Beginning this weekend, local universities and other non-profit organizations will be hosting many events, for adults and children alike, and volunteer projects in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Most of the events are happening on the Martin Luther King Day of Service on Monday, Jan. 21.

Here are some of these events; more events in the area from now through Monday can be found at this link. Continue Reading