The holidays are approaching fast and a lot of charitable organizations are stepping up their efforts to help those in need. This year has been especially hard for many families and children already at risk because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are some of the holiday drives going on in West Philly this year.

Photo courtesy of ACHIEVEability

ACHIEVEability’s Children’s Holiday Gift Drive

“This year has been tough for all of us, especially West Philadelphian children. Virtual learning and quarantine have impacted these kids in so many ways… This holiday season help bring joy to a child in need by donating a special gift.”

Sign up to provide holiday gifts for those in need by December 6 by emailing Matt at mlafronz@achieve-ability.org. Indicate how many children you would like to sponsor. After that you will receive a link to an Amazon wish list for each child you are sponsoring. Purchase a gift(s) totaling up to $50 for each child you sponsor, and wrap and label the gift(s). Make arrangements to deliver all items to ACHIEVEability at 21 S. 61st St., Philadelphia, PA 19139 by December 13. If you ship the items directly to ACHIEVEability from Amazon, please include a gift note with your package, including your name and contact information.  Continue Reading

Pennsylvania’s Community-Accessible Testing & Education initiative’s mobile testing unit, CATE, will be making stops in Philadelphia for the next three days. Adults and children needing COVID-19 tests can receive one at no-cost thanks to a partnership with Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and Philadelphia Fight.

CATE’s tour schedule includes the following stops in West Philly:

• Saturday, Nov. 21, 9am-12pm, Vine Memorial Baptist Church, 5600 W. Girard Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19131

• Saturday, Nov. 21, 2pm-6pm, Woodland Rec Center, 1414 S 47th Street, Philadelphia PA 19143

• Monday, Nov. 23, 9am-12pm, Mill Creek Playground, 4700 Brown St., Philadelphia, PA 19139  Continue Reading

The area around 46th and Market Streets has been designated an “Opportunity Zone,” a federal tax incentive created as part of the 2018 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and community groups are asking for residents’ input on the types of development that should be pursued.

A host of local community organizations, including Walnut Hill Community Association, West Park Tenants Association, Mill Creek Advisory Council, and more, will be reaching out to community members over the next few months in order to gather feedback, and build a community tool in the form of “a Letter to Investors” for the 46th and Market Street area. They want to make sure that neighborhood residents’ interests are represented.  Continue Reading

The University of Pennsylvania and Philadelphia city and School District officials announced today that Penn will make a $100 million contribution to the School District of Philadelphia. The contribution – $10 million annually for 10 years – will be used to eliminate environmental hazards, including asbestos and lead, in the School District’s facilities.

“We are proud to be able to partner with our City and School District to significantly improve the learning environment for Philadelphia’s schoolchildren in a way that will have a long-lasting impact on the health, safety, and wellbeing of our entire City,” said University of Pennsylvania President Amy Gutmann.  Continue Reading

Philadelphia officials have announced new restrictions in response to increasing COVID-19 cases in the city. The restrictions, which will be effective from Friday, Nov. 20 through January 1, 2021, will affect businesses, events and gatherings and other activities.

Starting this Friday, the following businesses and activities are not allowed:  Continue Reading

The Philadelphia City Council has unanimously passed a resolution to establish the MOVE bombing day, May 13, as an annual day of “observation, reflection and recommitment.” The resolution formally apologizes on behalf of the City Council for the 1985 city-sanctioned bombing of the MOVE home at 6221 Osage Ave. that killed 11 people, including five children, and burned dozens of neighborhood homes.

The resolution was introduced by City Councilmember Jamie Gauthier (3rd District) in connection to last month’s police killing of Walter Wallace Jr. in the Cobb’s Creek neighborhood.  Continue Reading