The Enterprise Center CDC will host a Turkey and Coat Drive on Friday, Nov. 21, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Malcolm X Park (51st and Pine) to provide relief to local families in need as they navigate between rising grocery prices, mass layoffs, and cuts to SNAP. The Enterprise Center CDC announced that the drive will support 300 families and will focus on West Philadelphia residents.

Each family will receive a complete Thanksgiving meal kit including a turkey, corn, gravy, stuffing, yams, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, cranberry sauce, butter, and cornbread mix. Residents will also have the option of receiving a coat and other winter attire, including a sweatshirt, hat, socks and gloves.

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The city’s annual fall leaf recycling program kicked off last week and will continue until Dec. 20. This is a great opportunity to get rid of fall leaves in an environmentally-friendly way.

During the seven-week program, residents can drop off bagged leaves at 13 locations across the city on some Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.. West Philadelphia residents can drop off bagged leaves on Nov. 22, Dec. 6, Dec. 13 and Dec. 20 at the following locations:

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West Philly-based City Councilmember, Jamie Gauthier, recently introduced Bill No. 250768, the “Stop Trashing Our Air” Act, to bar the City from entering into new contracts for the burning of trash. On Monday, Nov. 17, the Council’s Committee on the Environment will hold a public hearing on this bill, and public testimony is invited.

In introducing the bill, Councilmember Gauthier made three main arguments for its approval:

• Burning trash emits highly toxic ash into Philadelphia’s air. Currently the City sends over a third (37 percent) of our trash to the Reworld (Covanta) incinerator in Chester City, the country’s largest incinerator and Southeastern PA’s largest industrial polluter. Many studies confirm that toxic ash created by trash incinerators contributes to illnesses like asthma and cancer, which today affect disproportionately large numbers of City residents.

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A great West Philly tradition is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. The 25th Annual Peoplehood Parade & Pageant, Spiral Q’s hand-made people-powered celebration of solidarity, creativity, and courage, is on Saturday, Nov. 8. It’s a day of participatory theater, live music, giant puppets, and a celebration that reminds us of our collective power and the importance of joining together.

Peoplehood starts with a parade that marches from the Paul Robeson House to Clark Park where the day culminates in a Pageant performance that celebrates the city’s vibrant communities, and collective vision for a more just and joyful Philadelphia. Peoplehood isn’t just a single Parade day, but a month-long art-making and community building process that takes hundreds of artists, organizers, families and students to create.

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Rebuild Philadelphia has kicked off another public space renovation and transformation project in West Philadelphia. On Thursday, Rebuild, city officials, Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, and community members gathered at 51st and Parrish to break ground on the West Mill Creek Playground and Plaza.

The project is part of a $4.5 million investment through the city’s Rebuild program, supported by a $600,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development’s Local Share Account program and $500,000 from Councilmember Jaime Gauthier (3rd District) through the Improvement to Existing Facilities (ITEF) program.

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Here’s a short update on the West Philly Tool Library (WPTL) which recently announced that it has to vacate its long-term location on South 47th Street. The tool library’s last day of operation at 1314 S 47th St. is today (Fri, Oct. 31). After today, it will close for a month and is expected to reopen at a new location, according to a social media announcement.

The new location hasn’t been announced yet. Currently, the library is seeking volunteers to help with its move. Click here to sign up.

The West Philly Tool Library recently held a successful fundraising event in support of their move.

“A huge thank you to everyone who supported our fundraiser this past weekend – our volunteers, staff, local artists, small businesses, and the community! We are so grateful to everyone who love and support WPTL,” the library staff posted on Instagram.

For more information and updates, visit: westphillytools.org.