Halloween is just around the corner and many families are starting preparations – stocking up on candy, purchasing or making costumes and decorating their homes. Some less fortunate families, including the homeless families assisted by local nonprofit Families Forward (FFP), will need help creating memories for their children this October that will last a lifetime.

FFP is organizing an annual Halloween Party and expect to have over 100 children in attendance. You can help make it a memorable event by donating the following items:

• New or gently used costumes (clean and in good condition)
• Snacks (chips, pretzels, juice, and cookies)
• Candy
• Halloween decorations
• Toys or stickers
• Toothpaste, toothbrushes and dental floss

If you have friends, family members, co-workers or neighbors who may have old costumes lying around, ask them to donate them to the children at FFP. With your contribution these children will be able to dress up in their costumes just like other kids for the Halloween party on October 31.

You may drop off donations at FFP’s emergency shelter located at 111 N. 49th Street any day of the week before 7:00 p.m.

To coordinate a drive or donate any of these items above contact Grace Hightower, Director of Fund Development at 215-240-4828 or ghightower@familiesforwardphilly.org.

A couple of crime reports from the weekend:

• A man and a woman were victims of a home invasion on the 200 block of South 44th Street on Saturday evening, Sept 28. Four intruders, two men and two women entered an apartment on the first floor after, locked the victims in the bedroom and ransacked the house, stealing electronic items, including a laptop, iPads and cell phones. One of the victims opened the door when the intruders knocked, NBC Philadelphia reports. The suspects fled through the back door and no injuries were reported.

This home invasion is not a random event, according to Joe Murray of Southwest Police Detectives. “Everyone involved is known to each other,” he told West Philly Local. No other details are available at this time, but Murray said that this crime is not related to the recent home invasion on the 200 block of 50th Street, which, police had said, also wasn’t a random act.

• A West Philly Local reader reports that his car parked in the 48th/49th and Baltimore Ave/Warrington Ave area was broken into on Friday night. “It appears to be someone just looking for money or something quick to sell. Fortunately for us we don’t keep anything in the car of value,” the reader wrote in an email. If you live on that block or in vicinity and your car has also been recently broken into, please let us know or post a comment below.

This neighbor also would like to send a reminder to other residents “to lock up and make sure nothing is visible to a would be stealer.”

A bunch of exciting events and happenings are taking place in our neck of the woods this upcoming weekend and here are some highlights. For more upcoming events, or if you want to submit an event, visit the Events Calendar.

Thursday, Sept 26

• Harvest Moon Social – 6:00 p.m. – The Woodlands (40th & Woodland) – UC Green, a non-profit organization that plants trees an maintains public gardens in West Philly, is celebrating 15 years of serving the community. Harvest Moon Social is a cocktail reception and a dinner fundraiser. Tickets are still available. For more information and to purchase tickets ($75), visit the event’s Facebook page.

• PSA-feat. Dead Prez – 9:00 p.m. – The Blockley (38th & Chestnut) – Hip-hop duo Dead Prez is visiting West Philly this Thursday to be part of the PSA, a continuing branded series of events at The Blockley. The concerts are intended to double as a social awareness effort, dedicated to educating people on the problems and plight of U.S.-held political prisoners, mass incarceration and solitary confinement. Tickets ($25) can be purchased here.

Friday, Sept 27

• Curio Benefit Night – 8:00 p.m. – St. Francis De Sales School Banquet Room (917 S. 47th St) – This Friday you can support Curio Theatre and enjoy a wonderful night of fun and entertainment. Admission ($50 per person) includes food, drinks (wine, beer and a special Wild West cocktail, live music, raffle and prizes. One of the benefit show highlights is the Best of the West (Philly) Talent Smackdown. To buy tickets, visit: http://www.curiotheatre.org/2013-benefit-night.html  Continue Reading

Unfortunately, there has been another breaking and entering incident near 50th street. We reported yesterday about the home invasion on 50th street between Walnut and Locust (read more here), when three armed men wearing masks broke into a home on Tuesday early morning, tied up four people – a man and three women – and stole cash, computers and a car.

A West Philly Local reader reports that her house located on Cedar Avenue between 50th and 51st streets was broken into on Monday night, sometime before midnight, when no one was home. She says that windows were opened with a crowbar and the whole house was ransacked – the thief went through everyone’s drawers and closets.

Two bikes (a green trek hybrid with cruiser handlebars, and a no name road bike with gold and leopard paint) and two computers were stolen (one desktop iMac, one white PowerBook).

According to police, this burglary and the home invasion, which was a targeted attack, are not related.

The Garden Court Community Association (GCCA) has been busy this month organizing events to help local residents learn more about the neighborhood and boost their sense of community. West Philly Local wrote about “Farm to Ford” historical walking tours of Garden Court neighborhood that kicked off last Saturday. Three more tours ($5 each!) are coming up – on October 5, 12 and 19 – and to sign up, email: GCCAtour@gmail.com.

This Saturday, Sept. 28, community members are welcome to Progressive Dinner 2013. Join your neighbors for a night of appetizers, dinner, dessert and dancing, to raise funds for various community projects in the Garden Court neighborhood. The event schedule is:

5:30 p.m. – Registration at 4603 Cedar Avenue
5:45 p.m. – Appetizers at 4601 Cedar Avenue
7:00 p.m. – Entrees for 10-20 people at various locations in the Garden Court neighborhood
8:30 p.m. – Desserts and Dancing at Take the Lead Dance Studio (47th & Pine)

Member cost is $35/person ($40 for non-members). To register contact Mary-Knight Young at 267-521-9303 or maryknightbell@gmail.com. For more information contact Maria Delgado at 215-748-5476.

Police are currently searching for three men who broke into a home on the 200 block of South 50th Street this morning. ABC6 is reporting that the masked men who were armed with guns broke into the home around 4:30 a.m., tied up its residents – a man and three women all in their 20’s –  and stole cash, computers and car keys before making their getaway in a stolen Nissan Altima with Nevada plates.

Police say the men broke in through a basement window. West Philly Local readers reported helicopters circling around the area this morning.

“They forcefully grabbed their hands, tied them up, one handcuffed, tied with a belt, duct tape,” Philadelphia Police Captain George Fuchs told ABC6. “Obviously the victims are very traumatized.”

UPDATE (2:30 p.m.): A police source familiar with the investigation said it was “not a random act.” The investigation continues.