The Office of City Councilmember Jamie Gauthier is hosting a Holiday Toy Drive for youth in the Third District, which encompasses West and Southwest Philadelphia. Donations of new, unwrapped toys are accepted through Friday, Dec. 17 at City Hall, Room 586 (1400 JFK Blvd.). Check out the flier below with more information.

Donations of toys and other items are also welcome at various West Philly-based non-profit organizations working with families and youth, such as Achievability, People’s Emergency Center, and Families Forward.

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The annual Holiday Basket Drive has returned to Cedar Park in its usual format after taking a break last year due to the pandemic. This is a great chance for neighbors to help other neighbors in need during the holidays.

The campaign is run by the neighborhood association Cedar Park Neighbors (CPN), who with the help of area churches and other nonprofit organizations will prepare and distribute food baskets for those in need on December 18. Volunteers are also welcome!

Currently, CPN is accepting donations from its members and everyone who would like to help. Suggested donation this year is $45, which will help feed two families. Continue Reading

Two local non-profit organizations are seeking volunteers to work with Philadelphia children on their reading and writing skills or to help with other tasks.

• Mighty Writers, which has been focusing on providing food and literacy during the pandemic, is looking for volunteers who love writing and want to share that love with young people. Volunteers at Mighty Writers (over 400 every year!) are writers, playwrights, filmmakers, artists and business professionals. Volunteers all have three things in common: compassion, patience and a willingness to learn from the students.

Currently there are two ways to volunteer with Mighty Writers – by offering 1:1 writing attention to a child, or supporting the organization’s food and diaper distribution efforts. Continue Reading

The Curio Theatre Company staff cannot wait to welcome patrons back for live indoor shows for the first time since Fall 2019. But, to be able to put on a live performance, in compliance with the guidelines of the Actors’ Equity Association, the West Philly theatre needs to improve ventilation in their space (it is located in the old Calvary Church building at 48th and Baltimore). The cost of the required ventilation system is $10,000 and Curio is currently seeking help from the community.

“As you can imagine, this is a heavy financial lift for our small organization after nearly two years without our usual business activity,” reads Curio’s fundraising appeal. “That is why our second annual Spotlight Fund will be dedicated to raising the funds needed for this HVAC system rental.” Continue Reading

The family and friends of Haroon Sharifi, a West Philly resident with Afghan roots, who was stuck in Afghanistan for days after the Taliban takeover of the country, can now breathe a sigh of relief. Haroon arrived back in the United States on August 24th and has made his way back home to West Philly, according to information provided by his West Philly friends. But it took a joint effort by Haroon’s wife, Awista Hashimi (she had stayed in Philadelphia with their five children), and his West Philly friends and neighbors to bring him back home.

Earlier this month Haroon, a permanent resident who along with his wife and children was granted asylum in the U.S. five years ago, made an emergency trip to Kabul to help his family secure medical care for his seriously ill mother. His return flight was scheduled to take place last Monday, the day the airport closed to commercial flights after the Taliban takeover. Continue Reading

Photo courtesy of Curio Theatre Company

Curio Theatre Company will hold two in-person summer camp sessions for children in grades K through 8th next month with a limited number of students due to COVID safety protocols. Session one will be held from July 5-16 and Session Two from July 19-30. Session One has mostly sold out, but some spots are still available for campers in grades K through 2nd.

Some of you may be familiar with Curio’s scholarship program. The 16-year-old West Philly theatre company has always strived to offer year-round theatre education to all area children, regardless of their financial situation. Especially in 2021, Curio believes in the power of “safe and responsible” creative outlets for kids and is offering in-person education with limited capacity. After being virtual for so long, Curio staff can’t wait to get back into playing spaces with creative campers. Since the number of campers this year is limited and to be able to give scholarships to kids who cannot afford camp tuition Curio needs to raise about $7,500. Continue Reading