UPDATE (April 15, 2016): If you wanted to pre-order your plants at the annual Parent Infant Center’s Plant Sale, but didn’t get a chance yet, here’s good news: Pre-sale deadline has been extended through Monday, Apr. 18. Please go to http://picplantsale.org/ to browse the selection of plants and to make your purchase.

A large variety of annuals, perennials, fruits & veggies, herbs and other plants is currently available for pre-order at the annual Parent Infant Center (PIC) Spring Plant Sale. The sale will be held on April 29 and 30 at the beautiful St. Andrews Chapel (42nd and Spruce), which will be turned into a pop-up garden center that weekend.

This annual event supports PIC’s Tuition Assistance Fund. About 100 volunteers help prepare and run the sale.

Over 100 varieties of plants are available for online pre-order, and you can pick up your order on Thursday, April 28 (for orders over $250), or during the sale on Friday, April 29, 4-6 p.m. and on Saturday, April 30, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. There are also $1 raffle tickets available for a chance to win a $100 gift card to Talula’s Garden.

For more information about the sale at St. Andrews Chapel (42nd and Spruce), visit: http://www.parentinfantcenter.org/support-pic/plant-sale

An organization tasked with helping to settle Afghan, Syrian and Congolese refugees arriving in the city is looking for donations of everything from mentorship and language teachers to dishes and used furniture.

Jess Hinchey of the Nationalities Service Center (NSC) told the Spruce Hill Community Association Board last night that some 600-800 refugees a year settle in Philadelphia, many in West Philly.

She said that the organization is always looking for volunteer help and donations.

An SHCA board member suggested taking advantage of “Penn Christmas,” when departing students  leave behind furniture and other items on the street at the semester’s end, to provide items for refugees.

More information about volunteering and donations is available at the NSC website here. You can also email Michelle Fauber at: mfauber@nscphila.org

A few community meetings will be held this week – in the Spruce Hill and Walnut Hill neighborhoods – where residents can learn more and ask questions about public safety, development projects, and other important issues.

Two meetings are scheduled at Spruce Hill Community Association’s office at 257 S. 45th St this week:

• SHCA Board Meeting will take place tonight (Tuesday, Apr. 12) at 7:30 p.m., and the guest speaker is Jess Hinchey, a volunteer coordinator at Refugee Corps.

• SHCA Zoning meeting is on Wednesday, Apr. 13, and has the following agenda:  Continue Reading

Samuel Powel Elementary School students and teachers are planning a series of marches against gun violence and are inviting the community to join them.

“4th graders at Powel School… have been studying Gun Violence in our neighborhoods and city this year. They have decided that they wanted to march through our communities to raise awareness about gun violence,” writes teacher Joe Alberti.

The 4th graders at Powel will be marching through Powelton and Mantua on Thursday, April 21 from 1-2 p.m.

They will be marching up 36th St. to Spring Garden, then up 35th St. to Aspen before walking down 37th St. and back to school, located at 301 N. 36th St. The children created fliers about the march to invite neighbors. Here’s one of them:  Continue Reading

Jaden’s Voice, a non-profit organization supporting families and people impacted by autism in underserved communities, has recently opened an office in West Philadelphia.

In honor of National Autism Awareness Month, Councilman At-Large Derek Green and Founder/CEO of Jaden’s Voice, Terri Matthews, both long-term advocates in the autism community, will host a special Autism Awareness Community Open House on Saturday, Apr. 9, at Jaden’s Voice West Philly location at 5548 Chestnut St. The purpose of this event is to help build awareness about autism in the community and provide resources for families who are impacted by autism. This event will also serve as Councilman Green’s ongoing autism initiative as Chair of City Council’s Committee on Disabilities, and support Jaden’s Voice official grand opening of their West Philadelphia office, which will now offer programs and services directly to the community.  Continue Reading

The city will hold its 9th annual Spring Cleanup on Saturday, Apr. 16 (rescheduled from Apr. 9 due to inclement weather forecast). More than 800 cleanup projects have been registered throughout the city, including dozens in West Philadelphia. Community involvement is essential and many projects are still seeking volunteers. Residents are also encouraged to step outside their buildings, pick up trash and remove debris or check out empty lots nearby for litter.

To find a registered cleanup project near you and to volunteer, go here or click on the map image below:

In addition to these projects, Philadelphia Free Library branches are also holding Spring Cleanups this Saturday, from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. You can find your local branch here.  Continue Reading