We’re happy to pass along information on two local causes that support community education.

Metropolitan owner Jim Lily and PIC executive director Debbie Green (photo courtesy PIC).

The Parent Infant Center (PIC) at 42nd and Locust recently received a generous and heartfelt gift from a local business. Metropolitan Bakery & Café’s owner Jim Lily sent a touching letter to PIC’s Executive Director Debbie Green and presented a $600 donation for PIC’s Cindy Fund. In his letter, Lily wrote about his close relationship with PIC (his daughter participated in the after-school program there) and about his friendship with former executive director Cindy Roberts who passed away in February. Roberts and Lily were also neighbors; they lived across the street from each other.

University City’s Metropolitan celebrated its 12th anniversary on April 26, and a portion of sales on that day made up this donation. Read more about this wonderful gesture on the PIC website.

The Cindy Fund was established in memory of Roberts, who was passionate about children and families and believed in equal access to quality preschool for all families, regardless of income. To learn more about the Cindy Fund, go here.  Continue Reading

Photo from Parentinfantcenter.org

The Parent Infant Center and Spruce Hill community have lost a long-time resident and leader. Cindy Roberts, a former PIC parent and in the recent years, their Executive Director, passed away on February 10th after a year-long battle with cancer. She was 62.

A tribute to Roberts posted on the PIC website reads that even in the face of illness, she “continued to show her grace, never-ending generosity, and wonderfully quick wit.”

Roberts and her family moved to West Philly in 1985 and enrolled their two-year-old daughter at PIC. She was a “part of PIC’s culture for more than 30 years — first as a parent, then as a Board member, and finally as an administrator and Executive Director,” according to PIC’s tribute.

Cindy Roberts serving dessert at Charles Dickens’ Birthday Party in Clark Park in February 2013. (Photo from Friendsofclarkpark.org)

Roberts served as PIC’s Executive Director from 2007 to 2012. She led the expansion of the center and worked on the increase of access to quality pre-kindergarten to at-risk children and families. During her PIC leadership years, she was also behind the development of the innovative outdoor learning space, “Magic Circle.”

Roberts was also a fixture in the Spruce Hill neighborhood. She served as president of the Spruce Hill Community Association and of the Friends of Clark Park. According to Philly.com, Roberts, along with her husband Daniel R. Biddle, “was a tireless civic worker and the driving force behind the revival of Clark Park, just a few blocks from the couple’s home.”

A Memorial Service for Cindy Roberts will take place at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 27 at the Arch Street Friends Meetinghouse, 320 Arch Street. The family asks that donations in her memory be made to fund pre-K slots for disadvantaged children at the Parent Infant Center, 4205 Locust Street.

The Parent Infant Center invites families with young children to celebrate the joy of reading at the annual PIC Family Book Fest on Saturday, Nov. 22. There will be plenty of read-aloud stories and crafts, Bollywood dancing, music, storytelling, and an appearance by WXPN’s Kathy O’Connell, host of Kids Corner. You can also bring a slightly used children’s book for the book swap table and take home something new to you.

The event will be held at The Rotunda (40th and Walnut), from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

If your child is entering Kindergarten in the fall, check out this great event organized by Parent Infant Center (PIC).

On Sunday, Aug. 17 from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m., PIC (42nd and Locust) invites all families in the community who have rising kindergarteners to join them for a fun play date.

This is a great opportunity to meet soon-to-be kindergarteners and their families and enjoy a casual time together. You can also learn what you can expect from families whose children have finished their kindergarten year. Representatives from PIC’s After School Center will be on hand to answer questions.

Siblings are welcome and families are encouraged to bring a snack to share.

To RSVP and if you have questions, email: kplaydate [at] gmail.com

This upcoming weekend, you can buy some beautiful or useful plants for your garden, yard, porch or house and support two vital local non-profits.

Photo via Parentinfantcenter.org

Parent Infant Center is holding its annual Spring Plant Sale on Friday and Saturday (May 2 & 3). The sale features a great variety of annuals, perennials, hanging baskets, herbs, vegetables & fruit, and more. Those who had pre-ordered plants can pick them up during the sale days: from 3-6 p.m. on Friday, and from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. on Saturday.

The sale will be held in the chapel at 4205 Spruce Street. All proceeds from this annual fundraiser are dedicated to PIC’s Scholarship Fund, which was established in 1986.

We hear that the weather will be nice this weekend so why not head to the beautiful Bartram’s Garden for its Spring Fest and Plant Sale. The big annual event will take place on Saturday and Sunday (May 3 & 4), 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. (the member preview party is Friday, May 2, 4 – 7 p.m.).

This sale will feature a selection of heirloom roses in celebration of the historic site’s Carr Garden Restoration project, plus vegetables, herbs, native perennials, shrubs, trees and more.

Nicole Juday, a local Rosarian and Horticulture Education Coordinator at the Barnes Foundation, will hold a special presentation, “Growing Roses,” on Saturday from noon to 1:30 p.m., to tie into the Carr Garden Restoration Project, which will feature many historic rose varieties. The cost for the presentation is $10 for adults/$8 for seniors/Free for Bartram’s Garden Members. To register online go to: bartramroses.bpt.me.

Also on Saturday, horticulturists will be available to answer questions and share garden-planning advice. Garden and community farm tours will be offered from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. A full list of plants for sale can be found here. For more Saturday events and Sunday schedule, visit this page.

Bartram’s Garden is located at 54th St and Lindbergh Blvd and is easily accessible by bike and the 36 Trolley. There’s also free parking on the site.

Update (Apr 17): The pre-sale deadline has been extended until Friday, Apr 19 and orders can be picked up at  PIC (4205 Spruce St) during sale days on May 3 and 4.

Thursday, Apr 4: The annual Parent Infant Center (PIC) plant sale is back and better than ever! There is an enormous selection of annuals, perennials, herbs, veggies, hanging baskets, and more, all supplied by local growers, so it’s a great chance to help West Philly go greener this spring and also support PIC that has been in the neighborhood for 35 years. Every penny raised from the sale will go to the PIC Scholarship Fund, established in 1986 so that more neighborhood families could afford high-quality child care.

The success of this event depends on pre-sales that are going on right now. Orders can be placed online at picplantsale.org.

If you would like to learn more about the sale and what it supports, visit www.parentinfantcenter.org or email rcrossot@parentinfantcenter.org.