Thanks: The following pantries benefitted from the University’s Annual Food Drive: People’s Emergency Center, West Philadelphia High School, Comegys Elementary School, Project HOME, Philadelphia Dr. Martin Luther King Association for Nonviolence and Enon Tabernacle Food Pantry.

Thank you to all the special persons for their kindness that made a remarkable difference in the lives of our neighbors.

— Isabel Sampson-Mapp, Associate Director, Netter Center for Community Partnerships

Upcoming Change Drive: March 1–March 17

Change Drive will benefit a graduating high school student accepted at an accredited college or university.

This is a non-tuition scholarship donation given to graduating high school students accepted at an accredited college or university. The program has been in existence for over 20 years and has made a difference in many students’ lives. They were able to use the funds to buy books and the many other items needed to make a home away from home.

The following sites are available for your convenience to make your donation:

Contact Isabel Sampson-Mapp at sammapp@pobox.upenn.edu for additional info.

Reorganizing?  Do you have furniture no longer needed by your department? Local nonprofits are in need of your items! Had a conference? Do you have leftover bags, T-shirts, tchotchkes? Need to empty out your storage space? Please donate them to Penn VIPS.  We will put them to great use by donating them to community members, many of the students we work with, and we will also use them to say thank you to our many volunteers. Contact Isabel Sampson-Mapp at sammapp@pobox.upenn.edu to donate your items.

The West Philadelphia Alliance for Children is systematically reopening school libraries in Philadelphia. They do this through volunteer manpower and donated books. Although they have some large group service projects throughout the year, their greatest need is for regular weekly volunteers in school libraries.

Volunteering for a WePAC library means being part of a team of caring people passionate about sharing the love of reading with the children of Philadelphia. Together, each library team plans read-aloud sessions that help spread the joy of reading. Central to these programs are checkout times for children to explore the library and pick a book to borrow.

The volunteers see classes on a regular basis, coordinated with each school’s schedule and hold library programs in the school libraries that they maintain. They are responsible for the appearance and organization of the libraries. They decorate the library, catalogue donated books, check books in and out and reshelve them. They draw on the diverse skills of their team to nurture literacy in the children.

WePAC asks volunteers to commit to coming in weekly on a set day and time, for at least two hours per week. Please email the days of the week (Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday) and times of day that you have availability. Contact: Rachel George, library and literacy program manager, West Philadelphia Alliance for Children (WePAC) rachel@wepac.org office: (215) 452-0333, cell: (267) 622-0047. 

Join Penn VIPS Drives Committee: Penn volunteers provide a drop off location to collect the many donated items we receive during our annual drives.

A variety of drives are conducted during the course of the year to partner with and help support local schools, families and agencies. Dropsite volunteers are located throughout campus. Volunteers post the events, set up collection sites and help select the recipients for the donations. They also participate in an annual thank you luncheon.

Drives are held during the following times:

Contact Isabel Sampson-Mapp at sammapp@pobox.upenn.edu for additional info.

Donate to the Fairytale Prom-Ject Event: This organization is hoping to provide new and gently used prom clothing for students in the Fishtown area. Items are being collected through April 1. Please contact: Aikia Gilliard at (267) 444-6851 or Renew Clothing at (215) 739-1969 for additional information.

—Isabel Sampson-Mapp, Associate Director, Netter Center for Community Partnerships