Dear Penn Community,

Thank you for your spirit of volunteerism. Many benefit from your willingness to share. We receive many expressions of gratitude from community members and agencies we have partnered with. The University community continues to work towards being good neighbors in our shared community. We thank you for your overwhelming support and for your generosity. Let us help you volunteer! The following are volunteer activities available to the Penn community:

School Supplies Drive August 6-23: Don’t forget to collect school supplies for the Annual Penn Volunteers in Public Service School Supplies Drive.  Support school children by providing books, pens, pencils, book bags, calculators, crayons, rulers, dictionaries, elementary school story books and other items children need to help them be successful in school. Below is a list of suggested items for donation:

Please feel free to take donations to any of the following convenient locations.

Contact Isabel Mapp at sammapp@upenn.edu for additional information.

Become a Mentor in the Penn Workplace Mentoring Program! Encourage 7th graders from a local school to do well in school. Talk to them about the importance of college. Share your area of expertise in your job with them and help them to think about their futures. Make a difference in the life of a young person! Mentors meet with students once a month from September-May. All sessions are held on Penn’s campus. Training is held in September. Volunteer today. Contact Isabel Mapp at sammapp@upenn.edu for additional information.

Teach at the University Assisted Community School (UACS Nights): Have a special talent? Want to teach it to members of the surrounding community? Our exciting program, University Assisted Community Schools Nights, continues. Teach adult learners your expertise. Teach resume writing, interviewing skills, computers, employment prep, dance, hair braiding, cooking and/or a subject you are passionate about. Teach once a week for a one- or two-hour period for four to six weeks. We also welcome classes that can be taught in one session. Classes are normally held from 6-8 p.m. Convenient location TBA. Contact Isabel Mapp at sammapp@upenn.edu  for more information.Become a Mentor in the Penn Workplace Mentoring Program! Encourage 7th graders from a local school to do well in school. Talk to them about the importance of college. Share your area of expertise in your job with them and help them to think about their futures. Make a difference in the life of a young person! Mentors meet with students once a month from September-May. All sessions are held on Penn’s campus. Training is held in September. Volunteer today. Contact Isabel Mapp at sammapp@upenn.edu for additional information.

Penn Adopts A Classroom: An opportunity for you and your colleagues to “adopt” a Philadelphia school classroom and help teachers with needed supplies for their rooms. Provide needed classroom items like reams of paper, pens, pencils, tissues, hand sanitizer, notebooks, folders, glue sticks, disinfecting wipes, calculators, index cards, scissors, backpacks, pencil sharpeners, dividers, protractors, highlighters, markers, construction paper, book socks, combination locks, personal organizers, Post-Its, tape, staplers and staples, etc. Work with classrooms involved in Community Schools operated by the Netter Center for Community Partnerships. Schools include Lea,  Sayre, West, and Comegys. You could select the age group you prefer. A classroom would be assigned to you with a wish-list. You and your colleagues can spend the summer collecting the supplies. Arrangements will be made in September for you to make your donations to your adopted class. Contact Isabel Mapp at sammapp@upenn.edu for additional information.

Become a Dropsite Volunteer: Dropsite volunteers are located throughout the University and provide the site for collections during our annual school, food, gift and change drives. All that is required is for you to set up a collection area, put up a flyer and collect the donations.  There are only approximately 3-4 activities per year. Contact Isabel Mapp at sammapp@pobox.upenn.edu for more details.

Leftover conference bags, t-shirts, pens, etc.? Donate them to Penn VIPS.  We will share them with school children and members of the community. Contact Isabel Mapp at sammapp@upenn.edu  for additional information.

Putts, Prana and Peace event: The day will include a yoga/meditation session, along with the mini-golf, and a lunch for at-risk youth. Several days are available between August 19-30. Volunteers interact with the kids in the programming by participating in a round of miniature golf with them. If you are interested, contact Michael Kostinas michaelk@shelteredyoga.org

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

Office of Government and Community Affairs