Dear Penn Community,

Thank you so very much for all of your contributions and support of our surrounding community. Many benefit from your partnerships and willingness to give. Thank you also for your donation of $580 to the Annual Penn VIPS Change Drive. Your generous donation will be used to support one of the winners of the Annual Marie K. Bogle Scholarship sponsored by Penn VIPS/Business Services Division. For a description of the Scholarship program, see our homepage.

Below is a list of current volunteer activities. We welcome your participation. Please e-mail me at sammapp@pobox.upenn.edu for more information.

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

“Adopt” a Philadelphia School Classroom: 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-It notes, 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 would have the opportunity to 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.

University Assisted Community Schools Nights: Have a special talent? Want to teach it to members of the surrounding community? We are beginning an exciting program called University Assisted Community Schools Nights. 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 will be held at West Philadelphia High School from 6-8 p.m.

Teach at the Nonprofit Institute: The Nonprofit and Communities of Faith Nonprofit Institute provides high-impact training to help individuals. Nonprofits and communities of faith improve the quality of services to their constituency. Through the Nonprofit Institute, persons involved with local nonprofits and communities of faith learn how to build organizational and program capacity through the study of funding, technology and capacity building. Do you have expertise in an area that participants can benefit from? Please share your expertise by volunteering to teach a class in management, finances, technology, fundraising, etc. The next series of classes are scheduled for June 21-23 & June 28-30. Individual classes are between one and a half, two and three hours in length, depending on the subject matter. They would love to have you share your expertise with the community especially if you have an expertise in writing business plans.

Had a Conference?  Do you have left-over bags, T-shirts, tchotchkes?  Need to empty out your storage space? Please donate them to Penn VIPS to be put them to great use by donating them to members in the community, many of the students we work with, and to say thank you to many of the volunteers.

Volunteer to be a mentor! Program is on-site at the University, and takes place from October-May, once a month. Work with seventh graders to expose them to the world of work, and help them explore career choices, and the importance of attending college.