We Know Philadelphians Want To Make A Difference
That’s where we come in. We strive to “untap” resources and opportunities in Philly for those we serve. We tap into the huge pool of talented young professionals who want to volunteer and help those volunteers tap into Philadelphia nonprofits. We're passionate about volunteering. But there’s a large social component to this as well. After helping the community on Saturday mornings, we tap beers at the bar, tap into new connections with other young people, and tap into new opportunities through giving back and inspiring change in our community.
VU PHL & Leveling the Playing Field
Leveling the Playing Field (LPF) redistributes equipment to expand access and equity within youth sports and recreation programs.
What we will be doing on Saturday, February 10th, 10AM - 1 PM:
VU in partnership with LPF, will sort, organize, and inventory donated sports equipment for redistribution to various youth and sports programs.
Notes ahead of the event!
Please fill out the waiver prior to attendance, which can be found here.
Parking & Transportation
Parking: There is a dedicated parking lot - we highly suggest carpooling!
Nearby buses routes: 113, 114, 113
Regional Rail: Curtis Park stop on the Wilmington/Newark Line
VUPHL + Campaign for Working Families
Campaign for Working Families (CWF) is a non-profit driven support families and individuals in the community to financial stability through programs such as tax preparation, workforce training and employment, and financial services, resources, and public benefits. CWF advocates for policies and initiatives that lead to opportunities and financial stability throughout the community.
What we will be doing:
Campaign for Working Families is helping folks prepare for the new year and upcoming tax season and need our help! We will be helping put together Intake Folders for taxpayers to use when working with CWF and creating Supply Kits for their tax sites.
Come for taxes, stay for the Afterjawn!
After an afternoon with CWF, we'll head to Rybrew on 2600 W Girard Ave for some food, drinks, and hangs. It's a great chance to get to know the VU Crew and celebrate the good work we're all doing together!
Questions? Contact us at volunteeringuntappedphl@gmail.com
MANNA & VUPHL!
MANNA is a non-profit organization that cooks and delivers nutritious, medically-appropriate meals and provides nutrition counseling to neighbors who are battling life-threatening illnesses such as cancer, renal disease, and HIV/AIDS. Through their delivery of 3 meals a day, 7 days a week, MANNA provides hope and nourishment to the Greater Philadelphia area and Southern New Jersey.
What we will be doing on Saturday, October 14th, 12 PM - 3 PM:
MANNA gearing up for their Pie in the Sky campaign, their largest fundraiser of the year, and they need our help! This year, MANNA’s goal is to bake, sell, and distribute 11,000 pies. Money raised goes directly towards preparing and delivering Thanksgiving dinners and providing year-round services for people with acute nutritional risk from a critical illness such as cancer, chronic kidney disease, HIV/AIDS and more.
Come for the pies, stay for the Afterjawn!
After an afternoon in the MANNA kitchen, we'll head to a local restaurant for some food, drinks, and hangs. It's a great chance to get to know the VU Crew and celebrate the good work we're all doing together!
SIGN UP HERE!!
A couple of reminders about the MANNA dress code!
Volunteer safety is a priority at MANNA and the Department of Health requires a dress code for MANNA’s kitchen. Check out our latest safety video here! Volunteers are required to adhere to the following guidelines:
No sleeveless shirts or tank tops
Must wear long pants (no shorts or skirts)
Must wear closed shoes (no open-toed shoes or sandals)
No jewelry is allowed in the kitchen (rings, bracelets, watches, dangling earrings)
Hats and/or head covering is required. Hairnets are provided, but you may bring your own baseball cap or hat to wear.
Disposable aprons and gloves will also be provided onsite.
Parking & Transportation
Rodin Place Garage: This garage is attached to their building and charges $16 after 2 hours.
Metered Street Parking: There is metered street parking available all around our building. Rates may vary.
PPA surface lot: Located on Callowhill St. between 19th and 20th. Visit http://www.philapark.org/19th-callowhill/ for more info.
Free street parking: There is LIMITED free 2hr street parking available on the surrounding streets.
Bike racks: There is a bike rack located in the Rodin Place garage.
SEPTA: MANNA Is conveniently located about a 15-20 minute walk from Suburban Station/City Hall, and is within a 10 minute walk of bus routes: 7, 32, 33, 38, 43, 48, and 49.
MANNA Waiver:
After registering with us here on Eventbrite, you'll receive an email from the VU Crew the week leading up to 10/14 asking you to complete a MANNA pre-registration and waiver. Please try to complete this before volunteering. Thanks!
Fight Food Insecurity with Share Food Program!
Share Food Program leads the fight against food insecurity in the Philadelphia region, by serving an expansive, quality partner network of community-based organizations and school districts engaged in food distribution, education and advocacy. SFP distributes food to hundreds of thousands of neighbors in need each month, over 50% of whom are children and seniors or people with disabilities.
Here's what we'll be doing:
Senior Food Box Program: pack boxes of nutritious food for local seniors that fall below 130% of the poverty line. These boxes are distributed to over 6500 seniors each month across the region.
Share Care Packages: pack boxes of nutritious food for pantry and community partners
Produce Sorting: take donated or rescued fresh produce and prepare them for distribution with their DoorDash Home Deliveries partnership
Car Packing: aid their staff and DoorDash Home Delivery Drivers by packing the cars with the Senior Food Boxes and produce that is being delivered to their program recipients.
Housekeeping: any general cleaning, organizing, or assisting task that supports maintaining the warehouse
What you need to know:
Transit details: On-site parking is available - spaces in Lot A located at the corner of Hunting Park Ave and Henry Ave. There is also on-street parking along Henry Ave. Carpooling and bussing are strongly recommended. Share is accessible through Septa routes 32, R, 1.
Volunteer capacity: 25
Clothing requirements: We are required to wear closed-toed shoes. We will be in an active warehouse, so sneakers/boots are preferred. Softer shoes such as uggs and crocs are not allowed. We encourage you to dress comfortably and appropriately for the weather conditions. If needed, they have masks/gloves available on-site. We encourage you to bring a refillable water bottle.
Minimum age for warehouse volunteers is 13 years old. All volunteers under 17 years old must have a chaperone.
Lifting requirements: You’ll be expected to lift products between 2-35lb boxes/items at a time during the packing process
We'll head to Wissahickon Brewing Company afterwards to celebrate a job well done! It's a chance to get to know the VU Crew and celebrate the good work we're all doing together!
Fight Food Insecurity with Share Food Program!
Share Food Program leads the fight against food insecurity in the Philadelphia region, by serving an expansive, quality partner network of community-based organizations and school districts engaged in food distribution, education and advocacy. SFP distributes food to hundreds of thousands neighbors in need each month, over 50% of whom are children and seniors or people with disabilities.
Here's what we'll be doing:
Senior Food Box Program: pack boxes of nutritious food for local seniors that fall below 130% of the poverty line. These boxes are distributed to over 6500 seniors each month across the region.
Share Care Packages: pack boxes of nutritious food for pantry and community partners
Produce Sorting: take donated or rescued fresh produce and prepare them for distribution with their DoorDash Home Deliveries partnership
Car Packing: aid their staff and DoorDash Home Delivery Drivers by packing the cars with the Senior Food Boxes and produce that is being delivered to their program recipients.
Housekeeping: any general cleaning, organizing, or assisting task that supports maintaining the warehouse
What you need to know:
Transit details: On-site parking is available - spaces in Lot A located at the corner of Hunting Park Ave and Henry Ave. There is also on-street parking along Henry Ave. Carpooling and bussing are strongly recommended. Share is accessible through Septa routes 32, R, 1.
Volunteer capacity: 40
Clothing requirements: We are required to wear closed-toed shoes. We will be in an active warehouse, so sneakers/boots are preferred. Softer shoes such as uggs and crocs are not allowed. We encourage you to dress comfortably and appropriately for the weather conditions. If needed, they have masks/gloves available on-site. We encourage you to bring a refillable water bottle.
Minimum age for warehouse volunteers is 13 years old. All volunteers under 17 years old must have a chaperone.
Lifting requirements: You’ll be expected to lift products between 2-35lb boxes/items at a time during the packing process
We'll all head to a local establishment afterward to celebrate a job well done! It's a great chance to get to know the VU Crew and celebrate the good work we're all doing together!
Liberty Lands and Birthday Party!!
Northern Liberties Green is a group dedicated to maintaining green spaces in the Northern Liberties neighborhood.
Here's what we'll be doing at Orkney Park:
Weeding
Cleaning
Pruning
Graffiti cleaning
Fixing park furniture
What you'll need:
Dress for the weather and in clothing suitable for physical activity that you don't mind getting a little dirty
Sunscreen
** Reusable water bottle (NoLibs parks have water fountains & fill stations)
Work gloves (if you have them. We will also provide!)
Other Information:
NoLib Green will provide all tools & equipment for the activities. They also have used work gloves available
Parking: street parking surrounding the park, we suggest allowing some extra time to look for a spot!
We will send out directions and parking information with the reminder email before the event
AFTERJAWN!
It's our Birthdayjawn! Please stick around afterwards to enjoy some (free) food, drinks, games, and hangs with your new volunteering friends!
Our Birthdayjawn is also our annual fundraiser. We'll be selling raffle tickets for some pretty sweet prizes!
All funds raised go to support our work in the community (administrative costs to keep our group running smoothly, supplies for volunteering events, donations to our nonprofit partner organizations, etc.)
Additional details to come in the days ahead - stay tuned!
VU PHL & Everybody Eats Juneteenth Event!
We're switching things up this month, and for good reason. We are honored and excited to partner with the incredible organization Everybody Eats as they host their 4th annual Juneteenth cookout at Malcolm X Park on SUNDAY, 6/18 giving away food & essentials. Everybody Eats Is planning to serve 5,000 meals In one day!
Now, about that switch-up. This month, we are volunteering on the THIRD SUNDAY instead of the second Saturday. Additionally, this month's event time is a bit different. Everybody Eats is holding their food & essentials giveaway and cookout at Malcolm X Park from 12pm-4pm, so we'll be there for a little longer than our events usually run. Please see below for more info.
Before we get to more info, please learn a bit about this month's partner:
Everybody Eats is a leader in the fight against hunger dedicated to increasing food security and building community. Their mission is to nourish hungry people and lead the community in the fight against hunger. They value and embrace diversity, fairness and inclusion as fundamental to their vision of empowering communities where no one has to go hungry. They believe that access to healthy food is a basic human right and not a privilege. All people deserve regular, nutritious meals. They are committed to conducting honest dialogue with all community partners. Through this dialogue, they will strive to continuously improve. Everybody Eats is run and founded by a team of leading chefs from Philadelphia: Stephanie Willis, Kurt Evans, Aziza Young, Gregory Headen, and Malik Ali.
Everybody Eats is putting together a food and essentials giveaway to celebrate Juneteenth and support the community, and we're eager to help them out. Here's what we'll be assisting with on 6/18:
**Assignments will be given out day-of event**
Food Service:
Setting up food & supply tables
Serving cooked food
Distributing fresh produce, dry goods & supplies
Cleaning up as we go to keep everyone safe
Canvassing the Park (training provided at 10:00am)
-Walking around the park, talking to people to get their thoughts on food insecurity In their community
Registering attendees via QR code onto Rabble, EverybodyEats' new social platform, for the EEP raffle and new opportunities to participate with their local neighborhood
A note on event timing:
This event runs all day. The VU Crew will be there 9:45am-3:00pm:
9:45am: Arrival and check in
10:00-11:00am: Training of days event
11:00am-3pm: Volunteer Activities: Food Service and Canvassing the Park
What you'll need:
Dress for the weather - you will be working outside!
Flat, closed-toe, comfortable shoes
Water bottle, sunblock, hat, etc.
Other Information:
We will send out directions and parking information with the reminder email the Thursday before the event (6/15)
There are a limited number of spots for this event, and we are opening a waitlist just in case. If you can no longer make the event after signing up, please email volunteeringuntappedphl@gmail.com so your spot can go to the next person on the waitlist.
Because this event is a big undertaking for the Everybody Eats team, they're also seeking volunteers on Saturday and Sunday for additional shifts. You can sign up directly on their site
We can't wait to volunteer with you!
Questions? Contact us at volunteeringuntappedphl@gmail.com
Cheers,
VU PHL
Books Through Bars with VU!
A message from Books Through Bars: "We do our best to send the books people ask us for, whatever those may be. By fulfilling all requests to the best of our ability, we work to support self-determination, self-education, and healing behind bars.
Nearly all of the books we send are donated. That means our ability to fulfill requests depends on the donations we receive. By donating books, you can help ensure that incarcerated people receive the books they need!"
What we'll be doing:
Reading letters from inmates requesting books on various topics;
Searching through the Books Through Bars library to find relevant and appropriate books;
Packing the books to be sent in the mail.
Details:
Books Through Bars 4722 Baltimore Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19143
Saturday, May 13th, 2023
11:20 AM - 1:30 PM
11:20-11:30 Volunteers arrive and check-in.
11:30-11:45: Orientation & Announcements
11:45-1:30: Book picking and packing
1:30: Afterjawn!
Event capacity: 20 volunteers
We will be working inside. It's a small building with a lot of book shelves! The library is two floors, and the staircase is rather narrow. Wear flat, comfortable shoes for safety!
Bring your own water bottle
On-street parking is available, and there is a free parking lot next to the building.
Volunteers must wear masks and be vaccinated. If you are unable to attend - especially if you are showing symptoms of COVID-19 - cancel your ticket so that others may sign up for your space
Volunteers must be 18 years of age or older
We'll all head to a local establishment afterwards to celebrate a job well done! It's a great chance to get to know the VU Crew and celebrate the good work we're all doing together!
Questions? Contact us at volunteeringuntappedphl@gmail.com
Cheers,
VU PHL
Door Hanging for Uhuru Furniture & Collectibles!
Uhuru (a Swahili word for freedom) Furniture & Collectibles has been open in Philadelphia for 29 years now, offering top quality, low priced, gently used furniture and home decor in the underserved community of North Philadelphia. Uhuru Furniture is a green business, saving thousands of pounds of furniture from the landfill every year as well as creating employment, training staff and volunteers and funding African People's Educations & Defense Fund (APEDF) programs for health, food, economic self-reliance and human rights by and for the Black community.
What we'll be doing:
After an orientation at Uhuru Furniture, we'll break off into small groups and distribute informational flyers in different neighborhoods.
Door hanging is an important way to support the work of Uhuru Furniture by getting the word out to the broader community in Philadelphia.
Details:
Uhuru Furniture 832 N. Broad St Philadelphia, PA 19130
Saturday, April 8th, 2023
9 AM - 12:30 PM
8:50am Volunteers arrive and check-in.
9:00-9:30: Orientation
9:30-10:00: Travel time to neighborhoods
10:00-12:00: Hang information on doors and/or Education to people about project. (Volunteers will not be soliciting or doing community outreach with this project. We will give volunteers some tips on how to respond if a neighbor asks them a question, but mostly it will be to tell the person to call the store with any questions.)
12:00-12:30 travel back to Uhuru
12:30: Afterjawn!
Event capacity: 20 volunteers
We will be working outside. Dress comfortably in layers and comfortable shoes.
Bring your own water bottle
On-street parking is available at Uhuru Furniture.. We'll either drive or take public transportation to our assigned neighborhoods after the orientatiin.
If you are unable to attend - especially if you are showing symptoms of COVID-19 - cancel your ticket so that others may sign up for your space
Volunteers must be 18 years of age or older
Brothers of Strawberry Mansion & Sanctuary Farm
The Brothers of Strawberry Mansion mission is to assist, identify and provide resources to those residents of the Strawberry Mansion community
Strawberry Mansion Community Development Corporation (SMCDC) was founded in 2004 to promote sustainable revitalization through residential, commercial, and economic development; historic preservation; and the empowerment of the Strawberry Mansion community. Although troubled by disinvestment and blight in the past, today the neighborhood is experiencing renewal and growth at a tremendous pace. SMCDC was formed to drive this renewal, to empower residents, and to preserve the unique character of the community.
What we will be doing on 3/11:
We will be supporting a neighborhood clean up event In Strawberry Mansion.
Additional Details:
Event capacity: 20 volunteers
We will be outside. Dress appropriately in clothes that you don't mind getting dirty.
You can bring own work gloves. We'll have some available, too.
Afterjawn!
We'll all head to a local establishment to celebrate a job well done! It's a great chance to get to know the VU Crew and celebrate the good things we do In our community!
Rybrew, 2600 W Girard Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19130
Sanctuary Farm uses horticulture to combat food insecurity and fill vacancies with vibrance! Since it opened in 2017, Sanctuary Farm has planted, grown, and harvested over 17,300 pounds of fresh produce. The produce has been distributed to over 700 families in the community, free of charge. Sanctuary Farm believes strongly in the transformative power of nature to provide opportunities for neighbors to work together to create a space of beauty, safety, and healing for those in need.
We will be helping out on the farm:
Weeding
Trash/debris pick up
Planting/Watering/Harvesting
Repair Work
Rain or shine: If the weather doesn't cooperate, we'll be working indoors.
Additional Details:
Event capacity: 10 volunteers
We will be outside. Dress appropriately in clothes that you don't mind getting dirty.
You can bring own gloves. We'll have some available, too.
Please do not bring plastic disposable water bottles. Please bring your own reusable bottles. There is a water dispenser available onsite.
Volunteers must sign Sanctuary Farm's liability waiver and photo release. We will have copies on 3/11 If you don't have access to a printer.
Afterjawn!
We'll all head to a local establishment at noon to celebrate a job well done! It's a great chance to get to know the VU Crew and celebrate the good things we do In our community!
Rybrew, 2600 W Girard Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19130
Small Things Philly - 2 Locations
Join the Fight Against Food Insecurity with Small Things Philly!
1 Mission. 2 Locations.
Small Things Philly works with local partners and community leaders to alleviate poverty by improving food security and collaborating to address other community needs.
Roxborough Warehouse
What we'll be doing: Packing pallets and/or boxes of dry food to distribute
Details:
Saturday, February 11th, 2023
10 AM - 12 PM
Small Things 401 Domino Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19128
Event capacity: 20 volunteers
We will be working in a warehouse. Dress comfortably in layers. Wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty
Bring your own water bottle
Parking is available in the warehouse parking lot
If you are unable to attend - especially if you are showing symptoms of COVID-19, have been diagnosed with COVID-19, or had direct contact with an individual diagnosed with or suspected to have COVID-19 in the past 14 days - cancel your ticket so that others may sign up for your space
Volunteers must be 18 years of age or older
South Philly - Snyder Ave
What we'll be doing: Distributing food to community members
Details:
Saturday, February 11th, 2023
10 AM - 12 PM
Small Things 300 Snyder Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19148
Event capacity: 10 volunteers
We will be working inside and outside. Dress warmly and comfortably in layers. Wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty
Bring your own water bottle
Parking is available in the warehouse parking lot
If you are unable to attend - especially if you are showing symptoms of COVID-19, have been diagnosed with COVID-19, or had direct contact with an individual diagnosed with or suspected to have COVID-19 in the past 14 days - cancel your ticket so that others may sign up for your space
Volunteers must be 18 years of age or older
We will be interacting directly with community members. The ability to speak Spanish or Mandarin will be incredibly valuable.
Sign Up for South Philly Here!
Afterjawn!
We'll all head to a local establishment (TBA) to celebrate a job well done! It's a great chance to get to know the VU Crew and celebrate the good work we're all doing together!
Leveling the Playing Field
Leveling the Playing Field was founded in 2013 in response to the growing inequity between those that can afford to play sports and those that cannot, and the prominent role the cost of sporting goods was playing in that gap.
After working in youth sports, college athletics and professional football, our founder, Max Levitt, realized the volume of equipment that goes to waste from elementary school aged kids all the way up to our professional sports franchises. In response, he decided to develop essentially a food bank for sports equipment.
SIGN UP HERE!
What we'll be doing:
sorting and inventorying incoming donations
reorganizing shelves
helping to put together donations that are going out into the community.
Details:
Saturday, January 14th, 2023
10 AM - 12 PM
Leveling the Playing Field 404 Elmwood Avenue Sharon Hill, PA 19079
Event capacity: 25 volunteers
We will be working in a warehouse. Dress comfortably in clothes you don't mind getting dirty
Bring your own gloves if you are not comfortable handling used and sometimes sweaty sporting goods.
Bring your own water bottle
Parking is available in the warehouse parking lot
If you are unable to attend - especially if you are showing symptoms of COVID-19, have been diagnosed with COVID-19, or had direct contact with an individual diagnosed with or suspected to have COVID-19 in the past 14 days - cancel your ticket so that others may sign up for your space
AFTERJAWN!
We'll all head to a local establishment (TBA) to celebrate a job well done! It's a great chance to get to know the VU Crew and celebrate the good work we're all doing together!
Questions? Contact us at volunteeringuntappedphl@gmail.com
Cheers,
VU PHL
CeaseFirePA
CeaseFirePA galvanizes the public to advocate for solutions, partners with those most impacted by gun violence, engineers rapid response campaigns, and holds politicians accountable for the votes they cast and legislation they draft, ensuring that those closest to the issues are receiving the support they need and bringing groups of all kinds together from all across the state.
What we will be doing on 12/10:
We will be doing virtual phone banking with CeaseFirePA
Calling their supporters to encourage them to attend virtual vigils for Sandy Hook victims
Additional Details:
Event capacity: 30 volunteers
We will meet virtually via Zoom
CeaseFirePA will provide scripts
Afterjawn!
We'll all head to Cook & Shaker at noon for some happy hour specials to celebrate a job well done! It's a great chance to get to know the VU Crew and celebrate the good work we're all doing together!
12:00 PM @ Cook & Shaker 2301 E Albert St, Philadelphia, PA 19125
Operation In My Back Yard
Operation in My Back Yard is an anti-NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) group that advocates for harm reduction and provides free food and supplies to people, including Naloxone, safer injection supplies, safer smoking supplies, safer sex work supplies, and Fentanyl testing strips. OIMBY believes in empowering people who use drugs by educating them on how to do so safely.
What we will be doing on 12/10:
We will be supporting a community outreach event in Kensington:
Setting up tables and supplies
Distributing food
Breaking down and cleaning up
Additional Details:
Event capacity: 10 volunteers
We will be outside. Dress appropriately.
Volunteers must sign OIMBY's waiver.
Afterjawn!
We'll all head to Cook & Shaker at noon for some happy hour specials to celebrate a job well done! It's a great chance to get to know the VU Crew and celebrate the good work we're all doing together!
12:00 PM @ Cook & Shaker 2301 E Albert St, Philadelphia, PA 19125
VU PHL & FABSCRAP
FABSCRAP Philly needs our help to save designer textiles from landfill! Volunteers will sort through fabric samples and swatches, separating fabric from paper headers and folding large, usable fabric to be saved for reuse.
What to expect:
Welcome: Intros and overview of FABSCRAP (10 minutes)
Training: Learn how FABSCRAP sorts fabric for recycling (15 minutes)
Sort: Sort through fabric samples and large pieces, pulling out usable fabrics for reuse and removing hardware and paper from fabric swatches for recycling (~2.5 hours)
***Sorting fabric requires the use of sharp scissors and moderate lifting (20-30 lbs). By registering for a session, you are confirming that you have read, understand, and agree to the volunteer waiver.***
Shop for fabric! (1 hour)
Afterjawn: Once we finish sorting, scrapping, and shopping, we'll all head to a local establishment for some drinks, food, and celebrations of a job well done!
Tips for a successful volunteer session:
Dress comfortably and wear comfortable shoes as most volunteers sort while standing; we can provide chairs if you prefer to sit
Bring your own bag to carry home any material you shop!
We play music, but feel free to bring headphones
Feel free to bring water or beverages with a cap/lid; there are also vending machines in the building
As the weather gets cooler, windows will only be open for ventilation depending on outside temperature
If you are unable to attend - especially if you are showing symptoms of COVID-19, have been diagnosed with COVID-19, or had direct contact with an individual diagnosed with or suspected to have COVID-19 in the past 14 days - cancel your ticket so that others may sign up for your space
As a thank-you for completing a 3 hour volunteer session, FABSCRAP Is happy to:
Give you 5 pounds of fabric for FREE and a 30% volunteer discount on any additional material you’d like to purchase… OR
Waive the fee for recycling personal sewing scraps, up to 10 pounds… OR
Sign a community service form
***FABSCRAP is unable to accept used garments or home linens for recycling.***
MANNA's Pie in the Sky Campaign
MANNA is a non-profit organization that cooks and delivers nutritious, medically-appropriate meals and provides nutrition counseling to neighbors who are battling life-threatening illnesses such as cancer, renal disease, and HIV/AIDS. Through their delivery of 3 meals a day, 7 days a week, MANNA provides hope and nourishment to the Greater Philadelphia area and Southern New Jersey.
What we will be doing on Saturday, October 15th, 9 AM - 1 PM:
MANNA is gearing up for their Pie in the Sky campaign, their largest fundraiser of the year, and they need our help! This year, MANNA’s goal is to bake, sell, and distribute 11,000 pies. Money raised goes directly towards preparing and delivering Thanksgiving dinners and providing year-round services for people with acute nutritional risk from a critical illnesses such as cancer, chronic kidney disease, HIV/AIDS and more.
Volunteer activities:
Activity 1: Pie box assembly, sealing pies
Activity 2: Getting pies packaged and ready for pick-up
Come for the pies, stay for the Afterjawn!
After a long day in the MANNA kitchen, we'll head to a local restaurant for some food, drinks, and hangs. It's a great chance to get to know the VU Crew and celebrate the good work we're all doing together!
REGISTER HERE
Things to know:
Parking & Transportation
There are several options for parking, but please note MANNA does not have any special parking rates or validations.
Bike racks: There is a bike rack located in the Rodin Place garage.
SEPTA: MANNA Is conveniently located about a 15-20 minute walk from Suburban Station/City Hall, and is within a 10 minute walk of bus routes: 7, 32, 33, 38, 43, 48, and 49.
A couple of reminders about our dress code, COVID precautions, and VACCINE REQUIREMENT:
Volunteer safety is a priority at MANNA and the Department of Health requires a dress code for MANNA’s kitchen. Check out our latest safety video here! Volunteers are required to adhere to the following guidelines:
No sleeveless shirts or tank tops, no shorts or skirts, no open-toed shoes or sandals, no jewelry is allowed in the kitchen (rings, bracelets, watches, dangling earrings)
Hats and/or head covering are required. Hairnets are provided, but you may bring your own baseball cap or hat to wear. Disposable aprons and gloves will also be provided onsite.
COVID-19 UPDATE: Per current guidance from the City of Philadelphia, masks are optional.
Proof of vaccination is required to volunteer at MANNA. To read our announcement in its entirety, please visit https://mannapa.org/vaccination-requirement-for-volunteers/. We thank you for your cooperation as we work to keep the MANNA community safe.
VU PHL September Event at Liberty Lands!
We're back at Liberty Lands for this month's volunteering event! Stay for the Afterjawn and celebrate 5 years of VU-PHL with food and games!
Parks and Recreation, VU PHL Style:
We're headed back to the Northern Liberties Green to spend the morning cleaning up and improving Orkney Park on Saturday 9/10. Once we finish beautifying the park, we'll get to enjoy the benefits of our hard work by celebrating our 5th birthday party there! (Food and beer is on us!)
Northern Liberties Green is a group dedicated to maintaining green spaces in the Northern Liberties neighborhood.
Here's what we'll be doing at Orkney Park:
Woodchipping
Cleaning
Pruning
Possibly pulling out a dead tree
What you'll need:
Dress for the weather and in clothing suitable for physical activity (definitely suggest dressing in layers!).
Sunscreen
** Reusable water bottle (NoLibs parks have water fountains & fill stations)
Work gloves (if you have them, we will also provide them!)
Other Information:
NoLib Green will provide all tools & equipment for the activities. They also have used work gloves available
Parking: street parking surrounding the park, we suggest allowing some extra time to look for a spot!
We will send out directions and parking information with the reminder email the Thursday before the event (9/8)
Masks will not be required and are up to volunteer discretion
AFTERJAWN!
It's our Birthdayjawn! Please stick around afterwards to enjoy some (free) food, drinks, games, and hangs with your new volunteering friends!
Our Birthdayjawn is also our annual fundraiser. We'll be selling raffle tickets for some pretty sweet prizes!
All funds raised go to support our work in the community (Supplies for volunteering events, donations to our nonprofit partner organizations, etc.)
Additional details to come in the days ahead - stay tuned!
VU PHL & Two August Events!
We're helping our first ever partner at Philly Reclaim clean up before they close & saying hello to a new partner at Brewerytown Garden!
About this event
***This month we have two volunteering opportunities on the same day but at DIFFERENT TIMES in DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, please look closely when registering!
Happy August everyone! We have bittersweet news, we're volunteering with our first ever VU PHL partner this month at Philadelphia Community Corps! Unfortunately, it's for a sad reason. PCC / Philly Reclaim is closing down and everything in their warehouse must go. They need our help to clean. Over the years PCC has provided career training programs that empower underserved citizens to revitalize blighted neighborhoods by deconstructing vacant buildings and salvaging materials for reuse.
Now you may have noticed we mentioned two events, how observant of you! The second event is with a new partner at Brewerytown Garden. The garden, established in 2011, provides space for over 75 Brewerytown households to grow their own produce each year. They create an environment where all generations and cultures work alongside one another, support and learn from one another, and enjoy events and celebrations together. They strive to introduce children to the joy of gardening, integrate the arts and foster creativity in all our programs, and above all promote gardening as a means of achieving good health and well-being.
Logistics for SATURDAY, AUGUST 13 events:
1. Brewerytown Garden (great for folks with a green thumb!)
8:45am-12:00pm
LOCATION: Master & N 27th Street
Parking: street parking
12 spots available
Activities: Weed & water farm stand plots, fill water bins, fix & turn compost bins
Clothing & what to bring: comfortable clothes that can get dirty, sunscreen, water (VU will also have water!), close toed shoes
2. Philadelphia Community Corps
9:45am-1:00pm
LOCATION: 5200 Unruh Ave
Parking: parking on site
Activities: cleaning out the warehouse
What to wear/bring: comfortable clothes that can get dirty, water (VU will also have water!), close toed shoes
Hang after the event for some beers & pizza!
Walls for Justice - July Event!
For our 5th birthday we're partnering with Walls for Justice - join us at Cooke Elementary School to help them paint school lockers.
Happy 5th birthday to us!! We're celebrating two times in July - first with this impactful volunteering event with Walls for Justice, and a second time with a networking & fundraising event (more details on that to come ASAP we promise).
For July we're teaming up with a new partner, Walls for Justice, to paint lockers at Cooke Elementary School and assist a muralist with a new mural. In between projects there will also be snacks , games, and the chance to learn about some other cool orgs in attendance.
Walls for Justice began painting unifying social justice messages on plywood boards that covered up the storefront windows during the civil unrest and nationwide protests of 2020. Passersby wanted to help paint. Stores asked for messages of support for the community. Media shared their messages. Instead of anger and despair, their words, their art, became a symbol of hope. Today businesses continue to support social change. Artists want to utilize their talent. Marginalized people want to feel empowered. Walls for Justice continues to be a catalyst bringing all three together. They work in public spaces, schools, museums and partner with businesses to hire local artists to push the future forward by creating positive change through art.
Everybody Eats Juneteenth Event
We're switching things up this month, and for good reason. We are honored and excited to partner with the incredible organization Everybody Eats as they host their 3rd birthday and 3rd annual Juneteenth cookout at Malcolm X Park on SUNDAY, 6/19 giving away food & essentials.
Now, about that switch-up. This month, we are volunteering on the THIRD SUNDAY instead of the second Saturday. Additionally, this month's event time is a bit different. Everybody Eats is holding their food & essentials giveaway and cookout at Malcolm X Park from 12pm-4pm, so we are offering three time slots to sign up for (they'll include set up, event time, and break down). Please see below for more info.
Everybody Eats is a leader in the fight against hunger dedicated to increasing food security and building community. Their mission is to nourish hungry people and lead the community in the fight against hunger. They value and embrace diversity, fairness and inclusion as fundamental to their vision of empowering communities where no one has to go hungry. They believe that access to healthy food is a basic human right and not a privilege. All people deserve regular, nutritious meals. They are committed to conducting honest dialogue with all community partners. Through this dialogue, they will strive to continuously improve. Everybody Eats is run and founded by a team of leading chefs from Philadelphia: Stephanie Willis, Kurt Evans, Aziza Young, Gregory Headen, and Malik Ali.
Everybody Eats is putting together a food and essentials giveaway to celebrate Juneteenth and support the community, and we're eager to help them out. Here's what we'll be assisting with on 6/19:
**Assignments will be given out day-of event**
Unloading food & supplies
Set up food & supply tables
Cooking food (grilling & frying) - chefs & experienced cooks only please!
Serve cooked food
Distributing fresh produce, dry goods & supplies
Packing up & cleaning up the event
A note on event timing:
This event runs from 12pm-4pm; we will be offering the sign up times below, please pick the time that works best for your schedule!
8am-12pm: Unload, Set-Up, Start Service
12pm-4pm: Service
4pm-7pm: End of Service, Pack-Up
What you'll need:
Dress for the weather - you will be working outside!
Flat, closed-toe, comfortable shoes
Other Information:
We will send out directions and parking information with the reminder email the Thursday before the event (6/16)
There are a limited number of spots for this event, and we are opening a waitlist just in case. If you can no longer make the event after signing up, please email volunteeringuntappedphl@gmail.com so your spot can go to the next person on the waitlist.
Because this event is a big undertaking for the Everybody Eats team, they're also seeking volunteers on the days leading up to the event to help prep food in CHESTER, PA:
-Thursday 6/16 - 8am - 12pm
-Friday 6/17 - 8am - 12pm
-Saturday 6/18 - 8am - 12pm
-Sunday 6/19 - 5:30am - 7:30am [pack out]
We can't wait to volunteer with you! SIGN UP HERE
East Poplar Playground and Children of Paradise
On May 21st we're partnering with East Poplar Playground and Children of Paradise to clean up the park and prep for a mural to be painted. We know, it sounds like a real blast - please join us in the fun!
Children of Paradise's mission is to promote productivity and independent living accessibility opportunities for individuals with disabilities, resources for transitional adults working/building a career and attending school, as well as resources for individuals dealing with suicide/suicidal thoughts and just assistance to anyone who needs resources and a hand. They strive to promote diversity, education, awareness, and opportunities.
What we'll be doing:
Mural work: prepping the wall space for a mural to be painted in the near future
Park clean up
Skate park clean up
What you need to know:
We'll be working alongside folks from the Children of Paradise organization for this event
Rain shouldn't affect this event as we will be located under the train overpass.
VU PHL will provide work gloves and trash picker-uppers, if you'd like to bring your own, you're more than welcome to.
When: Saturday, 5/21 11am-2pm
Where: 808 North 8th Street
The Block Gives Back
On April 9 we are super excited to partner with The Block Gives Back to help with cleaning up a block in North Philly!
The Block Gives Back aims to promote community involvement and engagement throughout Philadelphia by targeting issues within the community and devising a plan to recruit local volunteers, businesses, organizations and community leaders to help us in working toward a solution.
The goal of the event is to have the youth of the block and any youth in attendance to clean the block themselves with the adult volunteers leading and guiding them.
Sign Up Here
When: Saturday, 4/9 10am-12pm
Where: Check back soon for more details!
Northern Liberties Green
North Liberties Green is a group dedicated to maintaining green spaces in the Northern Liberties neighborhood. Simple as that! Now, when talking about them, please feel free to use the term NoLib Green, all the cool VU kids are doing it.
The event will start & end at Liberty Lands. All volunteers will check in at Liberty Lands, disperse to their chosen park for cleanup, then meet back at check-in before the Afterjawn!`
When registering, you'll choose which of the three parks (Liberty Lands, Orianna Hill Dog Park, and Orkney Park) you'd like to sign up for. Each park has different tasks.
When: Saturday, 3/19 10am-1pm
Where: 913 N 3rd St, Philadelphia, PA 19123
Philadelphia Community Corps
We're partnering with Philadelphia Community Corps which provides career training programs that empower underserved citizens to revitalize blighted neighborhoods by deconstructing vacant buildings and salvaging materials for reuse.
When: Saturday, 2/12 9:45am-1pm
Where: 5200 Unruh Ave, Philadelphia
January Volunteering Event with Global Citizen and Sharing Excess
Is there a better way to kickstart your 2022 resolutions than to volunteer with the VU Crew? No, of course not! This month, we are thrilled to partner with two organizations: Global Citizen and Sharing Excess. Both events will be in-person, details are below.
Please Sign Up Here
Activity 1: Sorting T-shirts with Global Citizen
TIME OF EVENT: 9:30am-11:30am
LOCATION: Girard College | 2101 S College Ave.
Folks attending this event will be unboxing shirts, organizing them by size, and counting them off for the "shoppers" to complete orders. The shoppers will pack up orders to fill bags and boxes for Martin Luther King Day of Service the following week.
Activity 2 : Sorting & handing out produce with Sharing Excess
TIME OF EVENT: 11:45am - 1:30pm
LOCATIONS:
Option 1: Malcolm X Park | 5100 Pine Street (meet @ 52 & Pine)
Option 2: Jefferson Square Park | 300 Washington Ave (meet @ 4 & Washington)
Volunteers at this event should be ready to set up tables, unload vans, pack produce, pass it out, and then break down the tables used! In total the event will take 1.5 hours. All volunteers signing up for this event will be asked to complete a waiver before attending.
Turning Points for Children (In-Person and Virtual)
VU PHL is partnering with a great organization, Turning Points for Children to organize gift donations and make holiday cards. This event has limited in-person capacity, so we recommend signing up early if that's your jam. No worries if you miss out on in-person though, because we will be coming together over Zoom if you'd like to volunteer virtually! That's right folks, there's something for everyone this time around, just how we like it.
Please Sign Up Here
When: Saturday, 1/8 10am-12pm
Where: In-Person: 415 South 15th Street Philadelphia, PA 19146 Virtual: Zoom
Join Us For a Virtual Event with Lutheran Settlement House!
We will be partnering with Lutheran Settlement House for our November Second Saturday volunteering event on 11/13! Dust off your cutting boards, folks! That's right, it's time for another installment of "Zoom Cooking with VU PHL." This time around Chef Tonii Hicks from the People's Kitchen, C-CAP Philadelphia, and the Pyramid Club will be leading us in the cooking demo, and we can't wait for you to join us!
We are honored to partner with Lutheran Settlement House for this month’s virtual volunteering event to prep meals for individuals in Philadelphia.
After you register, you will receive an email with the recipe, ingredients, and equipment needed within 1-2 days. The recipe ingredients will cost about $20.
When: Saturday, 11/13 10am-12pm
Where: Zoom!
National Center for Urban Solution for the National African American Male Wellness Walk
Save the date for our October FIRST Saturday volunteering event on 10/2! Check back soon for more details.
When: Saturday, 10/2 8am-12pm
Where: Malcolm X Park 5100 Pine Street Philadelphia, PA 19143
The seasons have changed, and so have our event logistics for October! That's right, this time around we're volunteering on the FIRST Saturday of the month instead of the second Saturday, and our times are a bit different too.
On Saturday, 10/2 we're partnering with the National Center for Urban Solution as we help them set up, execute, and break down their National African American Male Wellness Walk in Malcolm X Park.
To keep things even more interesting (I know, we're full of surprises with this event!), we'll have two separate volunteer shifts to sign up for.
Shift 1, 8am-11am: help with set up & event:
Event set up
Assisting with health screenings
Registration
Monitoring various event areas
Directing traffic
Spotters & distributing water
Shift 2, 11am-1pm: help with event & event breakdown:
Monitoring various event areas
Directing traffic
Spotters & distributing water
Event breakdown
***Optional: You can show up as early as 6am to assist this month's partner with set up ahead of the event. You do not need to contact anyone ahead of time, there will be people on site who will direct you where to go. The VU PHL team will be on site a bit before 8.
Ya Fav Trashman September Volunteering Event
On Saturday, September 11, we're really pumped to partner with Philly's very own Terrill Haigler, aka Ya Fav Trashman! Terrill will be leading us in a clean up around North Philly.
We'll kick off the morning by meeting up in front of JM Mini Market at 16th & Clearfield just south of Temple University Hospital. Once we hear a few words from Terrill, we'll get to cleaning up the neighborhood.
When: Saturday, 9/11 10am-12pm
Where: J M Mini Market 3061 North 16th Street Philadelphia, PA 19132
West Poplar Cleanup
On August 14 we are super excited to partner with our friends over at Triple Bottom Brewing and the West Poplar Neighborhood Group so we can help pick up litter and weeds in the area!
We'll kick off the morning by meeting up in front of Triple Bottom Brewing and hear from Tess Hart (the co-founder and owner at Triple Bottom) and a representative from the West Poplar Neighborhood Group.
What: Neighborhood cleanup in West Poplar with Triple bottom Brewing & West Poplar Neighborhood Group!
When: Saturday, 8/14 10am-12pm
Where: 915 Spring Garden + surrounding area for the cleanup
Once we've finished the cleanup at 12:00pm, we'll party VU style at an Afterjawn hosted by Triple Bottom Brewing. The first drink is on Triple Bottom (major thanks to them!), but we encourage you to enjoy, hangout, and support the brewery after your first beer is gone.