|
Nonprofit
Resources Net Tuesday features info on online fundraising Network for Good, Causes and change.org - these days there are so many portals to use to raise money online for nonprofits that it’s hard to choose among them. Net Tuesday will address this issue and others such as whether maintaining involvement with these sites take away from an agency’s other online efforts (e-news, blog, etc.), which sites are best for which agencies, and other questions. The discussion will be held on Tuesday evening, September 1, beginning at 6:00pm at Buffalo Billiards, 118 Chestnut Street. Admission is free. Registration is not required by is requested by clicking here. back to top IRS sets workshops for small, mid-sized nonprofits The Internal Revenue Service will hold three one-day workshops in King of Prussia on October 6th, 7th, and 8th to help small and mid-sized tax-exempt organizations in Pennsylvania comply with their tax obligations and maintain their tax-exempt status. The workshops are designed for board members, officers, volunteers and staff of these organizations and for the tax preparers and stakeholders who work with them. IRS revenue agents will lead the workshops which will cover the “nuts and bolts” of tax compliance for exempt organizations. Workshop topics include an in-depth discussion of activities that can jeopardize 501(c)(3) status, unrelated business income, gaming and employment issues. Particular emphasis will be given to explaining the revised Form 990 and 990-EZ annual information returns that tax-exempt organizations submit to the IRS. The workshops will be held at the Radisson Hotel Valley Forge, 1160 First Avenue in King of Prussia. The workshop cost is $45 per person and includes a handbook and relevant IRS forms and publications. Pre-registration is required. For more information or to register, click here. Information and registration is also available by calling 800-521-3980 or 703-579-1496. back to top PANO sets workshop series for SEPA region The Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations has announced a series of September workshops for nonprofit staff and board members in Southeastern Pennsylvania. On Tuesday, September 15th, PANO will sponsor Board Meetings: Is Your Organization Complying with Parliamentary Procedure? In Willow Grove’ Giant Food Superstore from 9-11:30am, led by Harry S. Rosenthal, PRP, of Parliamentary Services. David Ross, PANO advocacy director, will lead a workshop on Effective Advocacy for Nonprofits at Nutritional Development Services, 111 S. 38th Street in Philadelphia on Friday, September 18th from noon to 3:30pm. Two other workshops include Fundraising Practices: Track it Right! Book it Right! Report it Right! the Phoenixville Community Health Foundation from 9am to 12:3opn, led by with David Gruber, CPA, Amper, Politziner & Mattia, CPAs and Consultants and Tish Mogan of PANO, and Is It Time for a Development Audit? a webinar on Tuesday, September 29th from 10:30am to noon, led by Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE, of Capital Venture. Click on the links above for more information or to register. back to top Google offers in-kind ads for nonprofits Google Grants is a unique in-kind donation program awarding free AdWords advertising to select charitable organizations. Google AdWords ads appear on the right side of the webpage when users search on Google. Those who click on the ads are then brought to the website being advertised. Google says that the value of the in-kind ad program is $329 per day. For more information, click here. back to top Prudential offers Spirit of Community Awards The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards honor young people in grades 5 through 12 who have demonstrated exemplary voluntary service to their communities. The maximum award is $5,000 for the honoree and a $5,000 grant from the Prudential Foundation to a nonprofit, charitable organization of their choice. Students grades 5-12 who have conducted a volunteer service activity within the past year are eligible. For more details, click here, back to top Oak Foundation seeks to combat homelessness The Oak Foundation is committing its resources to address issues that have a major impact on the lives of the disadvantaged. A primary focus is in preventing homelessness through sustained solutions that improve the economic and social well-being of the most disadvantaged youth and adults. The program has three focus areas: economic self-sufficiency (the program supports projects that equip people who have experienced homelessness, or who are at risk of doing so, with the economic and social skills that will lead to greater long-term economic independence), Increasing the Supply of Affordable Housing (this funding provides seed money as a catalyst), and Homeless Prevention (this program aims to prevent homelessness among identified vulnerable groups and in certain regional hot spots). The Oak Foundation favors projects that have a sophisticated understanding of specific needs and the intrinsic structure to effectively address them. For more information, click here. back to top Brookdale supports relative caregivers The Brookdale Foundation has announced its annual solicitation for local and regional programs that aim to develop or expand services for grandparents or other relatives who are surrogate parenting when biological parents are unable to do so. The Foundation’s Relatives as Parents Program is offering 30 grants of $10,000 over two years. For more information, click here. back to top  Community Events ‘Broadway Bash’ benefits Contact Greater Philadelphia The Friends of Contact Greater Philadelphia will host the “Broadway Bash” on Saturday, Sept. 26th at 6:30pm at Villanova Conference Center’s Montrose Mansion. The event will feature cocktails, dinner, dancing to the Upfront Big Band and a silent auction. NBC 10 News’ Tracy Davidson is the honorary chair of the Big Band Bash. Davidson anchors the NBC 10 News at 5PM. The Friends of Contact are currently seeking donations for the silent auction. Donations so far include one-week stays at vacation properties in the Outer Banks of North Carolina and Cape Cod, Mass., Sunday brunches at the Radnor Hotel and Georges’, and a two-day, four-person tour of the U.S. Capitol that includes a VIP Tour of the Capitol Building and Senate Gallery passes. Since its 1991 inception, the Bash has been bringing together individuals from Philadelphia, the Main Line and Bucks County to celebrate the important work that the volunteers, staff and board members of Contact do to help individuals in crisis. Contact is a nonprofit organization that provides confidential telephone-based crisis intervention and suicide hotline services to individuals throughout the Greater Philadelphia region. In addition, Contact operates a reassurance service that pairs volunteers with isolated seniors and disabled individuals. Volunteers call reassurance-service clients 365 days a year to check on their safety and provide socialization. For more information, click here. back to top 50m lb. Challenge Walk-Off set The 50 Million Pound Challenge and South West Center City are coming together for the 2nd Annual SWCC Walk, Run, and Roll/50 Million Pound Challenge Walk-Off will take place on Saturday, September 12th at 22nd and Carpenter Streets in Philadelphia. The event begins at 9am, with registration open at 7am. To sign up, click here. back to top Laurel House plans 10th annual Walk/Run Laurel House, a comprehensive domestic violence shelter in Montgomery County, is hosting its 10th Annual 5K Walk/Run, the Dash Against Domestic Violence, on October 25th. The event begins at 9 a.m. with registration beginning at 8 a.m. at the Upper Gwynedd Township Building, located at Parkside Place and Sumneytown Pike. The cost is $25. Everyone is welcome and there will be awards, raffles, t-shirts, and refreshments. For information or to register online click here,or email Tina Reynolds, or call 610-277-1860 ext 108. back to top Trash to Treasure Yard Sale set for Chester United Way of Southeast Delaware County will be holding a Trash to Treasure Yard Sale, with proceeds benefiting nonprofit organizations in Delaware County, on Saturday, August 29th from 8am to 2pm. The sale will be held in parking lot at rear of United Way building as 2310 Providence Avenue in Chester. Items on sale include TVs, books, appliances, collectibles, rugs, clothing, shoes, furniture, art, school supplies, electronics, kitchen items, and more. The event is sponsored by the Widener University H.E.L.P.S. student organization. For more information, email Keyes Kain or call 610-874-8646 ext. 105. back to top Enterprise Center honors minority entrepreneurs The Enterprise Center’s 4th Annual Passing the Torch Event honoring the next generation of minority entrepreneurs will take place on Thursday, October 8th from 5:30-8pm at 4548 Market Street in West Philadelphia. The event, hosted by Dyana Williams of radio station 107.9 WRNB, will honor PRWT Services, Inc. & Top of the Clock Security, Inc. For more information, email Carissa Jones or call 215-895-4016. Cost is $100 per person. back to top Group celebrates Grandparents Day Grands As Parents will celebrate its 13th anniversary and National Grandparents Day with a Salute to Grandparents and Caregivers on Sunday, September 13th at Temple University’s Diamond Club in Mitten Hall, 1913 North Broad Street in Philadelphia. Honorees include US Rep. Chaka Fattah, State Rep. Frank Oliver, David Fair, senior vice-president for community impact at United Way, and Jim Reed, director of external affairs for Verizon. The event begins at 3pm and tickets are $35. For more information, call 215-236-5848. back to top Launch party for NPower Delaware scheduled Delaware Governor Jack Markell will be the guest of honor at a launch party for NPower Delaware on Wednesday, September 9th, 5:30-8pm at the ING Direct Ballroom, 802 Delaware Avenue in Wilmington. NPower DE's mission is to strengthen Delaware's nonprofit community by helping them use technology in effective ways. To register, click here. back to top Chesco’s MCHC plans annual luncheon The Maternal and Child Health Consortium of Chester County wil hold its annual luncheon on Wednesday, September 30th from noon to 2pm at the Chester Valley Golf Club, 430 Swedesford Road in Malvern. The event will feature a presentation by Dr. Jim Collins, a neonatologist at Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago, as well as a Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. Dr. Collins' research and clinical work focuses on strategies to improve birth outcomes for infants of all races and ethnicities. His work was featured in the groundbreaking PBS series Unnatural Causes. For more information, click here. back to top Issue
Alerts Recession impacting civic engagement in US: report As the recession drags on, many Americans are spending less time volunteering, participating in groups, or engaged in other civic activities in their communities, a new report from the National Conference on Citizenship has found. Based on a survey of nearly 3,900 individuals, the report, America's Civic Health Index 2009 found that almost three-quarters (72 percent) of survey respondents said they had cut back on the time they devote to civic participation, which includes time spent volunteering or performing other civic activities in their communities, and that low-income individuals (those making less than $50,000 a year) were more likely to help others by providing food or shelter than respondents with a higher income. Overall, 50 percent of survey participants said they had given food or money to someone who was not a relative, 17 percent said they had invited a relative to live in their home, and more than 10 percent had taken in a non-relative. The report also found that religion and generational differences play major roles in civic engagement. Forty percent of respondents who are frequent participants in religious services said they had increased their level of civic engagement. And while baby boomers had the lowest volunteering rate (35 percent) and members of the Millennial generation had the highest (43 percent), boomers were far more likely (38 percent) to provide material contributions such as food, money, and shelter than Millennials (28 percent). A second report, issued by the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, indicated that despite the upward trend in youth volunteering, young adults with no college experience are half as likely to volunteer as their collegiate counterparts. Roughly 43 percent of the 20-to-29-year-old population has not attended college. For more information, click here. back to top HUD: 22% increase in number of homeless families in US The US Department of Housing and Urban Development has announced in its 4th Annual Homeless Assessment Report that there has been a huge increase in the number of homeless families served by shelters in the US. In the report, HUD shows 159,142 families, up from 130,968 families in the prior year, spent at least one night in a shelter, an increase of 30,000. An summary of the HUD report prepared by the People’s Emergency Center says, however, that the data gives an incomplete picture. PEC says that the survey does not count individuals and families temporarily staying with others, or living at their own expense in motels. Individuals and families in these dire circumstances are viewed by HUD as housed, to be considered homeless only when they enter emergency housing. Also, because the new data is nearly a year old, it does not appear to fully reflect the impact of the economic and foreclosure crises from October 2008 to the present. Nonetheless, PEC says, the data is important as it indicates trends that are expected to inform future public policy and budgeting decisions. To read PEC’s sujmmary, click here. back to top Advocacy group rates Senate support of children Vote Kids, a journal of children’s issues and politics, has announced the release of its midterm Congressional scorecard. The report evaluates how US Senators voted on legislation that affects children thus far in 2009. Thirteen million US children live in poverty, 8 million are without health insurance, and more than 3 million are reported abused and neglected. These numbers will likely worsen during the current economic recession. In the first few months of the 111th Congress, several pieces of legislation have passed meant to address children's issues, including: -- Expanding coverage to 4.4 million uninsured children through the State Children's Health Insurance Program -- Protecting state Medicaid and education programs from cuts -- Increasing funding for Head Start, Title I education, afterschool, child care, food stamps, and child support programs, in the federal stimulus and 2010 budget -- Providing pay equity for single moms -- Helping families stave off the foreclosure of their home -- Working to reduce child and teen smoking To view or download the report, click here. back to top Employment
Opportunities EducationWorks – Part-time Americorps Positions EducationWorks is seeking part-time after school Americorps workers for a variety of positions starting in September. This staff will help the organizations provide year-round educational programs during and after school to children, youth, and families throughout Philadelphia and Trenton. The agency is seeking men and women ages 17 to 80+, preferably with experience mentoring and tutoring middle and high school youth. The jobs come with a living allowance and offer valuable training, hands-on experience, health insurance and childcare (if qualified). An education award for college tuition and a student loan deferment. Apply online here. For more information, call 215-221-6913. back to top Institute for the Study of Civic Values – Assistant Teacher The Institute for the Study of Civic Values is seeking a youth worker for YoUth RAP, the Youth Urban Renewal Arts Program. The project is a year round program dedicated to teaching young people how to find their civic voice through art. Through lessons, activities, and trips, the project works to give to students a sense of their own power, teaching them how to make positive changes in their neighborhoods and communities. YoUth RAP serves young people grades 5th through 8th and is located in school facilities in the Olney section of North Philadelphia and in Rhawnhurst in the Northeast. School year hours are daily from 3-$5:45pm, although every 2 weeks the program runs from noon to 5:45pm. Summer program hours are 9am-5pm Monday through Friday. This position has an immediate opening. On the job training is provided along with paid formal training hours. Compensation is $11-$13 per hour or up to $15,500 annual salary, depending on education and experience. To apply, email a resume and cover letter to Kelly Green with "Assistant Teacher" in the subject line. back to top Lutheran Settlement House – Homeless Shelter Director. Lutheran Settlement House is seeking a Director for its Jane Addams Place Emergency Homeless Shelter. LSH/Jane Addams Place utilizes the Sanctuary model of trauma-informed care to serve 29 homeless women and their children, providing comprehensive case management and a full range of services designed to help homeless families regain and sustain self-sufficiency. The Director is responsible for the operation of Jane Addams place: professional and technical leadership; implementation of policies and procedures; budget management; development activities; liaison with outside agencies including the City’s Office of Supportive Housing; and oversight of all aspects of the program. The Director is part of LSH’s agency-wide leadership team. To apply, send a resume and cover letter detailing your interest and relevant experience to Lila Brunson, Human Resources Manager, Lutheran Settlement House, 1340 Frankford Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19125. Applications can also be faxed to 215-426-2157 or emailed here . back to top
Submit
a notice.
Our mailing
address is: United
Way of Southeastern
Pennsylvania 7
Ben Franklin Parkway Philadelphia,
PA 19103-1294 United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania All rights reserved |
Safety net
weakens as budget stalemate continues
Hopes that that governor and the General Assembly were close to a deal on resolving the state’s budget crisis late last week were shattered as House and Senate leaders failed to agree on a $27.5 billion proposal from the Senate that severely reduces funding for social service and safety net programs. The state is nearly two months into the fiscal year, and is operating on a $12.8 billion bridge budget that the governor signed at the beginning of August to authorize funds to pay state workers and other basic operations costs. Funding for a wide variety of services, including foster care, juvenile justice services, early childhood education, supports for people with disabilities and many other services has been held hostage by both sides of the budget debate while many nonprofit organizations exhaust their savings and credit lines and begin to reduce services and lay off staff, while many smaller service providers have already shut down. Douglas E. Hill, executive director of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania criticized both the governor and the General Assembly for failing to come up with a revenue and spending plan that recognizes the realities of economic and social challenges in Pennsylvania. "Neither of them is adequate - neither the governor's 
proposal nor the Senate's," Hill told the Williamsport Sun-Gazette.
"We've been asked to pick between the two, and we can't.Hill told the newspaper’s editorial board that "we need bigger numbers, particularly in the human services line. We need to bump up mental health and mental retardation. We know we have to live through a difficult time, but give us a number that will allow us to provide those services.” Hill said that the budget proposals shortchange “core government services [that are] most closely tied to an individual's safety, security and health.” Most Pennsylvania counties rely on 40 percent to 60 percent of their revenue from the state and federal government. Meanwhile, a coalition of over 70 southeastern Pennsylvania nonprofit agencies held a rally at the Media Courthouse on August 26th that drew over 400 people, to remind Governor Rendell and the members of the General Assembly that the budget impasse is having a devastating effect on some of Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable citizens as well as on the Pennsylvania economy as a whole. “We want to remind the legislators that their inaction in not passing an adequate budget is having a direct effect on Pennsylvania’s citizens,” said Jennine Miller, Coordinator of Education and Advocacy for Project H.O.M.E. and a rally organizer. “Not only is this impasse having a negative impact on the PA economy as a whole, it is devastating for the thousands of people who depend on nonprofit services on a daily basis.” David Fair, senior vice president for community impact for United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania, spoke at the rally and presented the results of a United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania survey of 585 nonprofits in the region that measured the impact the budget impasse was having. “The results of the survey are ominous,” said Fair. “Hundreds of nonprofit agencies are on the brink, affecting thousands of people who depend on those servi  ces
and
hundreds
of Pennsylvania businesses that serve the nonprofit sector.”Among the results: -- The agencies reported that the state or local government owes approximately $114 million as a result of not being reimbursed for services already delivered. -- Almost one-third (31%) of the agencies responding reported that they had no sources of money remaining to help them through this crisis period. -- One-third (33%) of the agencies responding reported that they had drawn funds from credit lines or other loans in order to continue delivering services. -- 45% of the agencies responding report that lack of government reimbursement for services has hindered their ability to provide regular paychecks to their employees. -- 27% of agencies responding reported that they had already initiated staff layoffs, and another 20% indicated that they would have to do so if reimbursements are not received by September 30th. -- Half of the agencies responding reported falling behind in payments to vendors. -- Only 27% of agencies reported that the lack of reimbursement has not yet impacted their ability to deliver services. “The survey clearly shows that we quickly need a fair budget which adequately funds services,” stated Fair. “Harrisburg is risking damaging Pennsylvania’s economy further while thousands of residents suffer without vital services.” For more details on the survey, click here. Other speakers at the rally included Claudia Hellebush, president & CEO of United Way of Chester County, Bill Pierce, executive director of the Downingtown Area Senior Center, Joseph Rogers, chief of advocacy of the Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania, and David A. Ross, J.D., of the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations. George Matysik, manager of external affairs for Philabundance was in attendance at the rally and commented, “As the food bank for Southeastern Pennsylvania, we are the safety net for the region, especially in times like these. But we’ve been on the tightrope for 57 days now, and the increase in need continues to rise. The state budget impasse has caused a crisis that is being felt by all the folks gathered here today. We’ve seen a 30% increase in demand in the last year- and when the state workers weren’t getting paid, they came to Philabundance to help them through the hard times. We hope that Harrisburg can end this stalemate and help our c commonwealth move forward.” The goal of the rally was to urge Governor Rendell and the members of the General Assembly to work together to quickly pass a budget that adequately funds the immediate and long-term needs of Pennsylvania’s children, families, counties, seniors, schools, people with mental illness and disabilities, institutions of higher learning, and child and foster care providers.  More protests planned: Rallies and demonstrations will continue in the coming weeks as communities in need mobilize to highlight the impact of the budget delay. -- On Monday, August 31st at 7am, a Rally for Child Care and Working Moms will be led by Avenue Childcare at Broad Street and Oregon Avenue in Philadelphia. For more information, call Nicole Regalbuoto at 215-336-7780 -- A Save the Children Rally will be held on Tuesday, September 1st a 4pm in Chester at 804 E. 20th Street, the official residence of Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi. For more information, contact Computer Kids Day Care at 215-235-1230. -- On Tuesday, September 8th, Montgomery County Early Learning Services and other organizations will hold a Rally for Child Care and Early Childhood Education at 8:30pm at the Steps of Narberth Montgomery Early Learning Center at 2001 Sabine Ave. in Narberth. For more information, email here or call 610-617-4550. back to top Faith groups organize to demand budget solution Declaring that “God has to be displeased to see Pennsylvania’s vulnerable citizens used as pawns in this process,” a broad coalition of Pennsylvania interfaith leaders called on the governor and legislative leaders to immediately begin round-the-clock negotiations to resolve the Commonwealth’s nine-week budget stalemate. “We are alarmed by the Commonwealth’s deepening fiscal crisis, and frustrated by our leaders’ inability to end it,” members of the coalition representing Christian and Jewish traditions said. “Pennsylvania’s elected leaders’ failure to resolve this crisis is hurting millions of individuals  and
families.”“The political posturing must end – now,” the group said. “There is no moral justification for this continuing crisis, which has reduced or eliminated vital services to the poor, to children, and senior citizens in every Pennsylvania county.” The coalition comprises a broad base of faith-based and non-profit groups across Pennsylvania. Members will address the issue with their congregations, beginning Labor Day weekend and continuing until the stalemate ends. Activities will include a letter writing campaign and prayer vigils. The Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition and its affiliate organizations initiated the effort and helped form the groups together around the issue. Click here for more information. back to top Hunger coalition seeks food stamp advocates The Greater Philadelphia Hunger Coalition is recruiting food stamp advocates, who work to reduce hunger in Philadelphia through their work with the Food Stamp Enrollment Campaign. The campaign seeks to improve access to the food stamp program, now called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), by reducing some of the barriers commonly faced by clients in the application process. Volunteers visit a wide variety of community sites to conduct outreach, screenings, and application assistance for potentially eligible households. No experience is necessary and training will be provided. For more information, email Emily or call 215-430-0555 ext 108. back to top City website offers emergency preparedness info for nonprofits September is National Preparedness Month and a time when the Department of Homeland Security, with the support of coalition partners, works to increase public awareness about emergency preparedness. During the month of September, consider hosting or participating in activities related to preparedness. This year, National Preparedness Month focuses on encouraging individuals, families and communities to get an Emergency Supply Kit; make a Family Emergency Plan; get informed about emergencies and their appropriate responses; and participate in emergency volunteer efforts. In Philadelphia, the Office of Emergency Management has established a new webpage dedicated to information for nonprofit organizations and how they should prepare for an emergency. The site offers a toolkit on Business Continuity Planning, a Planning Checklist, and other useful information.  The OEM is also hosting Family Preparedness Workshops in September on the following dates and times to help individuals and families be better prepared for any kind of emergency: -- Thursday, September 3rd at 7pm at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry, 1200 W. Godfrey Avenue; -- Wednesday, September 9th at 7pm at the John Perzel Community Center, 2990 St. Vincent Street; -- Tuesday, September 15th at 7pm at the 6th Police District, 235 N. 11th Street; -- Thursday, September 17th at 7pm at Philadelphia Protestant Home, 6500 Tabor Road; -- Thursday, September 24th at 6pm at the 24th/25th Police Districts at 3901 Whitaker Avenue. The workshops will feature presentations by the American Red Cross, the Office of Emergency Management, and the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. There will be door prizes, information on Philadelphia’s neighborhood evacuation plans and signup sheets for emergency text alerts through ReadyNotifyPA. For more information, click here. Ridge speaks at Free Library: After September 11, 2001, former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge was appointed the first Secretary of the Department of 
Homeland
Security.
In his candid memoir, The
Test of Our Times, Ridge discusses the
challenges faced by the new and highly visible department, recounts
early successes, missteps, and controversial political maneuvering and
offers a prescriptive view for the future safety of the United
States. Ridge will be speaking as part of the Author Series
at
the Free Library of Philadelphia, 19th and Vine Streets in
Philadelphia, on Thursday, September 3rd at 7:30pm. Admission
is
free. back to top Center in the Park celebrates 41st anniversary Germantown’s Center in the Park will celebrate “Forty-One Years of Promoting Positive Aging” with an open house on Thursday, September 10th from 10am-4pm. WURD 900AM talk radio host Thera Martin-Connelly will broadcast live from the event from 1pm-4pm, and the event will feature exercise demonstrations, tours of the facility, and the opportunity to sign up for this fall’s classes. Other events for September include a class on how to use Facebook on September 15th and 17th at 1pm, the annual Jazz Concert in the Park on September 19th at 6:30pm, and an AARP driving course on September 29th and 30th from 10am-2pm. Center in the Park is located at 5818 Germantown Avenue in Vernon Park. For more information, call 215-848-7722. back to top Hispanic education is focus of White House forum in city Juan Sepúlveda, executive director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans, in collaboration with Community College of Philadelphia, will hold a White House Initiative community conversation from 9am to 11:30am and from 12:45-2:15pm on this coming Tuesday, September 1st, i  n Room S2-19 in
the Winnet Building at Community College of
Philadelphia.The Winnet Building is located on the west side of 17th Street, between Spring Garden Street and Callowhill Street. The community conversation will provide an opportunity for Latino business and community leaders, faith-based organizations, parents, students, faculty and others to voice their thoughts on how Latino education attainment can and should be improved, and what the White House Initiative should be doing to improve Latino education attainment. Space is limited. Those wishing to participate must RSVP by calling 215-751-8861. back to top City schools celebrate new Fels High The School Reform Commission and The School District of Philadelphia will sponsor an official ribbon?cutting ceremony for the newly constructed Samuel S. Fels High School on Tuesday, September 8th at 8am, the first day of school. A “Parents Are Our Partners” reception will follow the ceremony. The new Samuel S. Fels High School is located at 5700 Langdon Street in Philadelphia. To RSVP, email Najah Mu’Min or call 215-400-6351. back to top OSTRC seeks vendors for resource fair The Out of School Time Resource Center is looking for vendors to participate in the Philadelphia Out-of-School Time Resource Fair, which will be held at the main branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia on Thursday, November 19th, from 10am to 3pm. The event will be an opportunity for area out-of-school time, afterschool, youth development, and summer program staff to visit table displays, engage with vendors, explore resources and services, exchange information, and network with one another. To fill out a vendor application form, click here. back to top CIGNA to sponsor forum on children’s health The CIGNA Foundation will sponsor A Forum on the Health of our Children on Wednesday, October 14th from 8:30am to 4pm at Temple University’s Mitten Hall. A project of CIGNA’s Communities of Health Initiative, the program will bring together caregivers, health professionals and other experts to discuss the “single most important factor affecting our community’s future – the health of our children.” The event is free and open to the public on a first-come, first served basis. For more information, email Dorothy Reed. back to top Obama faith czar on conference call Joshua DuBois, executive director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, will hold a conference call to discuss the new White House office and the President’s priorities related to international work on Friday, September 18th from 2-3pm. Also on the call is Mauricio Vera, acting director of the Center for Faith Based and Community Initiatives of the US Agency for International Development. To join the call, dial 866-306-0035, and use Conference ID 26753541. back to top S.A.G.E. unites generations to enrich education Senior Adults for Greater Education, based in Bucks County, is devoted to uniting youth and seniors in their quest to enrich education and leave a legacy for future generations. In 1999 Beryl Katz, a former high school English teacher, parent and volunteer identified needs in the community and saw an opportunity to unite generations. Parents wanted smaller class sizes, updated school buildings, and enhanced, expanded curriculum. Older residents, who were struggling with increasing school taxes, did not feel a connection to the schools in their communities, and this gap between individuals wi  th
students in the
schools and those without was creating divisiveness in the community.Katz reasoned that obtaining an insider’s view of the schools would enable older residents to clearly understand the system, its financial limitations and the need for support. By involving seniors in the schools, they would benefit from continued engagement in the life of the community while gaining a connection to the youth in their neighborhoods. Students would benefit by learning from and interacting with older people, who would share their knowledge, life experiences and wisdom. The educational staff would benefit by having additional support. Today, S.A.G.E. recruits and places volunteers ages 55 and over in schools in partner districts working together with administrations, teachers unions, and school boards to implement the program. The success of the program means it needs more volunteers. To find out how you can help, click here or call Katz at 215-357-2332. back to top NAMI program supports caregivers of mentally ill NAMI PA Main Line’s Family-to-Family program is a series of 12 weekly classes, one evening per week, structured to help family members understand mental illness and support a relative diagnosed with a serious mental illness while maintaining their own well-being. The course is taught by trained volunteer family members who know what it's like to have a loved one with a serious mental illness. F2F is offered as a community service free of charge but advance registration is required. The workshops are held at Lankenau Hospital, 100 Lancaster Avenue in Wynnewood, and the series runs every Wednesday evening from 7-0:30pm beginning on September 16th. For more information and to register email here or call Judy at 610 - 668 – 7917. or email. back to top Kidney Foundation schedules health screening The National Kidney Foundation Serving the Delaware Valley has two up-coming free health screenings for individuals at risk of chronic kidney disease. The Kidney Early Evaluation Program - KEEP - is a comprehensive screening for individuals with diabetes or high blood pressure or a family history of either of these conditions. At the screening participants will complete urinalysis, lab work (including cholesterol, glucose and  eGFR (test of
kidney function) and meet with a physician. Screenings will be held in Philadelphia on Saturday, September 12th from 10am to 2pm at Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church, 2800 W. Cheltenham Ave. in Cedarbrook, and on Saturday, October 10th from 10am to 2pm at Beloved St. John Evangelistic Church , 4541 N. Broad St. in North Philadelphia. For more information, click here and to register call 215-923-8611. back to top Fathers group holds domestic violence symposium Daddy’s Right Here will sponsor its fourth annual symposium on the them Facing and Embracing Our Responsibilities,” focusing on the epidemic of domestic violence in Philadelphia. Since May, 46 people have been murdered in incidents of domestic violence, according to the group. Calling this a “public tragedy,” the group will hold its symposium from 
11am to 8pm on Saturday, September 26th at Holy Trinity Bethlehem
Church Rectory at 11th and Rockland Street in the city’s
Logan
neighborhoods.The symposium will feature guest speakers, including keynoter Sumaki Kenya Shan, resource tables, raffles and more. Other speakers include Sylvia Horst of the Kids n Kin program of Turning Points for Children, Thomas Gregory of the Philadelphia Health Department, James Dickerson of the Fatherhood Institute, and Norman Jones of Normans Good Food. To register, click here. back to top Infant health resource fair set for University City The Delaware Valley Group of The World Association of Infant Mental Health is sponsoring a resource fair on Friday, September 18th from 8:30-10:30am at 3535 Market St. on the 16th floor. Providers of services are invited to come and share information about their agencies or specialized services with others in the city that are devoted to supporting young children, from birth to five, and their families. This event will mark the start of DVG/WAIMH’s 2009-2010 networking breakfasts that are generally held on the first Friday of every month, from September to June. Participants will have an opportunity to meet and greet, share information and materials, and generally get a better understanding of the range of services Philadelphia has to offer the youngest members of our community and their families. To RSVP, email here with your name, job title, organization name, address, email and phone, and a brief description of services, including neighborhoods served, type of population served, expertise, etc. Participants are also invited to bring poster boards, brochures, photos, and business cards. back to top |
