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Volume 69 Number 13
Dear Penn Community,
We have begun our planning for the holiday season. We trust that you are all well, and that you will once again be able to join us in this undertaking during the upcoming holiday season.
The Penn community continues to have a major impact during the holiday season. Your generosity and concern are most valued.
Below is a list of current opportunities. These opportunities are special in that they are designed to bring joy during the holidays. I look forward to working with you as we make a difference in the lives of our beloved community.
Thank you so very much for your continued generosity. Your contributions allows us to respond to various request from local agencies, and families for donations during the holiday season.
Thank you for all you do.
In the season of thanks and giving, please contribute to the annual food drive at the University, coordinated by Penn Volunteers in Public Service (VIPS). We are collecting non-perishable foods (cans and boxed foods) as well as turkeys.
Donations will restock the pantries at the Salvation Army, Southwest Family Services, the People's Emergency Center, and local schools, as well as helping many deserving families in the area.
Please take donated items to one of our conveniently located drop sites listed below:
President's Office
Brenda Gonzalez
Franklin Building Lobby
Chris Hyson
Van Pelt Library
Rachelle Nelson
Netter Center
Isabel Sampson-Mapp
Research Services
Evelyn Ford/Tina Nemetz
[email protected], [email protected]
FMC
Gretchen Ekeland
Comptroller's Office
Celestine Silverman
VanPelt Library
Illene Rubin
Nursing
Landy Georges
FMC
Maryanne Nuzzo
BSD-Procurement
Kerri Stahller
Residential Services
Linda Kromer
Penn Medicine
Dinahlee Saturnino Guarino
ISC
Kathy Ritchie
Physics & Astronomy
Michelle Last
Please join us in the Annual Penn Volunteers In Public Service Holiday Drive. As you buy toys and presents for the holiday season, please consider spreading some cheer to deserving members of our community. All toys and gifts donated will support the efforts of organizations including the People's Emergency Shelter, local schools, Potter's House Mission, Southwest Family Services, and many more. New sneakers will benefit Outley House Shelter, and other local shelters. All items for the holiday drive must be new, not used and unwrapped.
Please contact one of the drop site committee members listed above for more information.
Several departments have adopted a deserving family for the holidays and will be providing the family with toys, food, and gifts so that they too can have a joyous holiday.
During the holiday in December, departments from across the University "adopt" a deserving family. The adoption is usually done in lieu of departmental gift exchanges. The assigned family is treated to presents and sometimes a holiday dinner. Families participate in the program on a one-time basis.
Families are assigned to departments based on request. Departments choose the size of the family they would like to adopt. Departments can also request the ages of the children they are interested in adopting.
Departments may request a "wish list" from the family or they may choose their own gifts for the family members. Departments choose the number and types of gifts they will provide. Departments are provided with size of the family, names, ages and sizes of each family member, and a wish list if requested.
Departments are encouraged to deliver gifts to families, but they may also request to have gifts delivered. Also, if departments would like to use services like Amazon, gifts can be shipped directly to the family.
Families are selected from the Baring House Family Service Agency, local agencies and shelters. A small number of referrals are also accepted.
Selection of families begins in November and assignments are made before and during mid-December. Contact Isabel Sampson-Mapp at (215) 898-2020 or send an email to [email protected] for additional information and/or to volunteer for this program.
Help us fight period poverty by packaging and driving menstrual products to nearby homeless shelters a few times a year. In the United States, 1 in 5 teens misses school because they can't afford menstrual products. A group of pediatricians at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia started an initiative to provide products to homeless teens and young adults. Consider volunteering with this initiative! For more information, please contact Bianca Nfonoyim at CHOP ([email protected]) or Jess Fishman at Penn ([email protected]). You can also donate or learn more here: https://www.girlsonthegowithflo.org/.
Ever left a volunteer shift and wondered if you made a difference? Serve as a tax preparer with CHOP MFP and know that you are improving people's financial well-being!
Not comfortable preparing someone's taxes? Serve as a "greeter" to share information about the tax prep process, help families fill out paperwork, and support the tax preparers. Training for both roles is provided.
Self-guided training and certification are required (approximately four hours). Volunteer shifts range from January 17-April 15, 2023 (Tuesday/Thursday 5-7 p.m., Sat 9 a.m.-1 p.m.). A 30-hour commitment over four months (approximately 10 three hour shifts) is preferred. Sign up to reserve your spot by November 18, 2022.
Email Kate Morrow at [email protected] for more information on how to get started with the training and secure your spot for tax season.
Volunteer to support graduates of the University Assisted Community Schools (UACS) Nights Professional Development Program.
Local members of the community will undertake classes in resume writing, interviewing techniques, time management, customer service, and more in preparation for job hunting.
Career Coach Buddies will be assigned a participant and will work virtually with them over a three month period by being encouraging, suggesting resources, following up, and being a friend. Buddies will make one weekly contact with their assigned participant.
Participate in the four annual drives held by Penn VIPS to benefit members of the surrounding community. We are in need of locations around the University that can serve as a drop-off point during our school, toy, gift drives as well as others. Your role would be to help advertise the event and to collect as well as deliver the donated items to our central location.
Drives take place according to the following schedule:
Would you and your colleagues or friends like to participate in a volunteer activity? Penn VIPS is happy to connect you to an activity or help you develop one of your own.
Remodeling the office? No longer need that file cabinet or desk? Want to do something useful with items no longer needed items used by your department, but still in good condition? Penn VIPS maintains an extensive list of local agencies, and nonprofits in desperate need of items no longer needed by departments at Penn. We connect departments with items they no longer need with members of the community that are happy to put these donated items to good use. Arrangements can be made for pick up.
For more information about any volunteer opportunities, contact Isabel Mapp at (215) 898-2020 or [email protected].
—Isabel Sampson-Mapp, Associate Director, Netter Center for Community Partnerships