Philadelphia/PA charities

Submitted by Atvelonis t3_ygpy0l in philadelphia

I'm interested in donating to some reputable 501(c)(3) charities based or operating in Philadelphia/PA, mainly specializing in support for early childhood education: literacy/reading, math, and other important programs for youth. Wanted to know if y'all had any suggestions on orgs I can do more research on.

I'm interested in groups that make a "direct impact" and work immediately with disadvantaged youth, but that ideally also work with the legislature/other government organizations to advocate for and implement systemic changes to education. So many of the problems in our city originate from youth falling behind in education early in their lives and I want to contribute to a solution, even in a small way.

And if you have suggestions on non-financial ways I can help, please feel free to share. I sometimes teach/organize low-cost community dance classes: I find that providing people a "raison d'être" outside of work is important and makes them better humans. I've always been interested in helping with a reading comprehension program for youth, but I wouldn't know where to start or if I qualify to volunteer.

More generally, I would also love to hear about particularly good charities that do work in Philadelphia/PA in the following areas:

  • Financial literacy/education/assistance for disadvantaged groups
  • Parks, tree canopies/advocacy, public trails
  • Public transit, cycling, walking, and accessibility advocacy, outreach, and education
  • Recovery pathways from homelessness

Thanks!

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RoverTheMonster t1_iu9wcz8 wrote

You might be interested in the Joyful Readers.

Philadelphia schools also don't really offer many extracurricular opportunities for kids, so there are lots of school- and community-based organizations doing youth development at schools that could likely use financial support, as well (two of my personal favorites are Give and Go Athletics and the Kensington Soccer Club, both of which are members of the Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative)

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naked_macaroni t1_iua5lkg wrote

I donate monthly on the donorschoice website. It’s teachers fundraising for special programs or equipment they need.

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sydelph t1_iuavvxf wrote

The Charles A Melton Arts and Education Center - <<fantastic org>>> & fits the "financial literacy/education/assistance for disadvantaged groups" category - and they always need funding. They do early childhood development, teen mentoring, affordable housing, summer STEAM programs, afterschool programs, community gardening & more:

"The Charles A Melton Arts & Education Center is dedicated to providing the greater West Chester area with a wide variety of low-cost or free programs ranging from the educational (New Directions) to the ever–popular summer basketball league and summer STEAM camp. The Center is widely used by the community as a rental space for family gatherings, sporting and community events; after-school program for elementary and middle-school aged youth; currently the home for two church programs from two different denominations; summer basketball league for youth in Chester County; distributes scholarships to West Chester Area School District graduating seniors; and voting poll center. The Melton Center is also dedicated to hosting community events, recovery meetings, a culinary school for underserved youth and many events and activities that focus on the target population of the least, the last, the left out and the left behind."

About the center' creation, from this article: "Providing resources for the marginalized and disenfranchised was the organizing mission of the Melton Center, initially called the West Chester Community Center when it was founded in 1918 by Leslie Pinckney Hill. Born in 1880 to a former slave, Hill graduated from Harvard University cum laude. After earning his master’s degree in education, Hill taught at Tuskegee Institute, eventually becoming president of Cheyney State Teachers College (now Cheyney University), a historically Black college."

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hbdho t1_iubex81 wrote

Philadelphia Futures is a great organization!

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Delfiasa t1_iuc0s0m wrote

Kensington Soccer Club!

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petedogg t1_iudffbu wrote

Here are some orgs I donate to regularly that I recommend based on my research that also align with what you’re looking for.

Mighty Writers: https://mightywriters.org/

YEAH: https://yeahphilly.org/

Neighborhood Bike Works: https://neighborhoodbikeworks.org/

Field Teen Center at Parkway Library (you can donate to the library and direct the funds to the field teen center at parkway): https://libwww.freelibrary.org/locations/departments/field-teen-center

Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia: https://bicyclecoalition.org/

Feet First Philly: https://feetfirstphilly.org/

East Coast Greenway: https://www.greenway.org/

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