Cradles to Crayons provides children from birth through age 12, living in homeless or low-income situations, with the essential items they need to thrive – at home, at school and at play. We supply these items free of charge by engaging and connecting communities. This is a large nonprofit with a reputation for handling many volunteer groups and individuals very well. 

Activity: After a brief orientation, you will be instructed on your task. You may be involved in a wide range of projects, based on our specific needs on any given day. These may include sorting, cleaning, inspecting, or packaging donated goods for children, or another type of warehouse activity. Our production plans change daily. Masks are required.

Location: 4700 Wissahickon Avenue, Suite 142, Philadelphia

Website: https://www.cradlestocrayons.org/philadelphia/

Maximum number of volunteers: 30

El Centro de Estudiantes is a Philadelphia public high school. El Centro serves Opportunity Youth: young adults age 16-21 who previously disengaged from high school because traditional models of education didn’t work for them. El Centro’s dedicated team of advisors and teachers help students find and walk their pathway to success by centering students’ learning on their interests and passions, integrating career exploration and internships into the school curriculum, as well as project-based learning.

 Activity:  After learning about El Centro’s program, and the volunteer opportunities for those who want to participate in “Mock Interview Day” in the school year 2022-2023. We will observe senior level students presenting their end-of-trimester exhibitions. The exhibitions represent the culmination of the trimester’s work. Students will answer questions and receive feedback from teachers, fellow students and visitors, including TTN volunteers. Exhibitions are examples of the project-based learning that allow students to apply important concepts and core knowledge to what they learned during the trimester.

Location: 1241 N. Taney Street, Philadelphia

Website:  https://www.elcentrobpp.org/

Maximum number of volunteers: 10

Philadelphia Book Bank: Run by Reading Recycled, the book bank helps teachers and the community get books and resources for the children they serve. The Book Bank is member supported through annual dues of just $25. In exchange for those dues, Book Bank Members receive up to 400 books per school year, as well as classroom supplies, with a combined value of over $4,000

Activity: We will sort and box up books to be used by classroom teachers in the fall. Note: They have plenty of books but they need a lot of help sorting them.

Location: Inside Martin Luther King High School, 6100 Stenton Avenue,

Website: https://readingrecycled.org/the-book-bank-1    

Maximum number of volunteers: 15

Camp Sojourner, Girls’ Leadership Camp helps Philadelphia girls become leaders who take charge of their own lives and act as agents of positive change in their communities. The camp host girls ages 8-18 at Camp Sojourner, our overnight summer camp program, and offers year-round mentoring, service projects, creative arts, and leadership activities.

Activity: We will divide into several small groups, each group being comprised of a few volunteers and a few girls. We will garden, chat, and get to know each other. Perhaps some mentorship opportunities will develop as a result of connections made during the time we are with the girls.

Location: Volunteer activity will be held at Bartram’s Garden

5400 Lindbergh Blvd, Philadelphia

Website: https://girlsleadershipcamp.org/    

Maximum number of volunteers: 10

Stomping Grounds Café is operated by YouthBuild Charter School and its main purpose is to help motivated young adults succeed. What was originally a training space operated with YouthBuild Philly’s main location was moved off-site operating as both a training space and functional café. Stomping Grounds is where the students can use their newfound skills to improve their community.

Activity:  A YouthBuild instructor, and students will share their hands-on-training of day-to-day operations, management and promotion activities while offering tasting opportunities of coffee and tea. Students will teach us about the history of tea and coffee and describe what they have learned about entrepreneurship, marketing and event planning.

Location: 3859 Lancaster Avenue, Philadelphia

Website: https://sgcafe.sho

Maximum number of volunteers: 15

Tree House Books serves as a Giving Library and Literacy Center headquartered in North Philadelphia. Founded in 2005, it provides free books to children and families, and Out of School Time (OST) programs that increase literacy skills, and promote a lifelong love of reading and writing. This nonprofit reaches children from their earliest moments, through high school. 

Activity: After touring the library and learning about Tree House Books, volunteers will sort and stamp new and donated books. Some books will be placed on the library shelves, while others may be designated for specific children who will participate in the “Words on Wheels” program. Children in this program will receive free books matched to their reading level and interests, and work with a literacy instructor during the summer.

Location: 1430 West Susquehanna Road, Philadelphia

Website: https://www.treehousebooks.org 

Maximum number of volunteers: 12