Volunteer and In-Kind Update | November 2014

Help spread joy and goodwill this season to the Project HOME community! Our Thanksgiving volunteer opportunities are full, but we are still accepting Thanksgiving food donations, and we need your help for the winter holidays. Check out our open volunteer opportunities, our seasonal donation needs ($25 gift cards), and how you can help Project HOME by doing your holiday shopping through Amazon Smile.

As always, check out our online Amazon wish list, and list of in-kind needs!

Holiday Volunteer Opportunities

Christmas Dinner at Kairos House
Help celebrate Christmas in one of our transitional housing residences for 36 men and women.

Date and Time: December 25, 5pm to 7pm (Dinner is from 5:30pm to 6:30pm)
Location: 1440 N Broad St, Philadelphia, PA, 19121
Tasks:  Provide and serve a Christmas dinner. Volunteers can cater or prepare a special dinner, serve it to residents, and if interested, even provide holiday activities or music. Dinner must be prepared beforehand, but volunteers can arrive up to a half-hour early to reheat or prep food.
How to get started: Email [email protected] with the number of volunteers in your group.

Holiday Brunch
We need 3-5 volunteers to help celebrate the holidays with Project HOME residents on Christmas Day. This is a great one-time opportunity for a family, church or work group. There will be a separate orientation process for new holiday volunteers. Can't volunteer on Christmas Day but still would like to help? We can also accept food donations on Christmas Eve! 

Date and Time: December 25, 12pm to 4pm. Holiday Brunch will be held from 1pm to 3pm.
Location: JBJ Soul Homes, 1415 Fairmount Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19130.
Tasks: Set up, serving food, running activities, cleaning up and live music for sing-alongs. Volunteers can also help by bringing brunch foods and treats for the event, such as pastries, bagels, bundt cake, hot chocolate, kugel, hash brown casserole, desserts, etc. We ask that any food donations be brought in disposable aluminum pans.
How to get started: Email [email protected] with the number of volunteers in your group, if the group can bring food donations, and if your group has any musicians interested in playing music.

Project HOME Staff/Resident Holiday Party
We need three volunteers to help register attendees and one or two volunteers to run the Audio-Visual system.

Date and time: Tuesday, December 16, 6pm to 9pm
Location: University of the Arts, 320 S Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19102
How to get started: Email Jen McAleese a [email protected], and copy [email protected]

Host a Holiday or New Year’s Eve Party
“Adopt” a residence and run a fun party with activities and snacks! This requires pre-planning on the part of the volunteers, and dates and times can be coordinated directly with the residence. Residences have total populations ranging from 22 to 144, but attendance will generally range from 10-20 people.

How to get started: Email [email protected] to get matched with an appropriate residence.

Holiday Gifts-in-Kind

Project HOME needs donations of $25 gift cards for our community!

With the approach of the winter holiday season, we would like to provide a meaningful holiday gift to each of our 700 residents and the teens in our College Access Program. Many in the Project HOME community quite often feel isolated and alone during the winter celebrations while struggling to make ends meet. The holiday season is a wonderful time to help them feel cared for and loved.

Your donation of $25 can provide a generous holiday gift for one of our residents or teens. This enables them to independently and proudly purchase their own necessities whether it be toiletries, clothing, food or home essentials.

Here are the ways to extend your holiday warmth and generosity:

• Organize a $25 gift card drive within your family or organization from one of the following stores: Walmart, Target, CVS, Rite Aid or Old Navy.  Please contact Paige Dennis, our volunteer coordinator for further information.
• Hand deliver a $25 gift card to 1515 Fairmount Avenue between the hours of 9am to 5pm Monday through Friday. Please call 215-320-6199 or email Paige to arrange delivery.
• Send a $25 check donation or gift card to Project HOME, c/o Paige Dennis. If a check, in the memo line, please designate 2014 holidays.

Buying Gifts Online? Support us through Amazon Smile!

Support Project HOME by shopping on AmazonSmile, at no cost to you!  For every eligible purchase made through AmazonSmile, Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price to the charitable organization of your choice. Follow this link to get started.

Please note that our wish list on Amazon in no way advocates for one product or company over any other; all listed products were selected by lowest price only. For more information, or to schedule a delivery appointment please contact Paige Dennis,Volunteer and In-Kind Coordinator, at [email protected] or 215-320-6199.