A Growing List of Noteworthy Nonprofits
In the last five years, a local real estate company hired me to pilot a philanthropy fund they created. Their mission is to give small-but-impactful and sustainable donations to youth and arts organizations in Philadelphia. My task was to identify the organizations, vet them to ensure they met our mission, then understand how the donation would be used. I jumped on this opportunity: Not only did I get to expand my Philadelphia nonprofit knowledge base, but I also got to talk to people doing great work. (They are so passionate!) While my professional background is not in development, I have worked in and with nonprofits long enough to understand the tenets of giving. This project has furthered my learning.
As you can imagine, COVID greatly challenged the mission of many of these organizations. Some nonprofits have fared better than others, depending on their programs and funding. Regardless, it is clear that these donations will allow each organization to be more innovative and, ultimately, more accessible to the people they serve.
I started how most projects start these days—on social media. I posted a request for suggestions on the Facebook group “Being Neighborly Philadelphia.” I got back an incredible response and began looking into each suggestion. Now five years in, I have a number of different resources I look to, and my network has grown so much that I hear about new organizations all the time. I will continue to build this list in the coming months, so stay tuned for more suggestions!
Quintessence Theater
https://www.quintessencetheatre.org/
Quintessence Theater is a small local theater group in Mt. Airy that puts on multiple productions a year and also has a large education component. They engage students from around Philadelphia who may not otherwise have access to the arts, particularly to theater and plays. Oftentimes, the actors go into schools and use the current production as a backdrop to their curriculum, helping to guide students through the process of what goes into getting a play from a script to the stage. The sessions culminate with the students coming to see the play. Quintessence is constantly evolving when it comes to education programming and donations allow them to engage more schools and increase their impact on students.
Philly Bridge & Jawn
Philly Bridge & Jawn (PB&J) is a safety net organization for struggling youth in Kensington. PB&J aims to reconnect youth with positive influences and expand their support systems, particularly for those who have experienced trauma related to the opioid crisis in the area. PB&J combats this trauma by fostering community, building networks, and providing opportunities through their core program, "Cook, Eat, and Get Paid." In this program, youth come together for a meal where everyone contributes, engages in programming during the meal, and receives a stipend for their work and attendance. PB&J serves as a bridge, closing the gap between teen readiness and available youth opportunities.
Beyond the Bars
https://beyondthebarsmusic.org/mission/
Beyond the Bars uses music to interrupt the cycles of violence and the school to prison pipeline. They do this through community based programs, diversionary programs and incarceration programs. It began 6 years ago with teaching incarcerated youth who had never had music programming before. Students would express, through music, a wide array of traumas, from abuse to homelessness to witnessing homicide. They later branched out to community based programs addressing many of these same traumas. They want the youth to reach small, tangible goals, self-efficacy and exploration.
There are two main programs: the student driven music academy, where they play their own shows, and the practical producers program, where they learn how to write and produce their own music with professionals. They work with approximately 60-80 youth per week across both programs. Their program is unique in that the students who complete one of the two programs can then become student teachers and ultimately get paid for their work. They have 6 student teachers currently. For those who do not choose to teach, they have a career planning component with counselors to guide them.
Beyond the Bars currently has over 25 partnerships (i.e. Covenant House, Temple’s instrument recycling lab, CHOP for gun shot victims, etc.) and they want to partner with other great organizations to compliment their work. Any donations to Beyond the Bars would help ensure their robust programming continues.
Unity in the Community
Unityinthecommunity215.com
Unity in the Community is an organization dedicated to changing the lives of people who need it most in Philadelphia. Anton Moore is the Founder and Director, and he works tirelessly to keep young people off the streets. He is incredibly passionate about his mission. He left the entertainment industry with a desire to make his own neighborhood and city better, safer and more hopeful for these youth.
One way he is doing this is through a carpentry program. “So many of the schools with trades programs have discontinued that programming for one reason or another.” Youth ages 14-19 learn how to install flooring, paint, and sheet rock– the fundamental skills of carpentry and building. They receive a small stipend each week for their work. Moore says that this program is reducing gun violence and helping young people get into the workforce. Most of these young people have experienced significant trauma, from abuse to incarceration to food insecurity. And many are being raised in a single parent household. They are in need of mentorship and positive role models, which Moore is working to provide for them.
Unity in the Community has received some money from Sixers players, the Office of Violence Prevention and other private donations. They are always in need of more funding, as they would like to increase the stipends in the carpentry program as well as think about staffing needs.
Paint > Initiative
https://popartacademy.org/home
Paint > Initiative uses art and therapeutic programs to inspire young people to be creative, engaged, and imaginative while expressing themselves and reducing their barriers to success. Many of these youth are witnesses to violence, namely gun violence. Art allows them to express emotions and change the narratives of their experiences. These workshops also introduce youth to peers outside of their neighborhoods, and they discover commonalities. One of their founders, Teisha Brown, is a licensed psychotherapist and the other, Vanessa Young, is an artist. They partner with other organizations for referrals and reach out to families to be part of the workshops, focusing on grief and trauma through painting, creative writing, and conflict resolution. They say that, in general, people relax when they are painting or being creative and can just talk.
Kensington Soccer Club
https://www.kensingtonsoccer.org
Founded in 2010 by Executive Director, Jim Hardy, the main focus of the organization is to engage children, open opportunities, and eliminate barriers to sports and recreation. Kensington has little to no green space, so Jim’s idea was to bring soccer to the youth– at their schools and rec centers. If they wanted to play, he didn’t want them to have to go far to do it. This has meant creating and sustaining partnerships with school personnel and staff at rec centers. Kensington Soccer Club has grown to serve 1,400 youth across all of its programs. While 95% is on the field work, it also incorporates nutrition, team building, team spirit, fair play, and community building. There is a Youth Leadership Council that meets weekly to discuss issues in the community and within the program.
We Love Philly
https://welovephilly.org/pages/about
We Love Philly serves mostly students from One Bright Ray Community High Schools. Carlos Aponte, Founder and Executive Director, started the organization while teaching at One Bright Ray and then left his teaching position to work on We Love Philly full time. The program is for 16-21 year olds who have dropped out of high school and need to earn credits toward graduation. WLP helps them do that. The mission is to empower students through mindfulness, entrepreneurship, ownership and content creation. They gain life skills through real life experiences and hands-on learning. These young people are more prepared for the world around them when they graduate from this program. Many are immediately employable. WLP works with 30 students at a time and has hopes to expand. Carlos is as innovative as he is dedicated and is always creating pathways for these students to not only succeed but to sustain success.
Philly Goat Project
https://www.phillygoatproject.org
The Philly Goat Project provides education, wellness, therapy, and community engagement through intentional interaction with goats. Located at Awbury Arboretum, PGP was created to give urban residents access to nature and agriculture and to foster a connection with goats. Animal-assisted therapy has also proven incredibly helpful in dealing with trauma. PGP believes building a connection to the natural world is a path to community wellness.
Sanctuary Farm
https://www.sanctuaryfarmphila.org
Sanctuary Farm is a nonprofit urban farm dedicated to increasing food access and promoting community wellness in North Philadelphia. By transforming abandoned lots into welcoming, productive green spaces, they provide fresh, locally grown produce and offer nutrition and wellness programming for both adults and students. Their work fosters safety, connection, and a sense of belonging, strengthening the community from the ground up.
Smith Memorial Playground and Playhouse
https://www.smithplayground.org
Smith Memorial Playground and Playhouse are on 6.5 acres of land and have been around since the 19th century. The mission is to create opportunities for unstructured play for children. "Play" is at the heart of all they do. They serve all of Philadelphia (and beyond) on their multi-level playground and in the playhouse. Their programming aims to reach the immediate surrounding neighborhoods, as those are some of the most in need in the city. Literacy is one of their largest initiatives, working with children and their families on skills and literacy-building interactions. Smith relies on grant funding and private and corporate donations to operate.
Yes! And… Collaborative Arts
Yes! And... Collaborative Arts (YACA) is a youth-centered organization dedicated to building community and leadership skills through the arts. YACA serves children ages 5-18 through various programs. Their summer programming for younger students emphasizes collaboration, imaginative play, and foundational skills in creative and performing arts. During the school year, older students bring a musical to life from inception to performance. YACA operates on a sliding scale, allowing families to pay what they can, thus providing opportunities to students and families who might not otherwise be able to participate. Additionally, they fundraise to ensure full programming is available regardless of one's ability to pay.
Young Chances Foundation
Young Chances Foundation (YCF) is a community-based organization that serves the Grays Ferry neighborhood and other areas of South Philadelphia. Its mission is to give children and families the resources to lead safe and productive lives, build relationships, and assist with paths to higher education to reduce violence. Whatever the community needs, they aim to provide, from community events and activities to food giveaways, work with public safety agencies, and more.
Image from: Beyond The Bars