This farm sanctuary hosts coffee with cows

Better yet, you can volunteer with them.

The Philly August Volunteering Calendar

Every month I highlight volunteering opportunities with mutual aid groups.

This antifascist celebration focuses on pasta

It’s time for pastasciutta antifascista, a celebration that stems from the arrest of Benito Mussolini. As early as the 1920s, Mussolini launched an anti-pasta campaign to promote nationalism, encouraging Italians to eat homegrown rice rather than imported wheat. Although Italy produced its own wheat, it couldn’t keep

Supper clubs are an exercise in community healing

Studies find that social eating encourages civic involvement, because people who engage in communal eating are happier and have stronger support networks.

Immediate-need volunteering for folks who like to cook - also, veggie issues

Summer can be a tough time in mutual aid circles. Frequent volunteers go on vacation, or have family visits. I saw three immediate requests for volunteers that I want to highlight because these are organizations I have worked with and see the direct impact they have in their communities. 

Produce in Philadelphia costs more than it has in years

It's getting harder to find groceries across Philadelphia. And when you find them, they are increasing in price. I asked a scientist for thoughts.

The Philly July mutual aid volunteering calendar

Here are some volunteering opportunities with mutual aid groups. Since distros can shift and change, please RSVP with each individual group before you show up. I'm trying a new calendar format this month, so please let me know if you like this version, or the list better! Yes,

Want to fight hunger? Plant a garden right now

Philly's Food and Nutrition Security Task Force has recommendations, but you can take matters into your own hands

One thing you can do today: save a life with this free little tool

The P.A. Groundhogs have released a study to share how effective drug test strips can be, and why more of us should have them around.

Why we need to continue following the story of Camp Chloe

There’s no smoking gun in these files that points to any one person or group doing anything blatantly vile or wrong. Instead, we can see dysfunction over how to provide long-term care for our most vulnerable. 

The Philly Resource Hubs are moving

Department of Health Resource Hubs across Philly, which provided public health supplies, testing and emergency-need products, are closing. Some of the services offered will move to other locations.

Philadelphia is in a heat emergency but you can still help

A heat emergency is called when This kind of declaration is made when temperatures and humidity reach levels that can put vulnerable people, like those with chronic illness or the elderly, at high risk for medical emergencies. Meaning, people who are vulnerable and alone need our help.

Mutual Aid

Behind the scenes of free food distribution

(and volunteer ops for the week) Most Fridays, The Platia joins mutual aid groups, Food Not Bombs and Punks With Lunch, for a picnic in South Philly where we distribute free food and talk about harm reduction on a local level. These Mifflin Square Park picnics are a blast. (We&

News

The '27 budget is going to complicate homeless services

Leaky roofs and bedbugs push people to sleep on the street instead of staying in a Philadelphia shelter — and that's only if a bed is even available. It could soon get harder to find any space at all.

Volunteering

Philly Mutual Aid & Volunteering - May 28 through June 7

Hi everyone. May has been a really big month and I am so happy to have you here. Please read up on why The Platia believes that mutual aid and information will save the world and message me if you have thoughts and want to chat about it! I was

Mutual Aid

A Philly cafe with a pay-it-forward program

While coming in for one of its infamous vegan pop tarts, you can throw in a few extra dollars and make sure that someone's bad day instantly gets better with a free meal.

Mutual Aid

Philly Volunteer Opportunities: May 15 - 23

Join our Free food picnic every Friday at Mifflin Park - plus other volunteer ops.

Social Services

Philly's shelter system is broken. Here are some numbers to help you understand it.

And how to look for the helpers.

Civics

Why videos making light of addiction harm the entire community

When celebrities use our communities to make a point of making themselves look like saviors, our most vulnerable are who suffer. Case-in-point: I was flooded with texts this week about the Dr. Mehmet Oz videos from Philly. In the videos Oz, the doctor known for promoting the use

I'm giving away a May Day grant

As someone who writes a lot about place, and eating together and small businesses and being in community, I'm really exhausted of all the recent political events that put our most vulnerable in danger. And yet, I also know we need to keep fighting. But, when you are

Help save Philly's resource hubs

Since Pandemic days, you may have utilized one of the free resource hubs located around Philadelphia. These city-funded public health centers started with immediate needs, like masks and COVID-19 tests. They flourished into community centers, with baby equipment, hand sanitizer and wipes, and harm reduction items like Narcan

Volunteering

Philly volunteer opportunities: April 28th through May 3

After meeting the encampment of people living on the Delaware River, also known as Camp Chloe after the beloved camp pet dog, I started looking into the shelter system here in Philadelphia. As someone without deep personal experience in homelessness, it can be confusing why people wouldn't go

Help us throw the best block party in Kensington

Knowing your neighbors is proven to reduce fear by turning unknown people into known demographic communities. Because block parties are a great way to meet those neighbors and come together over a common goal, I'm throwing a block party with Block2Block at Prevention Point on April 25th. To

Mutual Aid

What we can learn from a 16-year-old autonomous community in Athens

Prosfygika sits in Athens near stadiums, hospitals and municipal buildings. While other areas sprout hotels and condos, this corner has fought to resist gentrification.