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

Thank you so much for opening today’s email. I’ve been working really hard on summer food stories: who gets to eat, who food belongs to and what food means in certain circles. If you haven’t caught up, check out the homepage to see some of the reported features that don’t make it into the newsletter. 

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. 

The Everywhere Project is looking for cooks! TEP does incredible work and they need people to cook the meals they distribute to the community. They provide ingredients, and you can drop cooked meals off at their outreach sessions at Love Park, Kensington or Ambler, Wednesdays and Saturdays. This is a great group activity in your home for a cooking night. Here’s the interest form. 

The People’s Kitchen is also looking for people to help. That could mean cooking, cleaning the kitchen or packing food. Their kitchen is located in the Italian Market and you’ll see the direct impact with food left in their community fridge and through mutual aid groups who come to pick up supplies and meals. See the open shifts here. 

The South Philly Community Fridge needs volunteers to transport food to fridges. These volunteer slots range from picking up large produce boxes to unpacking boxes (no car needed for that!). It’s best to read through each shift to understand how you can help. Check out the volunteer slots here. 

Speaking of free food… 

I spent time looking at the cost of buying produce in Philly, which is among the highest in the country, if not the actual highest grocery basket cost. That means the food we take-home to cook is more expensive than it's ever been.

Tariffs, climate, less competition among corporate grocers and ICE arresting or scaring away farm labor all factor into why food is so expensive. But if you don’t take it from me, take it from an actual agriculture scientist – we should all be taking advantage of reclaimed food right now. 

Read that whole article here, including recommendations ranging from frozen veggies instead of fresh to finding food rescues that won’t ask for ID, if the stigma of receiving free food is still keeping you away. 

Philly is in a Code Purple

So, lastly, I want to call your attention to the cooling center pop-up hosted by the Old First Church in Old City on 4th and Race. If you haven’t been here in a minute, this church has gone out of its way to show kindness, empathy and humanity to the neighborhood and people who find their way here. 

We're in a Code Purple right now, which means the air is "unhealthy to breathe" and some city services, like garbage pickup, will be cancelled. And while the Free Library, which acts as a cooling center, is staying open, the emergency cooling centers are not opening or increasing their services.

Alarmed by the city’s slow response to the heat emergency and poor air quality, the Old First Chirch has opened their own cooling center. They have chilly air conditioning, wifi and phone charging, drinks – and no ID is required to utilize the center. Check out the information, and if you can, please share so others find it today. 

I write The Platia all on my own, and am so glad you’re here, reading, sharing and volunteering. Please reach out if you want to collaborate on a civic training or volunteer opportunity, or if you want me to look into a situation regarding harm reduction and mutual aid. I am *always* here waiting for your feedback and thoughts!