by Sierra Turner & Grid staff
Kids are resilient, which is a good thing given the challenges that many of them face in Philadelphia. One of the biggest gifts that we can give them is awareness of their own potential and pathways to achieve it.
This nonprofit leadership program for Philadelphia girls focuses on team-building, leadership development, creative arts and appreciation of nature. The organization offers girls the chance to get out of the city for a one-week sleepaway camp experience.
Who you’ll help
Young women in Philadelphia who deserve the chance to thrive and become leaders
What you’ll do
Get involved in year-round mentoring, service projects, creative arts and leadership development activities
Mighty Writers’ mission is to teach kids to think and write with clarity—a critical skill that will serve them in school and throughout their lives. Programs include daily after-school academies, long- and short-term writing classes, a teen scholar program, mentorships, college prep courses and college essay writing classes. All of their programs are free to Philadelphia students.
Who you’ll help
The next Toni Morrison, Ta-Nehisi Coates or Virginia Woolf
What you’ll do
Become a tutor, mentor, workshop leader or intern at the Mighty Writers office, where you’ll do a combination of working with kids and learning nonprofit management
“I figured that I could share my love of writing and reading with children. It immediately felt like home, and I haven’t looked back once.”
– Shanise Redmon, Mighty Writers volunteer
This nonprofit provides educational, recreational and career-building opportunities for urban youth in underserved neighborhoods in greater Philadelphia through bicycling; it also promotes cycling as a healthy, affordable, environmentally friendly form of transportation.
Who you’ll help
A kid who needs a buddy to show them how to build a bike—and a better life
What you’ll do
There are many ways to work with this organization, including one-time events such as Bicycle Safety Checks or Valet Bike Parking, in addition to more regular opportunities such as Earn-A-Bike, Ride Club and Saturday Drop-In.