It's still chilly outside, but it's officially spring, neighbors! And we're back at it with our Monday morning event and resource roundup.

As always, if you know of an event or resource you’d like us to include in future newsletters, send it our way at editors@kensingtonvoice.com. 

In case you missed it

Kensington business curfew

City Council approved a bill last week that imposes a curfew for businesses without liquor licenses in a select area of Kensington. If the mayor signs the bill, any business that violates the curfew will be fined $500 for each day it’s open after 11 p.m. Click here for the details.

What’s happening in the neighborhood

Vision Zero seeking community ambassadors for 2024

Vision Zero, the City of Philadelphia’s traffic safety program, is looking for ambassadors to train and equip with the skills needed to advocate for traffic safety.

Selected participants will attend an in-person training session on Saturday, April 20. During the session, participants will be trained on traffic safety concepts, Vision Zero, and the resources available within the city. They will also receive support and guidance from city staff during their ambassador engagement period (May-September 2024).

For their time and effort, Vision Zero ambassadors will receive a stipend of $1,500 upon completion of the program. The deadline to apply for the program is March 31. Click here to apply.

Harrowgate Running Club

On April 16, the Harrowgate Running Club will meet at Harrowgate Park for its first run from 6:15 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. Click here to register.

Heitzman Rec Spring Basketball League

This spring, Heitzman Recreation Center is having a free basketball league for all children ages seven to 14 years old. The games for the 7-10 age group will take place on Wednesdays and games for the 11 to 14 age group will be on Fridays.

The evaluation period will take place on April 1o, 12, and 17. The time for the 7-10 age group will be 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., and the 11-14 age group evaluations will be from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

To register or for more information, contact heitzmanreccenter@phila.gov or call 215-537-3244.

Our programs 

Youth Voices after-school program

Mondays from 3:30 to 6:00 p.m.

Every Monday through Friday, we host youth programming at our newsroom at 3237 Amber Street from 3:30 to 6:00 p.m. The programs are designed for students in grades six through 12, but those in that age range are welcome to bring their younger siblings, too.

We’ve got arts and crafts, computer games, multimedia equipment, and more. We also have sponsored meals from nearby restaurants for four days out of each week:

• Mondays: Vientiane Bistro 🥟
• Tuesdays: Brunchaholics 🍳
• Wednesdays: Cantina La Martina 🌮
• Thursdays: Poe’s Sandwich Joint 🥪

Youth participants who are interested in creative writing, multimedia production, and visual arts can collaborate with us to publish their work to our website and receive a gift card ranging from $75 to $150 for their contributions. 

Activities & Events 

March 27

PECO is holding an in-person LIHEAP assistance event at their main building (2301 Market St) from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., featuring radio personalities like Lady B and DJ Touchtone. Come by and get supported for up to $1000 on your next energy bill.

March 28

Temple University's Kornberg School of Dentistry is hosting a free dental care clinic for kids ages 15 and under from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pre-registration is required. Call 215-707-2863 to register.

Are you a local comedian looking to tell some jokes on a stage? The Monkey Club will be hosting their monthly open mic for comedians at 7 p.m. Sign-ups for the open mic start at 6:30 p.m., and each set will have 5 minutes. Click here to sign up.

March 30

Wanda Community Event Inc. is hosting an Easter basket giveaway at 1 p.m. at Heitzman Recreation Center. There will be free face painting and photos with the Easter Bunny. All are welcome to attend. Wanda Community Event Inc. will also have a free clothing drive at the same time and place.

Kensington Corridor Trust is inviting community members to join its Community Feedback Session for its Garden Art Project. Registered attendees will receive free dinner and gift cards for their time. To register, click here.

The Renaissance Orchestra will be performing a one-hour concert at McPherson Square Library for Women’s History Month, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. The chosen music in the concert will pay homage to impactful women throughout history. 

Norris Square Neighborhood Project will host a fundraising event, “Weeds to Know Before You Hoe,” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Participants will learn about the difference between “weeds” and useful plants to keep in their gardens. Tickets for the fundraiser are $21.71. Click here to get yours.

Weekdays

Every Wednesday from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Galaei hosts its weekly discussion group, “Code Grindr”, in person at its location. This discussion group will unpack the negative impact that hookup apps have and the stigmas they uphold surrounding race, gender identity, and the harm they cause people. 

The Norris Square Senior Center offers free daily activities for adults 60 and older on Mondays through Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Activities include art, exercise, games, and socializing. Meals are also provided – $1.25 for breakfast and $1 for lunch.  

Heitzman Recreation Center is hosting a free chess club on Mondays from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. for ages eight and up. No registration or prior experience is required. For more information, contact heitzmanreccenter@phila.gov. 

Heitzman is also hosting free art classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays consist of bracelet making, and on Thursdays, participants make arts & crafts. For more information, contact heitzmanreccenter@phila.gov or call 215-537-3244.

Recurring

Galaei has several programs coming up for Philly’s Black and Brown LGBTQ+ community, including a book club, transgender support group, sexual health discussions, and more. Keep up on Galaei’s Instagram. 

To browse upcoming programs at Kensington, McPherson Square, and Lillian Marrero libraries, visit freelibrary.org/calendar. 

Free Trainings

Energy Coordinating Agency

The Energy Coordinating Agency is offering a training program for people interested in a career in environmental remediation. This 10-week training gives you 4 industry certifications and the skills to turn abandoned or unused lots into greenspaces in your neighborhood. The training will be from Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. To apply, contact Tess Willams at 267-306-9551 or by email at artessaw@ecasys.org.

Forklift Certification Class

Project Home is offering a free forklift certification class this June. Participants will receive all-day hands-on training from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., learning how to operate forklifts. You must have a driver’s license to be eligible for the certification class. The deadline for applications is May 23. Click here to apply.

Lifeguard Trainings

Parks & Rec has reopened its free lifeguard training for teens 16 years and older. Upon completion, you will earn free lifeguard certification, which allows you to earn a starting pay of $16 an hour. Click here to apply or learn more.

Mental Health First Aid Training

The Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS) offers free training for those interested in earning a Mental Health First Aid certification. The virtual training is facilitated weekly. Register here.

Sheet Metal Workers

Sheet Metal Workers Local Union No. 19 is currently accepting applications for their Philadelphia training center. Earn money while you learn a new trade, and learn from experienced professionals in the field. Click here to apply and learn more.

Funding Opportunities

2024 Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Program

Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance & Pennsylvania Council on the Arts’s Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator program provides creative entrepreneurs with small business consulting and $2000 in critical funds. 51% of the program's funding is reserved for BIPOC entrepreneurs and those in low-income communities. To Apply for the grant program and learn more, click here.

Block beautification

As part of the Keep It Clean Philly campaign, the city is offering funding to block captains the PMBC Block Captain Beautification Grant to beautify their block. The grant amount can be as much as $500, and is only available to block captains registered through the Philadelphia More Beautiful Committee (PMBC). Click here to apply.

Business security

Does your business need extra security? Click here to apply for the city’s Business Security Camera Program. If your company wants additional upgrades, check out the Storefront Improvement Program.

Nonprofits can also apply for security enhancements through the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, administered by the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.  

Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office Violence Prevention Grant Program

The DA’s Office Violence Prevention Grant Program has returned and community-based addiction recovery nonprofits are encouraged to apply.  To begin the application process, contact GrantmakingServices@philafound.org. You must be a registered 501(c)(3) to be eligible for this grant opportunity.

Jobs

City of Philadelphia

The City of Philadelphia is hiring for multiple positions, including Correctional Officer and Research & Information Analyst. View listings and apply here.

Division of Substance Use and Harm Reduction

The Division of Substance Use and Harm Reduction has several job openings available, including a communications specialist and graphic designer. View listings and apply here. 

Esperanza Health Center

Esperanza Health Center has several job openings available. View listings and apply here.

New Kensington Community Development Community 

NKCDC is hiring for several full-time positions. View listings here. 

Pathways to Housing PA

Pathways to Housing PA is hiring for several positions, including for a truck driver/warehouse assistant at the Philadelphia Furniture Bank at 3650 I St. Find listings and apply here. 

PennDOT

PennDot is hiring new engineers, equipment operators, inspectors, and mechanics. View listings and apply here. 

Philadelphia Parks & Rec

Philadelphia Parks & Rec is currently hiring for multiple positions, including RSI Programming Specialist-Pops Playground and Seasonal Maintenance Attendant. To apply and learn more, click here.

School District of Philadelphia

The School district of Philadelphia is hiring Assistant Teachers. The starting salary is $20.61 an hour. Click here to apply.

Safe-Hub Philadelphia

Safe-Hub is hiring soccer coaches. Head coaches are paid $22 per hour while assistant and flex coaches are volunteer positions. Apply here. 

Xiente

Xiente is hiring in multiple positions, including OST Group Leaders, Head Start Lead Teacher, and more. To apply, send your resume and cover letter to hr@xiente.org.

Services

Filter Philly

Filter Philly provides free air purifiers, masks, and tests to local events and organizations to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and other airborne illnesses. If you’d like to be supplied with a free purifier or equipment, contact filterphilly@proton.me.

Fresh Choice Food Pantry

The Community Center at Visitation’s Fresh Choice Food Pantry is open on Mondays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Additional offerings include coffee, light snacks, free vital checks, HIV testing, and Hepatitis-C testing. 

In Color Birding Club

From now until August, In Color Birding Club is offering school bus sponsorships for teachers and institutions taking their students to field trips in nature or other green spaces like gardens or arboretums. First priorities will be given to first-time applicants and teachers or institutions with a majority presence of BIPOC students. Click here to apply and learn more. 

LIHEAP

Applications for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program are now open. Income-eligible families could receive up to $1,000 to pay for heating bills. Apply online or by mail. 

NKCDC

From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Tuesday, NKCDC’s Kensington Empowerment Hub is open for their Record Clearing Clinic. Clients can meet with lawyers from the Lawyers for Social Equity organization to have their cases reviewed to see if they can be cleared of any records.

Youth Employment Project (YEP)

Temple University’s Youth Employment Project (YEP) is looking to enroll out-of-school young adults ages 16 to 24 years old into their program to support them with earning their GEDs and transitioning to employment or higher education. Requirements include being a Philadelphia resident, highly determined and self-motivated, and having a basic understanding of computer skills. Click here to fill out their interest form.

Volunteer Opportunities

Free Library of Philadelphia

The Free Library of Philadelphia is looking for volunteers for their author events. Volunteers will have the duties of greeting and ticketing patrons prior to events, assisting with audio equipment, and vetting questions from audience members. To volunteer, contact volunteer@freelibrary.org.

Philly Community Wireless

Philly Community Wireless needs tech and outreach volunteers. Learn more here. 

Savage Sisters

Savage Sisters, an organization that serves people recovering from substance use disorders, has an outreach program where they directly serve folks with resources and food. On Tuesdays, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., they hand out warm food and harm reduction kits, and they also do a clean up around the area afterward. If you are interested in volunteering, contact Liddy at liddy@savagesisters.org or 215-954-6199. 

Small Things

Small Things, a local food bank, opened a “free grocery store” style food pantry at 3510 A St. in Fairhill. Operating hours are Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m. to noon, and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The market is looking for volunteers. 

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Have something you’d like us to share in our Monday newsletter? Please send any news or press releases to editors@kensingtonvoice.com.