Our favorite charities to support this holiday season

This year, The Inquirer has highlighted charities doing great work in our community through the Philly Gives series. We asked Inquirer Opinion writers to add their thoughts on charities worth giving to this holiday season.

No surprise that for a foodie like me, many of the charitable organizations I look to support involve ensuring people have access to food from seed to plate, from international organizations concerned with food sovereignty to world kitchens offering food during humanitarian crises.

Locally, I have long admired the St. Francis Inn at 2441 Kensington Ave., which has been quietly serving a meal, restaurant-style, for up to 350 people daily since 1979. It is open 365 days a year (Monday, 4:30 to 6 p.m.; Tuesday-Wednesday, 10-11 a.m. and 4:30-6 p.m.; Friday-Sunday, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.). This November, St. Francis Inn volunteers served nearly 6,500 meals; in October, it served just over 8,000.

It also provides its guests with essential toiletries (including diapers and menstrual products), and its kitchen serves as a safe place for unhoused folks to receive mail. The organization also runs Marie’s Closet (a free clothing site that strives to provide a dignified and respectful “shopping” experience) and a jobs center at 2439 Kensington Ave., as well as the Thea Bowman Center at 2433 Kensington Ave.

— Sabrina Vourvoulias

I was watching a room full of students at the African STEM Academy learn to code last month when it occurred to me that most didn’t have access to smartphones. In Ghana, the average resident earns less than $3,000 per year. Before enrolling in the STEM Academy, most students didn’t know how to send an email or even turn on a computer.

“African kids will not be able to compete on a global scale if they do not have skills that are transferable and in demand,” pointed out Maurice Cheatham, a Detroit native and the STEM Academy’s founder. He created the program in 2022 after American tourists he hosted for tours expressed interest in contributing on a grassroots level. In addition to the academy, he also runs African Roots Travel, which helped coordinate my trip to the continent. The Jack and Jill of America chapter out of Brooklyn, N.Y., provided the STEM Academy with computers as well as $10,000 in seed money.

The first thing I noticed when I visited was the poor condition of the campus. It made me feel sad, but then a student flashed a bright smile and waved hello. I was impressed by the overall sense of order and how well-disciplined the students were. I watched as groups of students huddled around computers, designing hardware and software to operate their own traffic lights. When it was our turn to speak, they listened respectfully as we discussed our respective careers. “The goal is to go to Silicon Valley and to be at Black tech conferences and let people know we are doing this program and how can we work with them to build a pipeline to work with these kids,” Cheatham said.

As I left the school that day, I made a silent promise to do what I could to help. Sponsoring a student for an entire year at the STEM Academy costs just $200. Hopefully, you will consider doing the same.

— Jenice Armstrong

Housing is an important issue for more families every year. High interest rates have joined high home prices as a barrier to entry, putting the American dream of your front door increasingly out of reach. Habitat for Humanity is one of the best organizations we have to combat housing inflation, and its process supplies new homeowners with both the financial and repair skills necessary to maintain their homes over time.

Recently, it has shown flexibility by adapting to the changing circumstances, opting to build condos to maximize their new ownership opportunities. As many of Philadelphia’s neighborhoods experience growth, this kind of flexibility is essential to ensure adequate affordable housing across the city.

Habitat also operates the “ReStore” chain, which helps many families, including my own, find quality affordable furniture.

— Daniel Pearson

There are lots of local grassroots organizations worthy of praise and support in Philadelphia — so show your appreciation every year to your favorite by donating or volunteering.

This year, I’m shouting out Moms Bonded By Grief, a nonprofit that consistently and respectfully supports victims of gun violence in our city. From their weekly support meetings to their annual Christmas party and summer retreat for children, and just this November, the opening of a healing garden in Southwest Philadelphia, the women in this group represent the best of turning pain into passion. It is an unenviable fellowship, becoming one of the thousands of families in Philadelphia who have lost loved ones to gun violence.

It’s an agonizing loss made even worse by the number of homicides that go unsolved every year. But the women involved with Moms Bonded By Grief have built a loving and safe space for one another while they work to be of service to some of the most vulnerable residents in their communities with all kinds of events, including food, toy, and coat giveaways. They deserve our praise and our support.

To donate or for more information, contact cofounder Terrez McCleary at momsbondedbygrief@yahoo.com. Donations can also be through Cash App $MBBG2017 or PayPal @MBBGREZY.

— Helen Ubiñas

Being a relatively recent arrival, I turned to my friend Stephanie Strockis for a recommendation on a local nonprofit that could use a little love.

Keeping it within the neighborhood, she pointed me toward the South Philadelphia Community Fridge. The 100% volunteer-run organization (for which she volunteers) operates seven refrigerator and pantry sites across South Philly — perhaps you’ve seen one outside the Bok Building or by the People’s Kitchen in the Italian Market. Open 24/7 and operating on a “take what you need, leave what you can” model, the group strives to help those in need access fresh food and pantry staples — no questions asked.

As Strockis told me: “You don’t need permission to shop or to share food at the fridges, ever. Food is a human right, and we think a lot about the dignity of all community members’ experiences in accessing that right.” Visit southphillyfridge.com to view distribution locations or to find out how to volunteer or donate.

— Luis F. Carrasco