No one understands how good it feels to give back to the community than Philadelphia nonprofits. Rendering aid to the needy and backing causes rarely supported, many of them work quietly and without recognition.
Center in the Park is one such organization. Here's a rundown on the nonprofit community center focused on providing opportunities for older adults to participate in a myriad of recreational activities.
RELATED READ: Where to volunteer in Philadelphia this month
CENTER IN THE PARK
Mission: Founded in 1968, Center in the Park is a nonprofit community center in Northwest Philadelphia dedicated to the needs of older people. The csenter serves as community resource by providing access to supportive services and activities for individuals ages 55 and up.
Impact: “People maintain and improve their health in our exercise classes and healthy lifestyle workshops, they meet new people at breakfast or lunch, they try new things in our painting and pottery classes, and they have fun playing cards, shooting pool, or line dancing,” explains Renee Cunningham, executive director.
“We have everything from A to Z…Aging Mastery to Zen. We help homebound older adults maintain their independence in our In-Home Support Program, we educate and advocate for residents of long-term care facilities through our Ombudsman Program, and we help people of all ages who are in mortgage default to save their homes or who have trouble affording their energy bills,” she notes.
How to get involved: Volunteers help to keep the center running smoothly and are critical to the success of their programming, classes and events. Volunteers should be committed men and women who give their talents and time to help in a variety of ways – from clerical tasks to protecting the environment to mentoring children at neighborhood schools. The goal of the volunteer program is to place people in positions where they will enjoy using their skills in a way that will also respond to the needs of the center.
Like most nonprofits, Center in the Park relies on donations to keep their programs running. That said, if you’d like to contribute to their cause, you can do so here.
Center in the Park is at 5818 Germantown Ave. in Germantown. You can contact them by calling 215-848-7722 or by email at info@centerinthepark.org.