Holiday 2022 Newspaper

BOK Gifting Guide

Give Back at BOK

Garces Foundation

The Garces Foundation strives to provide Philadelphia’s immigrant population with the healthcare, education, and support that they need to improve their lives and empower this community to reach its potential.

One program that follows this mission is the Garces Foundation Food Pantry. Partnering with Giordano Garden Groceries, the food pantry provides 100 boxes of free, fresh, and healthy food every week to families experiencing food insecurity. Food pantry handlers are needed every Monday and Tuesday from 4:00 - 6:00 PM at Giordano’s Garden Groceries in South

Philly. If you are interested in assisting, visit their website at https://www.garcesfoundation.org/ volunteer-opportunities to fill out a volunteer application!

In addition to their food pantry efforts, there are a number of ways to give back with other programs. For those with Spanish language skills, the foundation is looking for medical interpreters for their Community Health Day events, the next of which is scheduled for November 19, 2022. Garces Foundation is also in need of Spanish speaking GED tutors for math and science. These volunteers are needed in the evenings, approximately 1-2 hours per week, in-person and online.

Volunteer opportunities are also available that do not require Spanish language skills. Facilitators for the foundation’s digital literacy workshop are needed for approximately 2-3

hours in-person as well as co-teachers for 10-week session English classes. The classes are 2-3 hours a week and are in-person or online. Beyond these, there is also a need for administrative projects, including graphic design, IT, computer maintenance, event planning, and furniture assembly.

To find out how you can donate or volunteer, visit garcesfoundation.org for more information.

garcesfoundation.org/volunteeropportunities @garcesfoundation

Consider gifting after giving (see what we did there?) to organizations such as the Garces Foundation, South Philly Community Fridge, and the Hansjörg Wyss Wellness Center. This trio or organizations seeks to support the surrounding community by addressing food insecurity, literacy, and more.

Hansjörg Wyss Wellness Center + SEAMAAC

The Wyss Wellness Center is a primary care center offering low-cost and accessible health care to everyoneregardless of immigration or insurance status.

The collaborative effort of Jefferson Health and SEAMAAC (Southeast Asian Mutual Assistance Association Coalition) will be hosting a toy drive this year at the Key School on 8th and Wolf. A call will be put out for toys to be dropped off at the Wyss Wellness Center, but if you don’t have time to shop, your donation will be accepted to be used to purchase toys in late December.

The Wyss Wellness Center serves a large youth population and is always looking for ways to support them. Beyond the upcoming toy drive, the organization accepts used children’s books in different languages year-round. If anyone has books and would like to donate them, please

email info@seamaac.org to schedule a drop off.

While focused on immigrant communities, the Wyss Wellness Center is open to everyone. Becoming a patient or referring new clients to the center also helps this great organization reach more individuals and continue their work.

For more information and to find out how you can donate or volunteer, visit wysswellnesscenter. org or seamaac.org.

seamaac.org @seamaac

South Philly Community Fridge

The South Philly Community Fridge is a community-centered, volunteer-based organization dedicated to giving all Philadelphians access to fresh and healthy food, combating food insecurity and inequality in our city through mutual aid.

Partnering with local grocers and restaurants, the organization stocks fridges and pantries with food that would otherwise be discarded. Community fridges are scattered throughout South Philly, with one of the seven fridges located outside BOK at the corner of 9th and Mifflin. Volunteers can get paid to donate groceries, or even stock the fridge with home-cooked meals. If cooking food, volunteers must clearly list all ingredients on the containers and put them in the fridge (we’ve got to be considerate of our friends with allergies!).

To get more information on how to donate or become a volunteer, visit their website below.

southphillyfridge.com @southphlcommunityfridge

What’s Next

Made @ BOK Winter Market

December 17th at 11am-5pm

Join us in the West Gym and grab some last minute and locally made holiday gifts from a wide range of artisans and small businesses who work out of the Bok building.

Trans Art Mart

December 3rd & 4th, 11am-5pm

A two day art market in the West Gym highlighting trans, non-binary, and gender expansive artists and makers from the Greater Philadelphia area.

Liberty Flea Market

Dec 10th, Feb 18th, + Mar 18th

Liberty Flea is a collection of the top vintage and artisan vendors in the Philadelphia area popping up in the West Gym for a series of events this winter. Shop for antiques, home decor, furniture, vintage clothing, and handmade artisan goods that you can’t find anywhere else.

Produced and designed by scout

Photos provided by each feature’s website + Michael Persico

Centerfold design by Corinne Dodenhoff @corinnedodenhoffcreative