Yale Day of Service
A major component of our club is to participate in at least one event each year for Yale Day of Service. See the most recent events that we have organized, and check back for our volunteer opportunities!
Yale Day of Service 2023
When the 15th Anniversary of the Yale Day of Service happened on May 13th, we were right there along with Yalies around the nation and world. In less than ten days, your Yale Club of Philadelphia recruited more than 15 people–alums, spouses, children; parents and siblings of students; and friends–to work at the Giving Factory of Cradles to Crayons (C2C) in Philadelphia’s East Falls/Nicetown area. Our Yale crew joined other volunteers to cover 3 separate shifts from 10 AM – 4 PM for C2C, the nation’s largest provider of clothing, school supplies and other essential items to children in poverty. Our volunteers participated in C2C’s outstanding operation as they wrote cards to kids, sorted clothes and books, cleaned shoes, and the like to prepare donations for package assembly and delivery to children throughout our metro area. In the process our volunteers not only supported C2C’s mission, but also enjoyed meeting other local Yalies. We thank everyone who volunteered for C2C in 2023!
Yale Day of Service 2018
Summary of the 2018 Yale Day of Service
Yale Club of Philadelphia
Co-Sponsored by the Yale Black Alumni Association – Philadelphia
May 12th and 19th, 2018
The Yale Club of Philadelphia’s 2018 Yale Day of Service brought over 45 alumni, family members and friends together for three varied experiences. We believe the service events were very productive and helpful for our community and allowed us to spend time together in a meaningful way.
Share Food Program– Thirty- four alumni, family members and friends toiled on Saturday, May 12thoutside in the community garden of Share Food Philadelphia, a major hunger relief program in northwest Philadelphia at the East Falls/North Philly border. Last year we packed food boxes at Share Food, but this year we worked in their community garden. We weeded, shoveled and spread mulch, made new plantings, and cared for existing plants while learning about the process of creating and maintaining a garden that serves. We appreciate the experience with Share Food and expect to partner with them again in the future.
Mural Arts Philadelphia– Ten alumni, family members and friends toured, learned and painted with Mural Arts Philadelphia on Saturday, May 19thin our inaugural event partnering with this program. The event was highly unique for us because we had the opportunity to help create a nature and conservation themed mural that will be installed at Arch and 13thStreets in order to add beauty and contribute to the spirit of the area. Organizing our first event with Mural Arts was somewhat of a challenge because the program charges fees for the painting experience as a way to raise funds for their community and justice programs. We are glad to get to know the folks at Mural Arts Philadelphia and became acquainted with their program, and we look forward to partnering with them again in the future.
The Architect is In– The nation-wide YDoS project known as “The Architect is In” returned to Philadelphia for its third year. This project allowed Philadelphia-area non-profit organizations to receive architect and design services from local Yale alumni. Two organizations signed up to receive services on the Day of Service. The Yale Club of Philadelphia was pleased to support the program’s efforts again this year.
Yale Day of Service 2017
From: Lisa Slade Martin and Kay Tucker Franklin, Co-Chairs
Yale Day of Service 2017 – Summary Report
Date: June 19, 2017
The Yale Club of Philadelphia’s 2017 Yale Day of Service (YDoS) was active and meaningful for over 30 alumni, family members and friends. This year we offered three events that provided different types of service and allowed alumni to have varied experiences. The events were co-sponsored by the Yale Black Alumni Association – Philadelphia (YBAA-Philly), Yale Non-Profit Alliance – Philadelphia (YANA-Philly), and local Yale-affiliated architects.
HMS School for Children with Cerebral Palsy– On Friday, May 12thwe were delighted to meet and work with dozens of students of different ages from a few classes at the HMS School for Children with Cerebral Palsy in the University City section of West Philadelphia. With teachers and aides nearby, our Yale volunteers mingled with students; talked about the color, feel and fragrance of the flowers, and helped them plant these sensory-stimulating plants throughout four garden areas on school grounds. In some cases, students used PVC pipe tubes and other special tools and techniques to dig holes and complete the planting. The plants’ colors, smells and foliage will provide a year-round source of enjoyment and education for HMS students as well as their staff and visitors. We enjoyed making new friendships with the students and their dedicated staff on a beautiful sunny day.
Share Food Program– We worked hard and earned aching muscles on Saturday, May 13thfrom manning stations at the Share Food Program, a major hunger relief program in northwest Philadelphia at the East Falls/North Philly border. There we worked with other university and community volunteer groups to sort and pack food boxes to support needy families throughout the area. Many alumni volunteers came with their mates, children and friends. Together we created over 640 boxes of food weighing 19,200 pounds! We were lucky to have an indoor activity, since it rained like the devil that day.
The Architect is In– The nation-wide YDoS project known as “The Architect is In” also made May 13thits Philadelphia focal point. For the second year in a row, this project allowed local Yale alumni to offer architect and design services to Philadelphia-area non-profit organizations. The consulting services from this specialized YDOS offering have a lot of potential for synergy with non-profits affiliated with YANA-Philly alumni, past YDoS sites, etc. While The Architect is In project is still in the fledgling stage here, its committed local Yale volunteers hope it will continue to develop as it becomes more well-known.
We should all be pleased with the turn-out, contributions, and opportunities/exposure that we provided to our service partners and they afforded us as Yale alumni, family and friends on the 2017 Yale Day of Service in Philadelphia.
Yale Day of Service 2016
The Yale Day of Service in Philadelphia, PA took place on May 7th. Thirty participants, including children, spent the morning at Bartram’s Garden, a 45-acre National Historic Landmark. We cleared underbrush to restore a meadow on one end of the forest, and cleared bushes and cut down small trees to create a scenic opening of space for visitors on another end. The alumni got a very physical workout! At the end we were all able to see the fruits of our efforts in the lovely space.
Bartram’s Garden is a 45-acre National Historic Landmark that is almost 300 years old. It is an outdoor classroom and living laboratory destination with a bike path that will be linked to the Schuylkill River Trail in the next few years.
Yale Day of Service 2015
Yale Day of Service: Saturday, May 9th in the morning
Outdoor Volunteer Event
PA Horticultural Society/ Eastern State Penitentiary Terrace Garden
22nd St. & Fairmount Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19130
9:00am to 12:00noon
Join us for a garden clean up and planting event with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society on the grounds of The Eastern State Penitentiary Museum. We will work on the long terraces in the front of this historic site, a wonderful border of ornamental grasses, woody shrubs, and perennials which provide habitat for birds, butterflies and bees. Come and help with planting, pruning, weeding, and watering. Alumni, their partners, families and friends are welcome.
Indoor Volunteer Event
RE-Store / Habitat for Humanity Volunteer Event – On Site
2318 Washington Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19146
Site to be determine – either Kensington or South Philly location
9:00am to 1:00pm
Join us at the RE-Store, a furniture, appliances and hardware store operated by Habitat for Humanity. We will assist in cleaning, processing, organizing, and stocking donations. This event is limited to 10 adults – alumni, their partners and friends.
At-home Volunteer Event
RE-Store / Habitat for Humanity Volunteer Event – Donation
Donate household items you no longer use to the RE-Store. Consider this donation part of your spring cleaning. Sign up at the Yale Day of Service website, and Lisa Slade Martin will email you a link to the donation form to schedule a pick up at your home or office, at a time convenient for you.
Yale Day of Service 2014
Yale Day of Service May 10, 2014
Join Yale alumni in Philadelphia in a day of partnership with LIFT /
Community Clean Up and Office Supply Drive for LIFT in Philadelphia.
Co-sponsored by the Yale Black Alumni Association – Philadelphia Chapter
LIFT was co-founded by Yalies Kirsten Lodal and Brian Kreiter when they were still students in the College. LIFT works to lift families out of poverty for good. Trained volunteers work one-on-one with individuals to find a decent job, safe housing, a good education and other support services for our neighbors in Philadelphia in addition to addressing issues of poverty through national actions.
The Day of Service will start with coffee and pastries during a presentation and tour by LIFT personnel to teach us more about their purpose and methods.
Yale alumni will then partner with citizens who live in the neighborhood to help clean the surrounding areas of LIFT and help tame the unkempt and depressed appearance of the area. Our goal is to contribute to a positive mood and outlook for the community’s residents.
The effort will also include an Office Supply Drive. LIFT personnel, and the students and job seekers they serve, need copier paper, lined paper, pens, paper clips, staplers and staples, transparent tape, post-its and scissors. We hope that alumni will bring some of these items with them to the Day of Service.
You are invited to bring your children if you believe they will benefit from the service activity.
We will gather at 9:30am on Saturday May 10at LIFT’s West office:
5548 Chestnut Street
Corner of 56th and Chestnut, with front door facing 56th Street
One block off the 56th stop of the MFL