So many of us are activated to make further change in our communities through mutual aid, but may feel overwhelmed about where to begin.
Let’s connect and share our skills for good. Whether it’s restocking a food pantry, caring for rescue animals, tending to a community garden, giving free rides to folks, or something else entirely, there’s no shortage of helpers.
No one is going to save us. Continue to embrace interdependence and community care with one another.
ANIMALS
Morris Animal Shelter
www.morrisanimalrefuge.org
Volunteer needs: Animal care; dog walking; cat socialization; animal transport; animal photos + bios; fundraising events; + grant research.
PAWS
www.phillypaws.org
Volunteer needs: Facility upkeep; application processing; cat + dog care; adoption events.
Philly Goat Project
www.phillygoatproject.org
Volunteer needs: Morning + evening care; events; garden + trail maintenance; carpentry, hauling, cleaning, admin; social media; errands; fiscal + funding.
CLOTHING
Perfectly Flawless Foundation
www.perfectlyflawlessfoundation.org
Free donated clothing for those facing fashion hardship every Wednesday and Thursday all year from 12-3pm at 5312 Germantown Ave.
The Wardrobe
www.careerwardrobe.org
Volunteer needs: Program services selecting clothing; store operations; inventory processing; education; coaching; fundraising; + special events.
COALITIONS + INITIATIVES
Coalition 4 Black Trans Economic Liberation
www.c4btel.org
Volunteer needs: Various opportunities including supporting reparations, food program, community closet, wellness pantry, advocation/mediation, and resource connecting.
Human Rights Coalition
www.hrcoalition.org
Volunteer needs: Phone banking; writing letters; organizing crisis response groups; social media; + lobbying.
Kindness Crew Abington
www.kindnesscrewabington.com
Volunteer needs vary and are updated regularly. A community-based initiative in Abington, PA dedicated to connecting individuals and families to local volunteer opportunities.
LAVA Collective
www.lavazone.org
Volunteer needs: Events; monthly meeting organizing; workdays; connecting with local movements.
COMMUNITY FRIDGES
Abington Community Fridge
East Falls Community Fridge
Friends’ Fridge Philly
Germantown Community Fridge
Mama-Tee Community Fridges
Mt. Airy Community Fridge and Pantry
Northeast Community Fridge
The People’s Fridge
South Philadelphia Community Fridge
Unity Java in Roxborough
and more
Share Food Program has an interactive map with Philadelphia area food sites.
EDUCATION
Blue Stoop
www.bluestoop.org
Volunteer needs: Supporting events; fundraising; admin; visual art; research; musical performance; promos; tech support; digital photos + videos.
FOOD
Asian Food Collective
www.asianfoodcollective.org
Volunteer needs: Cooking and eating while building Pan-Asian/Asian American community.
Broad Street Love
www.broadstreetlove.org
Volunteer needs: Lunch services; mail assistance; community hygiene; + clothing boutique support.
Double Trellis
www.doubletrellis.org
Volunteer needs: Cooking support; grantwriting assistance; + admin support.
Homies Helping Homies
www.homieshelpinghomies.com
Volunteer needs: Food + essentials distribution; music + art shows; + community clean-ups.
Open Hearts Cafe
www.htrit.org/open-hearts-cafe
Volunteer needs: Providing hot meals and clothing to those experiencing homelessness.
Project HOME
www.projecthome.org
Volunteer needs: Writing notes of hope; neighborhood street clean-ups; driving; sorting donations; + kitchen support.
Share Food Program
www.sharefoodprogram.org
Volunteer needs: Individual opportunities include packing nutritious boxes of food for seniors, visiting the Nice Roots Farm to provide care, making calls from home to confirm food deliveries to seniors, helping food distribution sites, picking up surplus food to deliver, + more.
South Philly Punks with Lunch
www.punkswithlunch.com
Volunteer needs: Volunteers outside Sundays + Wednesdays (@ Broad + Snyder) + Fridays (@ Mifflin Square Park).
HEALTH
Prevention Point Philadelphia
www.ppponline.org
Volunteer needs: Community cleanups; syringe services; overdose prevention services; the drop-in center; events; + Beacon House.
Ronald McDonald House
www.rmhcphilly.org
Volunteer needs: Culinary + food services; maintenance; van driving; front desk; fun zone; operations support; family room; kit assembly; events; + wishlists.
PLANET
Ambler Community Garden
www.instagram.com/amblercommunitygarden
Volunteer needs: Garden prep needed to close the garden for the winter on Sunday, November 10th from 10:30am-12:30pm and (if needed) Sunday, November 24th from 10:30am-12:30pm. Garden volunteers are generally needed from spring to winter.
Love Your Park
http://loveyourpark.org
Volunteer needs: Cleanup kits; park friend groups; events; + community service days. Fall cleanup this weekend, November 8-10, at over 100 Philly parks.
MUTUAL AID
This is by no means an exhaustive list. If you know of any opportunities to organize in the Greater Philadelphia area, please feel free to comment with ways to take action below. And if you aren’t local, you’re still welcome to share some of your favorite ways to get involved.
Originally published in November 2024. Updated in 2026 with new organizations and resources.
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