Category Archives: Field of Interest

All Opportunities, Cities, Education, Philadelphia, Recycling, Sustainability, Urban Farming

Greensgrow Farms

Updated 10/14/19

Mission:

Founded in 1998, Greensgrow Farms works to “revitalize livable communities through the practice of sustainable entrepreneurial urban agriculture.” Greensgrow Farms operates under the non-profit parent organization Greensgrow Philadelphia Project, taking a multifaceted approach to integrating agriculture into an urban environment.

Services/Programs Offered:

Greensgrow runs a nursery, community-supported agriculture program (CSA), farm stands and various non-profit projects such as food-truck markets in West Philadelphia, a community kitchen that serves as an entrepreneurial incubator for the local food maker industry, and a SNAP specific community supported CSA for 3 months in peak season. Greensgrow adds to its diverse repertoire through short-term projects as well, such as a pop-up garden center in West Philadelphia.

Student Opportunities:

Volunteer opportunities are available sporadically according to the varying needs of Greensgrow’s projects. Follow this link (http://www.greensgrow.org/get-involved/) to view the events calendar, find info about subscribing to the newsletter, or follow Greensgrow on Facebook to hear about opportunities as they arise.

Internships are also offered. Past opportunities have been available in marketing, social media development, and nursery management: http://www.greensgrow.org/get-involved/jobs/.

Greensgrow Farms
2501 E. Cumberland Street
Philadelphia, PA 19125

 

Website: https://www.greensgrow.org/

All Opportunities, Awareness, Cities, Philadelphia

Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society

Updated 10/14/19

Mission:

The Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving Philadelphia’s homeless, abandoned, and unwanted animals. PAWS is the city’s largest no-kill shelter and operates a high-volume, low-cost clinic serving pet owners and rescue organizations that lack access to affordable basic veterinary care.

Programs/Services Offered:

PAWS provides extensive low-cost vet care, including spay/neuter services and vaccines. Through a system of foster homes and adoption centers, the organization finds homes for thousands of pets that would otherwise stay on the streets or be euthanized.

Student Opportunities:

Volunteer work is available at PAWS’ adoption centers and the Spay/Neuter and Wellness Clinic, which also operates as a shelter. For further information and the volunteer application, visit http://phillypaws.org/volunteer/.

Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS)
Adoption Center:
100 N. 2nd Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
Ph: 215-238-9901 ext: 30

Spay/Neuter and Wellness Clinic:
2900 Grays Ferry Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19146
Ph: 215-298-9680 ext: 0

Website: http://phillypaws.org/

All Opportunities, Awareness, Education, Health, Philadelphia

Animal Control and Care Philadelphia

Updated 10/14/19

Mission:

The Animal Control and Care Team of Philadelphia (ACCT Philly) is contracted by the City to “provide shelter, care and life saving efforts for homeless, abandoned, and abused animals and protect the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of Philadelphia, providing a benefit to all of the citizens of the City regardless of race or economic status.”

Programs/Services Offered:

ACCT Philly operates a shelter and adoption program, issues licenses, and provides veterinary care with the help of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine’s Shelter Medicine Program.

Student Opportunities:

Students can participate in ACCT Philly’s extensive volunteer program, helping out with data entry, dog walking and socializing, cat socializing, photography of animals, adoption events, clinic and surgery assistance, and much more. Visit http://www.acctphilly.org/how-to-help/volunteer/prospective/ for information on available positions and the application process.

Bryn Mawr students have partnered with ACCT Philly on Praxis III courses in the past. Contact CEO Praxis III Coordinator Jessica Lee (jlee05@brynmawr.edu) if interested.

Animal Care & Control Team of Philadelphia
111 W. Hunting Park Avenue
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19140
(267) 385-3800

Website: http://www.acctphilly.org/ 

All Opportunities, Cities, Education, Philadelphia, Sustainability, Urban Farming

Pennsylvania Horticultural Society

Updated 10/14/19

Mission:

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) is a nonprofit membership organization founded in 1827. PHS provides events, activities, and publications for gardeners of all levels and interests, with the aim of improving quality of life and creating a  sense of community through horticulture.

Programs/Services Offered:

Though The Philadelphia International Flower Show is the  Society’s most well known project, PHS also manages a variety of programs committed to the greening of Philadelphia for all residents, including:

  • City Harvest, which connects urban farmers and under-served communities,
  • Garden Tenders, a training course for individuals and groups interested in starting urban gardens in Philadelphia,
  • the LandCare Program, a comprehensive approach to managing abandoned urban spaces by creating parks and gardens,
  • Roots to Re-entry, which facilitates the re-entry process of inmates from the Philadelphia Prison System through participation in City Harvest, where individuals obtain  job-skills training and placement assistance,
  • and many more really awesome programs. Explore them all in further detail at https://phsonline.org/programs/.

Student Opportunities:

Students can get involved with PHS in a number of ways.

Volunteers can help out during the annual International Flower Show and other events, plant and maintain trees and gardens, preform administrative tasks, and contribute to outreach efforts. Opportunities are also offered at Meadowbrook Farm, an estate run by PHS, including garden maintenance and guiding tour groups. Visit https://phsonline.org/get-involved/volunteer-opportunities/ for up to date listings and registration.

PHS offers year-round internships with many of its programs. Available position descriptions can be found at https://phsonline.org/about/careers-at-phs/

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
100 N. 20th Street – 5th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Telephone: 215-988-8800

All Opportunities, Awareness, Education, Gladwyne

Riverbend Environmental Education Center

Updated 10/14/19

Mission:

Situated on 30 acres in Gladwyne, PA, Riverbend Environmental Education Center “teaches environmental principles to children in Southeastern Pennsylvania through a direct connection with nature, inspiring respect for our natural world and action as aware, responsible and caring citizens”.

Services/Programs Provided:

Riverbend offers a variety of programs for the community, including educational programs for K-12 aged youth, summer and year round campus, Scout programs, nature clubs and additional family themed events.

Student Opportunities:

Riverbend relies on the talents and skills of volunteers who contribute to the Center in various ways. Opportunities in the areas of Special Events, Habitat and Facilities, Animal Care, Marketing, Administrative Support, and Education have been available in the past. To learn more and view up to date listings, visit https://riverbendeec.org/how-you-can-help/volunteer. Internships can be found at https://riverbendeec.org/job-opportunities.

Website:  http://www.riverbendeec.org/

Address: 1950 Spring Mill Road, Gladwyne, PA 19035
Phone: 610.527.5234

All Opportunities, Sustainability, Water

Stroud Water Research Center

Updated 10/14/19

Mission:
The mission of Stroud Water Research Center is to advance global knowledge and stewardship of fresh water systems through research and education. The Center seeks to disseminate its research findings to peers in the scientific and educational communities, as well as businesses, landowners, policy makers and individuals in order to enable informed decision making that affects water quality and availability in our local communities and the world around us.

Services/Programs Provided:
Stroud’s applied research projects focus on fresh water, especially river and stream systems.  These projects are undertaken for public agencies and private corporations in an effort to provide solutions to water resource problems throughout the world.

Current and past projects include the Schuylkill River Project, a large-scale assessment of the stream water quality of the Schuylkill River basin conducted through the analysis of the basin’s macroinvertebrates; the Peru Project, an evaluation of samples from 33 river and stream sites in Peru aimed at establishing a baseline of scientific data on stream health and creating inexpensive education programs for the people of the region; and the New York Project, a six-year study to monitor and evaluate water quality and sources of pollution in the streams, rivers, and reservoirs that provide New York City’s drinking water. To learn more, visit http://stroudcenter.org/research/projects/index.shtm.

Student Opportunities:
Students can volunteer or intern at Stroud.

Through their internship program, Stroud Water Research Center offers undergraduate students an opportunity to take part in interdisciplinary research into all aspects of streams, rivers and watersheds. Interns work in the laboratories of senior scientists either as participants in a National Science Foundation funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program or as field and laboratory assistants. Opportunities are available in the fields of Entomology, Organic and Isotope Geochemistry, Ecosystems, and Biogeochemistry.

Volunteers can assist with all sorts of things relating to the day-to-day workings of the Center.

For up-to-date volunteer and internship listings, check http://stroudcenter.org/jobs/index.shtm.

Website: https://stroudcenter.org/

Address: 970 Spencer Road, Avondale, PA 19311 USA
Phone: 610.268.2153

All Opportunities, Cities, Health, Philadelphia, Sustainability

Agatston Urban Nutrition Initiative

Updated 10/14/19

Mission:

The Agatston Urban Nutrition Initiative (AUNI), a program of the Netter Center for Community Partnerships at the University of Pennsylvania, works to engage, educate and empower youth, university students, and community members to promote healthy lifestyles and build a just and sustainable food system. It was created to help build and sustain healthy communities by promoting nutrition education, food access and sovereignty, and physical fitness in West Philadelphia.

Services/Programs Provided:

AUNI’s main goals include the integration of school-day and online nutrition education, increasing access to healthy foods for all community members, increasing opportunities for participation in regular physical activity, and facilitating youth-led organizing, peer education, and internships. AUNI offers hands-on school day, after school, and summer learning opportunities for more than 6,000 students and their families at over 16 Philadelphia public and charter schools. Cooking and gardening clubs and youth-run fruit stands connect school day and after school learning activities for K-12 students, and incorporate the academic work of Penn students and faculty.

Student Opportunities:

Through AUNI, university students volunteer alongside local high school students to fight for access to healthy, sustainable food for residents of West Philadelphia. Opportunities are generally available in community outreach and organizing, tutoring, gardening, construction, and other fields. For specific and up to date listings, check out the volunteer and employment opportunities page at https://www.nettercenter.upenn.edu/get-involved.

Website: https://www.nettercenter.upenn.edu/what-we-do/programs/university-assisted-community-schools/agatston-urban-nutrition-initiative.
Address: St. Leonard’s Court, 3819-33 Chestnut Street, Suite 120, Philadelphia, PA 19104-3171
Phone: (215) 898-1600

All Opportunities, Awareness, Cities, Energy, Philadelphia, Pollution, Sustainability

Next City

Updated on 10/14/19

Mission:

Next City, formerly Next American City, is a non-profit media organization dedicated to connecting cities and informing the people who work to improve them, especially young emerging leaders.

Services/Programs Provided:

Next City provides daily coverage of public policy and current affairs from an urbanist perspective online at http://nextcity.org. In addition to online journalism, the organization produces events including an annual urban leadership conference.

Student Opportunities:

Get published! Next City welcomes stories on issues of urban sustainability that you feel passionate about and have thoroughly researched. For info on where to send pitches, writing samples, op-eds, photographs, illustrations, other art, or proposals for a reporting assignment, visit https://nextcity.org/pitch.

Bryn Mawr students have partnered with Next City on Praxis III courses, and summer internships are regularly offered, with applications opening in March in past years. Contact Nell Anderson (nanderso@brynmawr.edu) regarding Praxis courses, and check the Next City website for current internship listings. Next City also has a searchable national jobs database if you are job-seeking.

Address: 1315 Walnut Street, Suite 902, Philadelphia, PA, 19107
Phone: (215) 546-4128

Email: info@nextcity.org.

All Opportunities, Cities, Economics, Governance, Lansdowne, Sustainability

Lansdowne Economic Development Corporation

Updated 10/14/19

Mission:

The Lansdowne Economic Development Corporation (LEDC), founded in 1998 by residents and business owners in the borough, is dedicated to promoting and sustaining Lansdowne through the encouragement of  investment and business ventures. This town of about 10,000 people is located between Swarthmore and Philadelphia on SEPTA’s R3 line.

Programs/Services Offered:

Lansdowne EDC provides support  to local businesses and encourages economic activity and vitality through programs and events, including neighborhood revitalization efforts and a farmers market. Check the website for a list of all programs: http://lansdownesfuture.org/.

Student Opportunities:

Bryn Mawr students have been involved with Lansdowne EDC in a variety of ways, including Praxis III placements, Effective Grantsmanship projects, and general volunteering. Check their website for an updated calendar of events, and fill out a volunteer interest form at https://lansdownesfuture.org/volunteering/.2

Address: 3 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, PA 19050
Phone:(610) 745-4013

All Opportunities, Awareness, Climate, Energy, New York, Pollution, Sustainability

Energy Vision

Updated 10/9/19

Mission:

Founded by Bryn Mawr alumna Joanna Underwood, Energy Vision is a New York-based national nonprofit organization that seeks to “analyze and promote ways to make a swift transition to pollution-free renewable energy sources and to the clean, petroleum-free transportation fuels of the future.” The organization’s strategy is to educate the government, businesses, students, and other citizens about the environmental and economic risks of our current dependency on fossil fuels and to analyze and create awareness regarding cleaner, more sustainable alternatives, such as hydrogen-based fuels. Among Energy Vision’s top priorities is weaning the 10 million buses and trucks on U.S. roadways off of polluting diesel fuel.

Services/Programs Provided:

Energy Vision uses media and the internet to generate visibility for pathways to sustainability by targeting areas with dense populations and high levels of vehicle-related air pollution, organizing workshops and giving demonstrations of natural gas-fueled refuse trucks to communities, and linking communities to companies that can help them plan fuel-switching initiatives.

Student Opportunities:

To learn more about current opportunities, email admin@energy-vision.org, call (212) 228-0225, or join Energy Vision’s mailing list by entering your email at https://energy-vision.org. The volunteer application form can be found at https://energy-vision.org/get-involved/.

Energy Vision
138 East 13th Street
New York, New York 10003
212-228-0225