We’re approaching a dark, cold winter with a pandemic looming overhead. We believe in the light and generosity of our neighbors to brighten up this season for our community. Keep reading on for a few ways you can give back and ways you can receive support if you are facing difficult times.
WAYS TO GIVE
… to struggling families and households
SOSNA is hosting its annual Holiday Turkey and Vegetarian Basket Giveaway in partnership
with PennMedicine and ShopRite on Friday, December 11. Each year, we give away over holiday 400 turkeys and 50 vegetarian baskets to families in our area. This year, we’re including personal protective equipment (PPE) with each box including cloth face masks and hand sanitizer. To do this, we are fundraising $2,000 to help us cover the cost of the PPE for 470 households. If you’d like to donate, please visit our website and write “PPE donation” in the comments. You can also make checks payable to “SOSNA” and mailed to 1901 Washington Avenue, Unit B, Philadelphia PA 19146.
**A portion, or all, of your contribution may be tax-deductible according to regulations enacted by the Internal Revenue Code. SOSNA is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with the Internal Revenue Service, and a charitable organization as certified by the Pennsylvania Department of State’s Bureau of Charitable Organizations. Please retain this letter for your tax records and consult your tax advisor as to the deductibility of your donation. No goods or services were provided in consideration, in whole or in part, for your charitable contribution. On behalf of the entire SOSNA Board of Directors and staff, thank you once again for your generosity.
...to kids
SOSNA will be hosting a holiday toy drive for families from local nonprofits. We’re looking for toy donations off of our Amazon Wishlist (to keep it socially distant and COVID cautious). Those who donate a toy or two will receive a small discount to select local businesses in our neighborhood as a thank you.
Stay tuned for more information!
...to small businesses
Our small businesses and their employees are some of the hardest hit by this pandemic.
Check out our monthly promotions to see what businesses are up to each month
Follow SOSNA and South Street West Business Association on Instagram for business updates and specials
Join our Economic Development Committee as they develop a team of neighbors to act as liaison between local businesses on their block and our Committee. Email Dan Corey for more information (dcorey@gmail.com)
If you have the means, do take out from restaurants in our area whenever possible! Find local restaurants here.
Shop for the holidays are our local boutiques like M Concept, Senoj, Workshop Underground, Baby Wordplay, The Indie Shelf, Woven Treasures and many more!
Buy gift cards to local beauty service businesses like The Naked Peach, H&K Hair Studio, Christian Nails & Spa, Cynergy Hair Studio, Gods Kreative Hands Hair Studio and more!
WAYS TO RECEIVE
...free food
SOSNA Weekly FREE Food Distribution
Stop by every Friday between 10a-12p (through 12/31) to any of the following locations to pick up a box of free food. First come, first served.
Shiloh Baptist Church - 2040 Christian Street, (215) 735-2089
Mt. Hebron Baptist Church - 1419 Wharton Street, (215) 467-7202
Gospel Temple - 1327 S 19th Street, (215) 465-8603
HOLIDAY TURKEY + VEGGIE BASKET GIVEAWAY
On Friday, December 11, we’ll be distributing frozen turkeys and vegetarian baskets to local church groups and community organizations to share with their communities. Due to COVID restrictions, we will NOT be doing individual pick-ups so if you’d like to be put on a list for a turkey or vegetarian basket, please reach out to any of the following groups to find out how to receive a turkey or vegetarian basket:
Shiloh Baptist Church - 2040 Christian Street, (215) 735-2089
St. Charles Church - 902 S 20th Street, (215) 735-0600
Mt. Hebron Baptist Church - 1419 Wharton Street, (215) 467-7202
Gospel Temple - 1327 S 19th Street, (215) 465-8603
Union Baptist Church - 1910 Fitzwater Street, (215) 735-7273
... small business support
Small business owners can find financial assistance programs, resources, and advice to help you get through the storm via US Chamber of Commerce
Latest Grants, Programs, and Resources for Philadelphia Small Businesses via Philadelphia Department of Commerce
$10 million is committed to providing small business relief through the Commonwealth’s COVID-19 Relief Pennsylvania Statewide Small Business Assistance program via PA Department of Community and Economic Development
List of COVID grants for small businesses and nonprofits via GlobalGiving
...rent and utility assistance
WATER BILL
Free live Q&A help from utility bill experts on Monday, November 23 at 6:00p on Facebook LIVE with Philadelphia Water Department. RSVP and submit questions here.
If you are unable to pay your water bill, you should apply for help immediately at phila.gov/waterbillhelp or by calling (215) 685-6300.
Other options for help: https://water.phila.gov/drops/assistance
GAS BILL
Low-income customers who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and have a past-due bill may be eligible for up to $800 through LIHEAP’s (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) Recovery Crisis Program. Visit www.pgworks.com/crisis.
ELECTRICITY BILL
PECO is suspending fees for delays in payments and suspending service shut-offs until further notice. Please call 1-800-494-4000 for more information.
RENTAL ASSISTANCE
Most homeowners and renters are protected from eviction or foreclosure until Dec. 31.
Under the Freddie Mac program, multifamily landlords whose properties are financed with Freddie Mac are requiring landlords not to evict any tenant based solely on non-payment of rent if the landlord is in a forbearance period during COVID-19: www.freddiemac.com, https://clsphila.org/housing/renters-utilities-pandemic/.
The CDC has also issued a national moratorium to prevent evictions until December 31 to halt the spread of COVID-19. For more information, go to: https://tinyurl.com/yxt9xrbs and https://tinyurl.com/yymu9nyz.
For legal help with housing, contact Anna Brickman at Face to Face: (215) 438-7939.
INTERNET / FREE WIFI
XFINITY WiFi hotspots are currently free: www.xfinity.com/wifi. For help with affordable internet, go here: https://tinyurl.com/yaezufzn. K-12 families can get reliable internet through PHLConnectED. For more information, dial 211, option 1.
PHLConnectED will connect up to 35,000 K-12 student households with internet service in Philadelphia. The program will offer eligible student households up to two years of high-speed internet. Participants will not pay any out-of-pocket expenses or installation fees. For more information, go here: https://tinyurl.com/yxutsyk4
STUDENT LOANS
No suspended payments and interest accrual on all U.S. Department of Education (ED) owned loans until December 31, 2020: https://navient.com/covid-19; www.StudentAid.gov/coronavirus
COVID-19 TESTING
COVID-19 testing is now free for uninsured Pennsylvania residents.
For those who do test positive, Pennsylvania’s Federally Qualified Health Centers are providing care for free and/or on a sliding-scale. For more information, call: 1-877-724-3258. Philadelphians can also be tested at: Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Citizens Bank Park, Jefferson Health Northeast, University of Pennsylvania Health System, and Rite Aid: 7401 Ogontz Ave. Also available at Health Annex, every Wednesday, 8:30 am-3:30 pm, 6120 Woodland Ave, 267-356-0362.
Please go here for a detailed list of locations: https://6abc.com/6045920/
Rite Aide now provides free drive-thru testing for COVID-19: https://www.riteaid.com/pharmacy/services/covid-19-testing
Select Walmart parking lots offer testing for COVID-19 across Pennsylvania. For more information, go here: https://tinyurl.com/y8cl7xb5
Free testing is also available throughout other areas of Philadelphia at these locations: https://tinyurl.com/y56dkhcv
If you need to self quarantine, here are guidelines from the CDC on how to do it safely without infecting other members of your household: https://tinyurl.com/y8u2b8mf