As Thanksgiving marks the unofficial start of the holiday season, many of us will likely be rushing from store to store to pick out the perfect presents for our loved ones. But the holiday can also be a way to give thanks for what we have by giving back to those we may never have met. Right near you’re the Isle apartment are loads of opportunities to donate your time, skills or even just money to help brighten the holidays for fellow Philadelphians in need.

One organization worthy of your attention is Northern Children’s Services. Located one mile your The Isle apartment, the agency supports local children in need, while also providing vital services to their parents to help them stabilize their families. Northern Children’s Services provides extensive behavioral-health programs for youth and teens, including counseling, wellness education and behavioral therapy, in Manayunk and beyond. Its residential services provide housing for young mothers and children in need, with training to equip residents with life skills, connect them with educational opportunities and prepare them for the workforce. The organization also facilitates foster-care placement and adoptions.

Much of this work is made possible through the generosity of volunteers—and Northern Children’s Services could always use new help! Volunteer opportunities range from sprucing up the children’s gardens by planting and landscaping to painting bedrooms at the residential facilities. Volunteers can organize and lead off-site trips to local museums or historic sites, tap into their own talents to tutor youth in particular subjects, or lend their skills in plumbing, carpentry or other trades for building repairs.

If you’re looking for a way to show your thanks for all that you have this Thanksgiving, consider paying it forward by giving your time to an organization that is always extending a helping hand to those most in need.

Northern Children’s Services

5301 Ridge Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19128

215-482-1423