Tis the season to head to the voting booth! The national political stage has been getting all the attention, but less-than-sexy local politics are where decisions that affect our day to day lives really get made. Here’s how and when to vote, plus six other ways to get involved in good works in Philly this fall:
#1 – VOTE!!!! (November 7th)
This Tuesday November 7th is election day, baby! In Philadelphia we’ve got a District Attorney race (check out Rock The Vote’s DA voter guide and Generocity’s creative feature on the candidates) and in both Philly and the burbs you’re looking at a bunch of court appointments, election officials and ballot questions. SNOOZEFEST – except that the Supreme Court sees 80 cases a year but local courts see 20,000 — so these people we’re voting in on Tuesday are making 99% of judge-made law! Besides, if you don’t vote you can’t complain (well, at least not to us).
All polling places are open 7am-8pm so find where you vote, whip out your phone calendar, and schedule in your plan. Then check out this non-partisan resource to see who is on the ballot or this one for a more in depth look at the candidates. If you have friends or family with young kids, there’s even someone in Havertown offering free babysitting while people go vote!!
#2 – Take on hunger with Repair The World (November 10th)
Repair The World, the national Jewish service corps, have put together this resource with strategies for cultivating productive Thanksgiving-season discussions around issues of food insecurity and hunger.
Locally, Repair The World: Philadelphia is partnering with Moishe House Philadelphia and AEPi Philadelphia Alumni Club (Tribe 12 Fellowship class of ’13) to host a Shabbat service, dinner and discussion around what hunger looks like in our communities and how we can act now to provide relief to those experiencing it. The dinner is being catered by a local worker-owned collaborative, K is for Kitchen, and all unused food from the night will be repackaged or composted in order to avoid food waste. Sign up for the event here!
#3 – Bake a difference with Challah for Hunger
Challah for Hunger (Tribe 12 Fellowship class of ’14) is looking for volunteers to support a new program they’re launching in Philly, the Social Change Bakery Network. This project is expanding Challah for Hunger’s core program beyond the college campus to help people like teens, adults with different abilities and families with young children! Check out ways to help.
#4 – Meet 100 new best friends at ThinkFest
Umm, have you seen the insane line-up at Philadelphia Magazine’s ThinkFest this year? The premise of the event is to learn what the “100 Most Influential Philadelphians” have to say about our city, and those 100 include politicians, founders, entrepreneurs and media personalities we’re dying to be in the same room with, so both our Rachels are heading to the event! Let them know if you want to meet up with them at the cocktail reception. Check out the lineup here.
#5 – Connect your favorite non-profit to help Puerto Rico
Watching the news and wish you could do something tangible to help Puerto Ricans in the wake of Hurricane Maria, where 79% of homes still don’t have power? A coalition of Philly people and orgs calling themselves Unidos PA’PR have already collected 480,000 pounds of critical goods to send there. They are looking for more non-profits to join the coalition so if you work for, are on the board of, or otherwise involved with a non-profit, attend this breakfast to get hooked up with the cause.
#6 – Get educated on racial justice
Philly has responded to the national discussion on race in so many creative ways this year. In just the next few weeks we’ve got a book club for racial justice in Bryn Mawr, a series on unpacking racism in West Philly, and a conference on racism and medicine in University City.
#7 – Build out your important idea with the Tribe 12 Fellowship
Hey, it’s shameless plug time! Our annual Fellowship supports an elite cohort of passion-driven people in their 20s and 30s who are launching socially-responsible businesses and projects, and applications are open right now! Past fellows have come into the Fellowship with just an idea and emerged with impactful organizations like Dinah (class of 2015), a non-profit which combats partner violence through legal representation and Schmear It (class of 2013), a food truck which serves up bagels AND social good by featuring and donating to a local cause every week. Other Fellows focus on building a community rather than an organization and come out with great projects like The New Parent Tribe (class of 2016) or our LGBTQ Tribe, build out by Makella Craelius of the 2013 class.
Browse our fact sheet, view the application, or come to our free ‘Where Are They Now’ panel at WeWork to meet alumni and learn more. Our coordinator Adam Wodka is always down for a coffee date (or, in his case, usually a craft brew) to talk about the Fellowship.
