Penn Reading Initiative (PRI) is a volunteer-based program dedicated to increasing literacy of struggling elementary students at underfunded schools in West Philadelphia. While several organizations at Penn work with youth in West Philly, PRI is unique in its mission and curriculum. PRI utilizes a curriculum called the Reading Road, which was developed […]
Non-profits
The Philly Nonprofit Teaching Girls to Own Their Awesomeness
Many students at Penn believe in fostering social change, especially right here in Philadelphia. Kate Zipin is one woman who also wants to make a difference in society, one summer at a time. Upon relocating to Philadelphia, the former teacher founded Own Your Awesomeness – a camp meant to empower […]
Three Criticisms of NGOs
Growing up, my general notion of non-government organizations (NGOs) was that they always did good work. I never imagined it possible that NGOs could do more harm than good. My perception changed, however, when for my Writing Seminar class, I read the book Killing with Kindness by Mark Schuller. As […]
Local Organization Provides Books for Prisoners
“Thank you for the books and magazine. I understand how busy you must get with requests and other responsibilities so I greatly appreciate your time and effort. I am in a special housing unit known as a disciplinary house or “the box.” We do not have access to programs, school, […]
Untapped Labor: An Interview with Year Up
There is a large population of untapped labor; people who lack the resources to enter the workforce but are willing and able to work. Year Up is a non-profit that gives highly motivated, low-income students the opportunity to break into the professional world through skill development workshops, college credits, and […]
Rebel Ventures: Students Fighting Food Injustice
As Penn students, most of us are fortunate to have access to healthy foods whenever we want or need them. As a result, It’s easy to be unaware of the food injustices affecting citizens right outside of the Penn ecosystem, in West Philadelphia. For many Philadelphians, issues such as malnutrition and the prevalence of food deserts—urban […]
The Forgotten Flaw of Global Development
With over 10,000 Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) operating in developing economies around the world today [1], the once avant-garde industry of microcredit has expanded into a major international force for combating poverty. Yet the recent ubiquity of MFIs, coupled with a marked decline in recent years of research into the field, […]
StoryCorps: Storytelling of Humanity
StoryCorps provides people of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, share, and preserve the stories of our lives—reminding each other of our shared time on this earth and the remnants of humanity that are present in every corner.
The World Needs More Love Letters
From the IMPACT Archives April 2015 By Nora Larebee There is no shortage of student groups at Penn. Hundreds of clubs and student-run organizations cater to every interest under the sun. Some, like a cappella or student government, attract masses of students and are highly selective when accepting new members. Some […]
Jubilee Project: Inspiring the world one video at a time
From the IMPACT Archives October 2014 By David Ongchoco On October 23, 2014, Penn alumni and Jubilee Project Co-founder Jason Y. Lee returned to Penn to talk about the Jubilee Project and for an exclusive pre-screening of Jubilee Project’s latest documentary, “Save My Seoul,” which hopes to inform people about […]
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