This Month, Use Your Civic Engagement Leave Benefit to Volunteer at Our Closet
To further support Drexel's commitment to civic engagement, University employees receive 16 hours each year, which is equal to two full days of work, to volunteer in the community through the Dragon Volunteers Program. For example, in the fiscal year 2017–2018, 190 of your coworkers spent 836.5 direct service hours volunteering in 251 shifts with 19 unique community partners.
Have you spent your civic engagement leave benefit yet? Through the end of August, the Lindy Center for Civic Engagement is offering special ways to volunteer at Our Closet: Powered by JFCS, a volunteer-driven, community-based organization providing clothing to vulnerable Philadelphians for free through various pop-up shops.
And if you’ve already used your hours, you can still support Our Closet by donating clothing and accessories this month.
Here’s how to get involved this month:
Sign up (as an individual) to volunteer:
At these below dates and locations, you can help collect and sort clothing at the Our Closet pop-up shops, and help to run the pop-up itself, as volunteer sales associates. To register, please locate the opportunity on the Events Calendar via Career Pathway.
Dates (all dates are a 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. commitment) and locations:
- Aug. 6: Temple BZBI at 300 S. 18th St.
- Aug. 10: Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion at 2111 Sansom St. (Enter on Van Pelt Street)
- Aug. 13: Providence Center at 2557 N 5th St.
- Aug. 15: Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral at 23 S 38th St.
- Aug. 17: Immanuel Resource Center/COGIC at 6401 Ogontz Ave.
- Aug. 29: Church of the Advocate at 1801 Diamond St.
Sign up (as a department) to volunteer:
Is your department looking for an opportunity to serve together? Check out this “Dragon Volunteers Program Group Opportunities” sheet to see what opportunities are available on a one-time or reoccurring basis. There are regular opportunities at Our Closet, Gift of Life Family House, Philabundance, ArtSphere Inc., Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission and The SHARE Program. These opportunities can be scheduled for a date that works with your group.
Donate clothing and accessories:
The Lindy Center for Civic Engagement is collecting gently used donations of the following items through Aug. 31 to be donated to Our Closet. Donations may be dropped off at the Lindy Center for Civic Engagement at 3210 Cherry St. from Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Our Closet’s Wish List:
- Professional clothing including suits, ties, dresses and skirts
- Casual clothing including sweatpants, exercise apparel and t-shirts
- Shoes, boots, sneakers and sandals
- Outerwear/coats
- Accessories including scarves, hats, gloves and belts
- Handbags, purses and backpacks
- Jewelry
To learn about upcoming civic engagement opportunities, complete this brief form located here.