This school year, students in first and fourth grades participated in a buddy-based service project in conjunction with Penn Charter's Center for Public Purpose and a long-term community partner, Cradles to Crayons.
The partnership has taken on many different forms, with Penn Charter students hosting various drives to support the collection of quality goods for Cradles to Crayons, such as a Lower School summer activity-bag drive, Middle School winter coat drive and an Upper School sneaker drive.
The lower schoolers also came up with creative ways to support Cradles to Crayons on PC/GA Day by joining in a friendly competition to see which school, Penn Charter or Germantown Academy, could collect more clothing donations. PC students collected over 1,000 pounds of goods to be donated to Cradles to Crayons – a clear winner!
To conclude the project, prior to winter break, first and fourth grade classes visited the Cradles to Crayons Giving Center in East Falls to see exactly how their donations were collected, stored and prepared to go to kids in Philadelphia. The students received an informative tour of the warehouse, learned about Cradles to Crayons' mission, and cleaned and sorted children’s books to be distributed this holiday season.
"[Since the partnership began in 2007], the engagement from Penn Charter students, faculty and staff, sports teams, and parents and caregivers has been invaluable to help us grow from serving 90,000 children [before 2009] to 275,000 in 2023," said Michal Smith, executive director of Cradles to Crayons Philadelphia.
Thank you to all the students, faculty and staff, parents and caregivers, and community members who have made this a meaningful partnership!
History of the Center for Public Purpose and Cradles to Crayons Partnership
The Center for Public Purpose, led by Alyson Goodner OPC '96, engages Penn Charter students in community-based work by addressing some of the most pressing social issues in the greater Philadelphia area. The center’s work aligns with Penn Charter’s Quaker values and curriculum, and creates structures that inspire students to take ownership of their learning experience. Through this process, students gain the skills and competencies to live lives that make a difference.
CfPP’s enduring partnership with Cradles to Crayons Philadelphia is a shining example of the center's mission. For over a decade, CfPP has supported the important work of this organization through grade-level partnerships in every division. This collaboration not only reflects PC's dedication to service, but also embodies the true spirit of community building.
Penn Charter’s partnership with Cradles to Crayons was initiated in 2007 by former teacher and cofounder of the CfPP, Jim Ballengee Hon. 1689. At the time, a PC parent, Jennifer Case, had just established the local Cradles to Crayons affiliate of the Boston-based organization. In the early days, Cradles to Crayons Philadelphia needed a place to store and organize donated clothing; for a period, the PC Middle School basement became its home.
When Cradles to Crayons moved to its first giving center in Conshohocken in 2009, Ballengee brought students to the site as part of one of his courses, which focused on understanding poverty in Philadelphia; community engagement was a central component of his curriculum. At that time, Cradles to Crayons was serving 15,000 children annually. The partnership reached another level in 2017 when Reece Whitley OPC '18 established a Middle Atlantic Swimming Day of Service, bringing over 50 student athletes to Cradles to Crayons and starting a tradition with the PC swim and dive team.
“We are very grateful for the partnership with Penn Charter, which dates back to the very earliest days of Cradles to Crayons,” said Michal Smith, executive director of Cradles to Crayons Philadelphia.
