The CfPP works closely with grade-level teachers to integrate real-world events and experiential learning through partnerships with local schools and organizations addressing Philadelphia's greatest needs; students gain exposure to individuals who are letting their lives speak through public-purpose work.

Sixth graders are immersed in a yearlong interdisciplinary and service learning experience focusing on food insecurity both locally and globally. Cross-curricular activities include utilizing hunger statistics as they learn ratios and percentages in math, researching the essential nutrients in health, exploring the issue of food deserts in science, and examining food insecurity in various parts of the world in social studies.  

Throughout the year students are joined on campus by several local organization leaders who are engaged in this issue and they participate in ongoing internships (repeated visits over the year) at local organizations that work to combat food insecurity in various ways.

The CfPP supports groups and individual students in learning more about specific areas of interest in public-purpose work. We provide opportunities through time in school and in our local community working with valued partners to deepen their understanding, develop skills and design programming around pressing social issues.

Through the Public Purpose Council, Penn Charter has developed an extended partnership with the DePaul House, which serves adult men experiencing homelessness in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia. Through job and life skills training, DePaul supports and prepares men for independent living. Our work together has multiple facets, including students volunteering for Penn Charter's Days of Service, a Middle School internship program, and through our after-school service program. Once a week, Penn Charter students work alongside DePaul's administrators and residents to maintain 15 of DePaul's garden beds that produce fresh produce for the house and the local community. With food harvested directly from the garden, Penn Charter students prepare and serve meals and have the opportunity to meet residents and share stories.

During ninth grade seminar, every student has the opportunity to explore an issue of interest, conduct research, develop a partnership with a local organization and support an action that addresses the issue. Giselle and Sayna—using this community incubator model—explored food access in Philadelphia, specifically focusing on ways that children can learn about and access healthy fruits and vegetables. Working with the CfPP, they conducted research and explored potential partnerships. Inspired by what they learned, they developed a series of lesson plans for pre-K children that included information on nutrition and simple cooking lessons for the children. They also developed a home-to-school connection, sending instructions and ingredients home with the children for their families. The students applied for and were awarded a grant from the Philly Service Award to fund their pilot program and worked closely with Mercy Neighborhood Ministries in the Allegheny West community to implement their seven-lesson series with their pre-K program.