Dear Philly House community, During the holiday season, we ask you to remember our friends and guests who are currently going through hard times. While many associate this time of year with warmth, abundance, and family, many experiencing homelessness are left cold, depleted, and alone. Our duty to them as Christians and as citizens of the “City of Brotherly Love” is to continue to love our brothers and sisters in times of need.
As Matthew 25:35 tells us, “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in…”.
Please continue supporting Philly House this holiday season as we follow Christ’s message to feed, shelter, and serve Philadelphia's hungry, hurting, and homeless.
#HopeLivesHere  |
Thanksgiving Prepare-A-Plate
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We were preparing for our annual Thanksgiving feast in October and November with the Prepare-A-Plate campaign. We had a goal of $30,000 to provide a massive meal for an anticipated 1,100 guests.
AND WE HIT OUR GOAL! We had an incredible day enjoying food - relaxing and watching football with our shelter guests. A special thanks to all our donors and their teams that brought us over the 30k finish line. And, a very special acknowledgement to approximately 80 volunteers who showed up on Thanksgiving Day to give Christian care and hospitality! |
Homeless Persons Memorial Day |
December 21st is Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day, where hundreds of Philadelphians gather on the first day of winter to remember and pay respects to those who have lost their life due to unstable housing. Our CEO participated in this solemn occasion with other homeless service providers in Shakespeare Park at 4 p.m. Sadly, 399 individuals died in 2023 due to experiencing homelessness, and every name was read during this event.
In honor of this sad remembrance, please consider getting involved with Philly House, where we bring services directly to Philadelphia’s homeless, hungry, and hurting and pursue short- and long-term solutions to our guest’s housing needs. Every life matters to God, and our daily ministry aims to bring dignity and respect to each person. |
We had a great time at this month’s Next Level outing at the 76ers game! For most of our guests, this was their first NBA game. While they cheered on the 76ers, they enjoyed popcorn, hot dogs, and fries. These monthly outings provide our Next Level guests with well-deserved fun as they pursue stability, spiritual development, and long-term success. |
During the coldest months of the year, we are reminding our community that when a Code Blue is declared in the city of Philadelphia, our doors are open all day long for shelter and for hot meals.
During this Winter, Philly House offers 32 extra beds to the city’s Outreach Team and to police officers - which are some of the only Code Blue beds available in the entire City of Philadelphia. These teams rely upon our beds to be open each year.
If you see someone needing shelter during a Code Blue situation, please call the city’s homeless outreach hotline at 215-232-1984.
And, your prayers during each and every sight of someone on our streets can be the catalyst for them to open themselves to accept outreach efforts and to come into our doors. Please say a prayer now.
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We love hearing from our supporters! We recently received an envelope in the mail with a check and this lovely letter from a new contributor, Demi. Feel free to share yours too, either old school in the mail or here on social media. And THANK YOU, Demi, for being such a kind and thoughtful eight-year-old; we’ll make sure your donation goes to help those in need. |
Looking to make a serious difference in the lives of Philly’s homeless, hungry, and hurting? We simply can’t be effective without an amazing team of Shelter Ambassadors. And we need more! Consider a job here at Philly House to provide a safe and Christian environment for those seeking refuge.
All of our full-time positions offer a “living wage” starting at $17 per hour, with these benefits: 100% health coverage including dental, vision, and life insurance; 4 weeks of paid vacation; paid holidays and sick leave; and 3% contribution to 401(K) retirement after one year of service. |
We have some cold winter months ahead. But we know that we can rely on you, our supporter, to help us to continue providing food, shelter, and services for our guests as we battle the struggle of homelessness with our short-term and long-term strategies to get our friends off the streets.
Please donate however you can. At a minimum, please pray for the strength and fortitude of our Staff and Homeless Services Team. Pray for the Love of God to fill them each day. Pray for patience to deal with troubling circumstances. Pray for open hearts of our shelter guests to receive God’s love and life transformation.
May God bless you, and we wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
See you in 2024! |
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