At a place as large as PPH, many people contribute to keeping the community running.
One group that plays a vital role in PPH running efficiently as well as maintaining the friendly, homey demeanor throughout the community are our volunteers. Every day, volunteers assist in running PPH by delivering mail, cashiering and bagging in our gift shop and Tabor Market, organizing events and helping new residents adjust to the community.
That’s only a few of the many ways volunteers contribute. Have you ever thought about how REACH finds its way under your door? A group of volunteers inserts the calendars and birthday lists, and additional volunteers pick up stacks and delivers a copy to each apartment.
In 2019, approximately 200 volunteers gave the gift of 37,925 hours of service. That includes a lot of residents, but also residents’ friends and family, local students, interns and neighbors from the surrounding area.
Carol Cherrington has been the Volunteer Coordinator at PPH for 22 years and a Lawndale Manor resident for four. In that time, she’s met many caring people who are ready and willing to give a little of their time to the community.
“I have found all of them to be unselfish, giving, generous people,” she said.

Volunteer Coordinator Carol Cherrington with 2018 Volunteer of the Year Tom Thomas

Volunteering is certainly beneficial to PPH as it saves funds at our not-for-profit community that can go towards projects and renovations — the ACE center and Personal Care Dining Rooms are recent examples — but it’s also believed that volunteering as a whole is a positive experience for those who decide to give their time and energy to something outside of their own needs and free time.
Volunteering a few hours each week can lead to meeting new friends and establishing new connections, reducing stress levels and depression, learning new talents, and ultimately living longer.
Getting someone out of their home for just a few hours a week may be the mental and physical exercise they need.
“I get to help people find something to give them meaning and purpose,” Cherrington said.
“PPH is a better place because of their generosity and caring spirits.”

2011 and 2017 Volunteer of the Year
Ron Hugo.

The Volunteer program is always open to new volunteers, as well as current volunteers looking for additional opportunities. One role that Cherrington says she is hoping to fill soon — additional cashiers for the cafeteria, gift shop and Tabor Market. Volunteers will be trained to operate a cash register if necessary.
For more information, Carol Cherrington can be reached at #8331 or ccherrington@pphfamily.org.
Note: PPH’s annual Volunteer Show, which staff organizes as a gift to our volunteers, was scheduled for Thursday, April 2, but as a result of the Coronavirus, it has been postponed.
This year’s theme was set to be “PPH Remembers the ’70s and ’80s, similar to last year’s which celebrated the ’50s and ’60s”
Staff typically perform skits from TV shows, movies, commercials, music and pop culture. This tradition dates back to 2002, when staff and residents performed in the “Great American Vaudeville Show.”

One of PPH’s many volunteers, Alpha resident Jane Blewett, delivering mail.

For updates, please tune to channel 2, visit our website pphfamily.org or our Facebook page: Facebook.com/PhiladelphiaProtestantHome.
PPH hopes to reschedule this year’s show sometime in the near future.