Friends Center hired the Receptionist position.

Download the announcement here.

June 2022 | Open until filled

Friends Center, the Quaker hub for peace and justice in Center City Philadelphia, seeks a well-rounded, motivated Facilities Assistant to support the upkeep and maintenance of its facilities.

Friends Center includes the historic Race Street Quaker Meetinghouse and the office building at 1501 Cherry Street, which has nearly 30 nonprofit tenants working for a better community and city. Friends Center also hosts meetings and conferences for tenants and outside groups, and the local Quaker congregation worships in the Meetinghouse on Sundays. Friends Center’s front plaza and interior courtyard and gardens provide a place of peace in Center City for tenants and visitors alike.

The right candidate for Facilities Assistant will make sure that tenants, guests, and visitors have a pleasant experience at a well-maintained facility. Friends Center strives to be a friendly, supportive place to work, with competitive pay and excellent benefits.

ABOUT THE POSITION

Position Summary: The Facilities Assistant is responsible for maintaining the complex and its grounds and preparing the facility for events by tenants and outside groups.

Status: Full-time, 35 hours/week, Non-exempt.

Location: Philadelphia, PA

Application Deadline: Open until filled

COMPENSATION

• Starting compensation: $18/hour
• Benefits include: paid time off; paid sick leave; paid healthcare, dental, and vision insurance; 403(b) retirement plan with employer contribution and match; and paid life and disability insurance.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• including carpentry, painting, electrical, plumbing
• including setup and takedown of tables and chairs

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum:

• Basic skills in the following building trades:
  • Electrical, Plumbing, Carpentry, Painting
  • Limited on-the-job training may be available for candidates with experience in some but not all of the above.

Preferred:

• Basic skills in the following building trades:
  • Sheetrock
  • Masonry

OTHER REQUIRED SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrated punctuality: able to arrive on time for work every day.
• Demonstrated ability to complete tasks within the assigned time.
• Demonstrated ability to work with others to complete larger tasks.
• Physically able to lift 50 pounds to chest level.
• Physically able to carry, set up, and take down 8-foot long tables for meetings.
• Physically able to stand on a six-foot ladder to carry out tasks such as painting or changing light bulbs and electrical ballasts.

SCHEDULE

• Monday – Friday, 11 am – 7 pm, with 1 hour of break time per day

The schedule may change because of the covid-19 pandemic. When making schedule changes, Friends Center works to fairly balance the needs of all of its staff.

TO APPLY:

Send application with resume or employment history

• By email to info@friendscentercorp.org; or
• By mail to Facilities Assistant, c/o Friends Center, 1501 Cherry Street, Philadelphia PA, 19102.
• No phone calls please.

PROCESS:

• Candidates of interest will have either a phone interview, an in-person interview, or both.
• Finalists may be asked to work one or two trial half-day shifts to assess skills and productivity, and will be paid $18/hour for their time.

Friends Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women, minorities, and other underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. Friends Center is a smoke-free workplace.

Behold the newest additions to Friends Center: exterior signs to clearly identify us!

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S NOTE

With the arrival of spring on the calendar, we look forward (eventually) to warmer weather. When it is nice outside, feel free to crack the windows open and let fresh air in! Also, the bistro table and chairs are back on the front porch, wistfully waiting for people to use them. The courtyard is available for your enjoyment, too. A Cooper’s hawk was often to be seen out there recently, but it probably continued its northward migration since then.

Speaking of the courtyard, there will be some disruption there this summer. The tunnel between the Meetinghouse and 1520 Race Street needs to be repaired. Work will start in the second half of June. We will keep you posted with more details when we know them.

— Chris Mohr, Executive Director

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AROUND FRIENDS CENTER

PHONE SYSTEM UPDATE
The phone system has now been transferred from AFSC to Friends Center. Previously you didn’t need to dial “1” before a number in the (215) or (267) area codes, but now you do.

We still have to switch out some digital or analog phones for “IP” phones; stay tuned for dates.

Also, Friends Center’s main phone number, (215) 241-7000, will soon be changed to (215) 241-7100. We will let everyone know once we have a firm date set for the change.

CLOSED FOR ELECTRICAL WORK: Sat., Sept. 1
On Saturday, September 1, during Labor Day weekend, Friends Center needs to shut off the power to maintain our electrical switchgear. The Center will therefore be closed that day as well as on Monday, 9/3, Memorial Day.

• Click for full 2018 Holiday Schedule.
  

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PARTNER NEWS

Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Book Event!

Friday April 27^th, 2018, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
@ Historic Arch Street Meeting House, 320 Arch St

$10 suggested donation

Arch Street Meeting House Preservation Trust invites you to enjoy an evening with historian Gary Nash, who will be talking about his new book, Warner Mifflin: Unflinching Quaker Abolitionist. Click for more info.

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TENANT NEWS

Friends Child Care Center, 40^th Anniversary Cocktail Reception & Auction

Friday, May 18^th 2018, 5:30 – 8:30 pm
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Historic Landmark Building
118 N. Broad St, Philadelphia PA 19102
http://friendschildcare.org/

Singing City Presents: Serene Mystics
Sunday, May 6^th at 3 pm
Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral, 23 S. 38^th St, Philadelphia PA 19104
Tickets: $25; $35 for preferred seating; $10 for students. A reception follows the concert.
Click for more info.

Send us your news, or tag us in a tweet (@Friends_Ctr), if you’d like to be mentioned!

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OUTSIDE EVENT

While not happening here at Friends Center, this event may be of interest to our community:

Old Pine at 250: Faith and Politics
Sunday, April 22^nd 2018
Old Pine Presbyterian Church
412 Pine St, Philadelphia PA 19106

With Rev. Wilson Goode Sr., former Mayor of Philadelphia, and Ron Sider, professor at Palmer Theological Seminary & founder, Evangelicals for Social Action. A panel discussion on the relations between faith and political processes and the impact these have on social justice issues such as poverty, housing, and employment. Click for more info.

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Friends Center was featured on Green Philly, 2/21/2018:

How can urban spaces connect us to those around us?

Nestled at 1501 Cherry St, the Friends Center is the Quaker Hub for Peace and Justice in Philadelphia. But beyond the use for those of Quaker faith, the sustainable center welcomes many like-minded groups to foster a community group ecosystem.

Read the full article here.

AROUND FRIENDS CENTER

 NET TUESDAY: How Nonprofits Can Manage an Effective Email List
March 6, Rufus Jones Room
Join a community of nonprofit leaders as we learn about managing effective email list from data guru Dan Bradley of Bradley Analytics. This is a bring-your-laptop-to-class style workshop where participants will have the ability to ask targeted questions and get help on their specific issue. Doors open at 6:00 and program begins at 6:30.  Food and drink will be provided.

PHONE SYSTEM UPDATE
The phone system has now been transferred from AFSC to Friends Center. Previously you didn’t always need to dial “1” before a number in the (215) or (267) area codes; now you need to dial “9-1-” first for all.

We still have to switch out some digital or analog phones for “IP” phones; stay tuned for dates.

PARTNER NEWS

Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting of Friends

Loving Friends Fiesta
Sat., March 17, 3:30 – 8:00 pm
You’re invited to this fun event to raise money for CPMM’s Friendly Fund, which supports Philadelphia-area groups that build community: solar, homeless ministries, immigration sanctuary, and returning citizens.

• All-Ages Play Party, 3:30 to 5:30 PM
• Dance Celebration, 5:30 to 7:00 PM
• Silent Auction
• Hearty Finger Food(Potluck)
• $5 and UnderTable
• Learn more

NAACP’s Jacqueline Patterson to Speak at Ujima Friends Peace Center
1701 Lehigh Avenue
Fri., March 2, 9:30-11:30am
Serenity Solar will host Jacqueline Patterson, the NAACP Environment and Climate Justice Program Director. Ujima Friends Peace House is a project of the Fellowship of Friends of African Descent (FOFAD). Several members of CPMM are actively involved in FOFAD and Ujima Friends Peace Center.

• More info

Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of Friends hosts Friends in Fellowship, a series of talks at the Historic Arch Street Meeting House, our sibling site at 4^th & Arch Streets in Philadelphia. These fun talks are designed to bring Friends and “friends of Friends” together for fellowship, refreshments, and networking. Events are free and open to the public.

Wissahickon Habitat Repair: Plants & Birds & Rocks & Things
March 1, 7 pm
Research and best practices with restoration ecologist William J. Ryan Ph.D. from the Patrick Center for Environmental Research at Drexel University’s Academy of Natural Sciences.

Trans Cartooning & Op-Ed Cartooning
March 8, 7 pm
Ramona Sharples (“Trans Girl Trans Comic”) and Pulitzer Prize winning editorial cartoonist Signe Wilkinson will speak on the topic “The Art of Persuasion.”

Separately, PYM also has three job openings. See the full job postings online.

Tenant News

SINGING CITY: Debussy & His Legacy
Saturday, March 17, 7 pm
The Church of the Holy Trinity, 1904 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
Featuring works by Debussy, Messiaen, Gershwin, Miles Davis, and the world premiere of Supplice by Benjamin C.S. Boyle. Special guest Laura Ward, pianist, and Gamelan Kusuma Laras, a classical Javanese gamelan orchestra. A Q&A with composer Benjamin C.S. Boyle follows the concert.

• More info

BARTOL FOUNDATION
Feedback that Nurtures: Liz Lerman’s Critical Response Process
March 25, noon – 3 pm
How do you give feedback that sparks more creativity?  Register here for this upcoming Bartol workshop.

AFTER SCHOOL ALL STARS
Kelly Woodland from After School All Stars is a founder of the new Philadelphia Black Giving Circle:

• Story in Generocity Philly: The Philadelphia Black Giving Circle launched – Generocity Philly
• Learn more: https://www.phillyblackgiving.org/

Send us your news, or tag us in a tweet (@Friends_Ctr), if you’d like to be mentioned!

OUTSIDE EVENT

While not happening here at Friends Center, this event may be of interest to our community:

Faith in the Public Square & the Challenge of Immigration
Sunday, March 4, Old Pine Presbyterian Church

 

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S NOTE

Tenant Handbook Now Available Online
Friends Center now has an online Tenant Handbook!

The page links to our guidelines and policies, including community standards, catering guidelines, holiday schedules, key fob policies, and more. It also has links to request forms for room reservations, and for phone/Internet changes.

We did a “soft launch” of the page a few months ago. Now, we’d like to make it more visible—and to get your feedback. Please look at the page and let me know if you have questions or want to suggest additional information to post.

– Chris Mohr, Executive Director

STAFFING UPDATES

We are happy to announce Teneshia Washington is our new substitute evening/weekend desk clerk. You may know from her other roles with Prisoner Visitation & Support and Physicians for Social Responsibility – Philadelphia Chapter. Please introduce yourself if you don’t already know her!

Receptionist Jennifer Williams welcomed her new child, Josiah, in late December. Mother and baby are doing well. Please join me in wishing Jennifer, husband Stefan, and their family all the best.

AROUND FRIENDS CENTER

In case you missed it last month, New Century Trust joined us as a tenant in the 1520 Race Street building in January. They work to end political and economic inequalities facing women and girls in Greater Philadelphia. They were founded in 1882; one of their co-founders was a Quaker.

Meanwhile, Greenpeace’s Pennyslvania office moved out at the end of 2017. Their local field organizer is not far away, though; she now works with the local chapter of the ACLU!

PHONE SYSTEM UPDATE

As mentioned in an email to all tenants, the phone system is being transferred from AFSC to Friends Center. We will be working with the service provider, Watson Communications, to make the transition as seamless as possible. Costs and services will remain the same for the moment. We will have to switch out some digital or analog phones for “IP” phones, but that is a fairly quick process.

PARTNER NEWS

Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of Friends hosts Friends in Fellowship, a series of evening talks at the Historic Arch Street Meeting House, our sibling site at 4^th and Arch Streets in Philadelphia.

These fun talks are designed to bring Friends & “friends of Friends” together for fellowship, refreshments, and networking. Events are free & open to the public.

• More info and full schedule: www.pym.org/fellowship

Event 1/25, 7 pm:  “Teaching to the Heart, Teaching to the Mind”

• Sydney Coffin, English teacher at Edison-Fareira HS in North Philadelphia and a Yale National Initiative Fellow: methods for fostering students’ creative expression through poetry and art.
• Chris Bond, social studies teacher at West Windsor-Plainsboro North HS: impact of research in neuroscience on the importance of learning standards that involve social and emotional aspects of students.

American Friends Service Committee brownbag presentation:
“Tools for a new movement: Economic Activism”
Friday, Jan. 26, 12:30-1:30 pm
Martin Luther King, Jr. Room

Join AFSC’s Dalit Baum for a presentation entitled “Tools for a new movement: Economic Activism.” See the emails and the flyer in the lobby.

TENANT NEWS

Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity (PLSE) founder Mike Lee leaves to join DA’s office; Zane Johnson named managing attorney
» Philadelphia Magazine
» PLSE Press Release
 
Art-Reach organizes MLK Day art project for students from Overbrook School for the Blind
» Read more

DIRECTOR’S NOTE

Next Monday: YEAR-END CELEBRATION FOR YOU,
OUR BUILDING RESIDENTS!

You’re invited to join us on Monday, 12/18, 1-2 pm in the front lobby for some light refreshments and networking. We want to thank you for being part of the Friends Center community and wish you the best for the holidays and a happy new year.

Thanks for joining us on the Green Building Tour

Erick and I enjoyed the opportunity to show off our LEED Platinum certified green building to several tenants recently. We even saw some mushrooms on the green roof! We’ll schedule another tour some time in 2018. Stay tuned.

STAFFING CHANGES

Jennifer Williams, our extraordinary receptionist, is expecting a baby soon, of course. Her last day before leave will be this Friday, 12/15. Please join me in wishing Jennifer, husband Stefan, and their children all the best for their growing family!

We have hired Judy Pluciennik to help as an interim desk clerk. You may know from her previous roles with American Friends Service Committee and, before that, with Friends Center. Please welcome her back if you already know her, or introduce yourself if you don’t.

Finally, I’m both sad (for us) and happy (for her) to announce that Nadia Beliveau will be leaving us after this month. She will be moving to a new home and job in upstate New York. We thank her for her service and wish her all the best!

SEEKING EVENING/WEEKEND DESK CLERK

Given the changes noted, we are seeking another evening/weekend desk clerk.

• Click for job description.
• If you know someone who might be interested, please have them email me. No phone calls, please.

UPCOMING HOLIDAY CLOSURES

• Christmas: Friday 12/22, Saturday 12/23, closed EARLY after Quaker meeting, 12/24; Monday 12/25
• New Year’s Day: Monday 1/1
• MLK Day: Monday, 1/15

There is also a change for 2018:

• We will be OPEN on Saturday, June 16.

• On Saturday, May 26, Memorial Day weekend, we will be OPEN but the air conditioning in 1501/1515 Cherry Street will be OFF for maintenance. We hope it won’t be too hot.
• Click for the full 2018 Holiday Schedule as revised.

AROUND FRIENDS CENTER

Welcome, New Century Trust!
In early January, New Century Trust will join us as a tenant in the 1520 Race Street building. New Century Trust works to end the political and economic inequalities facing women and girls in Greater Philadelphia. They conduct research, convene partners, provide grants, and advocate for systemic change. They were founded in 1882, and one of their co-founders was a Quaker.

Thank you for picking up packages promptly.
Please continue!
You’ve all been doing GREAT in securing your packages from the lobby soon after they arrive. Thank you! Please keep it up as the volume of packages grows before the holidays.

TENANT NEWS

CAIR says “U.S. Supreme Court’s Decision on Trump’s Muslim Ban Ignores Impact on Citizens and Their Families Abroad”: Press release.

Singing City: Holiday concert, Dec. 17

Girls Inc.: K’Nex donates to Girls Inc.’s STEM Gems, company CEO visits