PfP Blog

March 2024 Newsletter

PfP is doing all in its power to address the needs of families and children in Gaza who are facing the unimaginable.  In the shadow of an ongoing genocide, displacement, hunger, thirst, lack of adequate shelter, injuries, infections, and profound trauma, Palestinians are doing their best to care for one another, and we have been doing our best to empower them. Our initiatives, though modest, continue to uplift young lives. Below is a snapshot of what we’ve done in the past few months. Some of these activities were implemented while susan abulhawa was herself in Gaza and she can attest to the …

Learn more

2023 Playgrounds for Palestine Year-End Donation Summary

Annual Summary for 2023Playgrounds for Palestine All of us at PfP would like to thank you for making our work possible, especially during this ongoing genocide against Palestinians. Your commitment to the rights of Palestinian children is more essential now than ever. Your kindness this past year has supported:  Medical Aid: PfP sent $20,000 worth of medical supplies to Gaza through the Egyptian Red Crescent. Food Aid: PfP made a $25,000 donation to MECA’s boxed food program and distributed $15,000 worth of flour, cooking oil, and warm clothing for …

Learn more

Remembering Salah Ajarma, our beloved brother

On July 14th, Playgrounds for Palestine joined friends and family to remember Salah Ajarma, our dear friend, comrade, and brother who passed away in April 2021. Salah was an integral member of PfP and over the years he became family to all of us. He was a man of integrity, passion, and unwavering commitment to justice and his country. He dedicated his life to empowering his community, especially young people, and in the process created a school, a kindergarten, and spectacular community center in the heart of Aida refugee camp, where young people could go for recreation, music, art and …

Learn more

Olive Oil Giveaway Campaign!

To show our love and appreciation for your constant support of PfP, we are doing a $500 VISA gift card appreciation giveaway! We have extended the deadline from October 1st to November first! To enter in the giveaway: Purchase at least three 500 mL bottles of our AIDA Palestinian Olive Oil, Turath Blend, before November 1. You can purchase here! Follow @playgroundsforpalestine on Instagram. Tag 2 friends in the comments of our giveaway post. A winner will be announced on November 5! ?????? ????? ?? ?? ????? ??????, ???????, ???? ????? ????? ??? ???? ???? ?????? ??????, ?? ?????????? ?????????????????? ???? ???????? ?????? ????????? ??? ? ?????? ??????? ??????. ??? ???? ??? ??????????? ????? ??? ??????????? ???? ???? ?????? ????? ?? ??? ????? ?? ?????????. [???? ?? ? ??????? ????? ????????? ???? ?? ??????????? ????????????. 100% ?? ???????? ?? ?? ???? ??? ???????? ???????? ??????????? ??? ???????? ?? ????????? ?????????????? ??????? ?????].

Support for UNRWA’s COVID-19 Educational Response

Thanks to our wonderful donors, Playgrounds for Palestine was able to use some funds to support the UNRWA’s response to COVID-19 in the Gaza Strip for education. Children were able to return to schools in Gaza the week of August 8 through UNRWA’s efforts. UNRWA gave a shout-out to Playgrounds for Palestine on their facebook page to thank our incredible supporters for PfP’s contributions! Click here for the link to the video! Reuters published an article earlier this week about the return to school in Gaza: Children walk back to school after five-month shut-down, by Reuters.  Thank you again for all of your support, making PfP’s contribution to the …

Learn more

COVID-19 Response

On April 21st, Playgrounds for Palestine sent a survey to our donors about using some of our funds for a COVID-19 emergency direct aid.  The response from our supporters was overwhelmingly in the affirmative.    Families throughout Palestine have been hard hit by the pandemic, particularly those who rely on income from day labor in Israel.  The villages of East and West Toura, southwest of Jenin are no exceptions.  They were historically agricultural communities that produced wheat, olives, tobacco, and various produce.  However, as Israel confiscated nearly all village farmlands in the early 2000s, breadwinners were forced to work in Israel as day laborers.  Since the pandemic lockdown took effect in early March, few have been able to work and families have been facing severe shortages. To help alleviate some of the hardship, PfP worked with the village council to distribute direct aid to affected families with children.  Because …

Learn more

2019 Annual Gala. Thank you!

Thank you so much for coming out to support Playgrounds for Palestine at our annual gala! It was an incredible night of food, music, and fun. Thank you to our wonderful patrons, volunteers, speakers, staff, and to Olive Press Eatery for catering.

2019 Annual Gala Tickets!

August 7, 2019 Dear PfP Fam. Tickets are now available for PfP’s Annual Gala, and we hope you will join us Saturday, September 21, 2019 | 5PM – 9PMBodek Lounge | Houston Hall | University of Pennsylvania3417 SPRUCE STREET | PHILADELPHIA, PA 19104We have a lot in store this year and can’t wait to update you on what we’ve been up to. As always, we’ll serve yummy food and there will be plenty of time to mingle and catch up with friends. You don’t want to miss the gorgeous silent auction items, and we’re sure you’ll love the entertainment. It’s always a pleasure to see familiar and new faces at our annual gala and we’re so looking forward to it. We love and appreciate you, and we thank you …

Learn more

Thank You!

PfP’s 2018 annual gala was fabulous.  Thank you to all of our patrons, volunteers, honored guests, UPenn facility staff, and Manakeesh (caterer), who made the evening what it was.

Join Us for PfP’s Annual Gala | 2018

Dear Friends, Tickets are now available for PfP’s Annual Gala, and we hope you will join us! Saturday, September 22, 2018 | 5PM – 9PM Bodek Lounge | Houston Hall | University of Pennsylvania 3417 SPRUCE STREET | PHILADELPHIA, PA 19104 This year’s dinner will be family-style, with a traditional maqloubeh pot and many sides on each table. Of course, vegetarian and/or vegan options will be available. You don’t want to miss the gorgeous items we’ve collected from around the world for our silent auction, and we’re sure you’ll love the entertainment. We also have some very special honorees this year, including Dr Marc Lamont Hill, Reverend Graylan Hagler, Mike & Dr Rob Abel, and others. The fabulous Amer Zahr will be our emcee, and the exquisitely talented Huda Asfour is our featured performer. We love and appreciate you, and we thank you for your support. love, …

Learn more
Donate Shop

Phoenix Elementary in Gaza

We are excited to announce the launch of an initiative we’ve been working on for a while. PfP established a school in Gaza for grades 1-5. We’re in our third week now of operation and it’s amazing. The school is a mixture of traditional and non-traditional learning. The first few days were focused on getting to know each other, consulting with children about what they want to get out of the school, how they want to decorate the space, and assessing their skills and abilities. It was decided to name the school: Phoenix Elementary. مدرسةالعنقاء As you can see, the kids were over the moon to be in a classroom after their lives were turned upside down. Grades 1-4 are focused

Learn More

My contribution makes me happy for the cause, and is inspired by my friends, Holly and Scudder, who are getting married.