This listing is for Natural Lands the organization. To dispel confusion, this org manages a number…read moreof preserves, each with its own name (Stoneleigh, Crow's Nest, etc.). The address for the administrative offices is the same as the address for one of the preserves, but the preserve is obviously a separate entity from the offices, and is not called "Natural Lands," it's called "Hildacy Preserve." Natural Lands manages a growing number of preserves, currently all 20 are located around the Western / Northwestern 'burbs of Philly. So far, we have been to three of their preserves, and have thoroughly enjoyed all of them. Each Natural Lands preserve has a different personality, and a different history. Terrains are different, as are features and facilities. For example, Stoneleigh is a former mansion in Villanova, with pristine, cultivated grounds, akin to similar historical estates. Meanwhile, Sharp's Woods Preserve in Berwyn, doesn't even have a parking lot, and is more of a neighborhood trail between developments, with no major facilities or features. Both preserves offer their own function in the community, each providing something different, that is useful in its own way. This is true of each and every one of their (currently) 20 properties. ALL of them are FREE! This is a WONDERFUL resource for our area! When you visit the Natural Lands website, they are very good at providing useful, articulate info. You can sort through the preserves to learn each one's personality to choose a destination. Clicking on a specific preserve will show you all the history and stats, and they have a highlighted area to tell you how long of a hike you can take at each one. There is also a link at each preserve page to show you a map of the preserve, with all the trails, so you can plan your trip. We are so happy to have discovered this organization (which has been under our noses for years now), and we look forward to getting to know each of their preserves!

From the owner: Hildacy Preserve is the 55-acre headquarters of nonprofit Natural Lands…read more The former farm fields at Hildacy have been converted to meadows dominated by native grasses such as big and little bluestem, Indian-grass, and broom-sedge. Native warm- and cool-season grasses are particularly valuable as nesting areas and food sources for birds such as Bobolink, Eastern Meadowlark, Grasshopper Sparrow, and Eastern Bluebird--all of whose populations have been in decline nationally due to loss of habitat. Crum Creek, a tributary to the Delaware River, meanders through the preserve. The creek is the leading drinking water source for Delaware County residents and was designated a "Special Protection Stream" by the PA Department of Environmental Protection. With help from volunteers and Pennsylvania's TreeVitalize program, we have planted hundreds of trees along the edge of Crum Creek to improve water quality. Trees and other plants in this area filter the nutrients and sediments transported by surface and groundwater flowing into the creek. Native trees also provide shade and food that benefit fish and other aquatic species.

This is a great place to recycle anything with a plug and also electronics. I am heading there on…read moreTuesday to recycle two non-functioning electric heaters that are old. This works to help men and women who recycle the valuable parts for sale and receive training also in anger management and skills to help them get and keep a job. I have been going there for about 5 years. My late husband was a hoarder and I took carloads of old computers, TVs and miscellaneous clutter to them when their location was on Walnut Lane. I also will give a monetary donation which they need badly to carry on the work that is so needed.

I have given my recyclables to this company on two occasions now and both times that have been…read morenothing but the best. During the second pick up I needed to change my time last minute and although they were busy they were very flexible, called when nearby and picked up the heavy items (AC and TV) from my second floor with no complaints. They also complimented my home! My friend was there and was so impressed that she's planning to use them as well!

I am so happy we have Common Space in Ardmore…read more This is a new nonprofit that opened up in the space that for decades was Payne's Garden Center. What was once shelves of gardening products and their unique backyard plant sales is now a lovely space with comfy chairs tables, a small kitchen and a backyard patio. Everything is accessible and sensory-friendly. The goal of this nonprofit is to bring together community members of all abilities, ages, social groups, etc. They have a broad variety of programming - everything from making your own yoga mat and painting with watercolors to cooking to tabletop gaming and movie nights. Their director is very good to work with and open to new and interesting programming that is inclusive. Groups can also rent the space for meetings such as Civic meetings and such, there is a fee if it's not an open-to-all activity. I've gone there twice for activities, and it was great both times. Highly recommend going for their activities and such. It's pretty cool.

Amazing place to volunteer! Free flowing in terms of scheduling and meeting needs to volunteer…read morehere. In terms of actual process it was formal and organized, I really enjoy doing repetitive tasks in the kitchen. Very meditative. Also enjoyed their 80s prom celebration party!

I recently had a community volunteer opportunity with my job. Since I haven't done one in a while,…read moreI thought it would be good to start the new year off right by giving back. I chose to volunteer at MANNA as they are an organization that serves the community by providing healthy meals, even if you have a dietary restriction. They serve meals daily at their location along with making food deliveries to those that are unable to leave their homes. So,in short they similar to having a food kitchen and meals on wheels in one organization. When I arrived, the place was very clean, the staff was very friendly and appreciative of us volunteers. It was a great few hours of volunteering and assisting a worthwhile cause. I look forward to doing it again at MANNA.

My resume and LinkedIn profile was in desperate need of a refresh. Julia was outstanding in…read moreaccomplishing both objectives. She was professional and clearly understood my career goals. In addition, she provide amazing advice and suggestions. The entire process was quite easy, thanks to Julia. I will continue using her career planning services and I highly recommend her.

Career and job changes can be hugely emotional, and Alexa takes a holistic approach to give her…read moreclients what they need in the moment-- be it practical advice or personal encouragement. She helped me shape my resume and establish a personal statement during a major career change a couple years ago. More recently she's been a godsend as I've had a crisis of confidence in my current career. She helped me figure out a game plan not only for networking and figuring out my future direction, but also walked me through the process of finding a professional mentor. I cannot recommend her and her team enough!

Always have good quality of food never had I've complained about delivery on time and I also share…read morewith my friend and family

These people are pros at managing volunteers…read more This is not an easy task. You have to understand first what they can learn to do in a very short period of time. Then you need to make sure they're enjoying doing it. Lastly, you need it done right. It's a skill. Philabundance clearly understands this and has the entire process mastered - from check in to departure. I arrived to work with a group of colleagues from my company. The volunteers have their own parking spaces and their own sign in and waiting area. Cleverly they have these little kiosk things that allow you to use your credit card and make an instant donation that adds to a total for your group. Nice. Tables, chairs, clear lockers for storing personal goods, heavy coats along one wall for those working in the refrigerated area. We had a brief orientation where they talked about the mission of Philabundance, then we were split into two projects. I was on a project making up food boxes for elderly people in need. They reviewed what each of us did and we were off. The boxes came along a conveyer belt and we all had stations. I kept thinking of the "I Love Lucy" episode and smiled to myself. We worked a total of 3 1/2 hours with a 20 minute break halfway through. We made up our goal of boxes - 600 - and helped the other team package pints of milk in the cooler area when we were done. Group photo on the way out, and we were leaving feeling accomplished and happy. They were professional, friendly and very organized. Impressed.

Thrift & Thrive is the new, larger thrift store run by the nonprofit Domestic Abuse Project of…read moreDelaware County. They previously ran Nana's Attic in Broomall (now closed). I stopped by a few days ago to check out their new store. It's significantly bigger than Nana's Attic, which means it feels far less cramped. Yay! Still very good prices, the "yellow tag" items are consignment and generally higher priced than the store's donated stock. It about killed my soul to see an awesome vintage salt & pepper mixed in with newer dishes in a consignment lot. Aaah! Staff are great, the store is clean and bright. I'll definitely be back. Note: angled parking in front of the building is NOT free, Pontiac is a public street, and those are pay at kiosk metered spots.

I do not recommend going here. Thrift and Thrive has lost my business after 10+ years…read more As previously stated, I have been a customer for over ten years. I have been a customer at this store since it was called Nana's Attic. Today I was there, looking for furniture. The selection was a bit overpriced for the quality. Suddenly, I needed to use the restroom. The woman working informed me that they did not have a public restroom and that I could go to the Dollar Tree next door. The Dollar Tree did not have a usable restroom. I returned to thrift and thrive because, quite frankly, I was literally about to pee myself. I begged to use the employee bathroom. The employees lied to my face and said that there was no bathroom in the entire store. Yeah right, if that's true, then that's a worker's rights violation, and they would not be in business. I explained that I was having an emergency and they did not care. It really stinks to be a loyal patron of a store, then to be treated so poorly in return. Particularly during a vulnerable moment. There are plenty of better thrift stores in the area with better prices AND customer bathrooms. It's a shame that a store that has such a great mission doesn't provide a great shopping experience.

This place is so wonderful. There are three whole floors of clean, well-maintained, free roaming…read morespaces for cats and kittens. The rooms are organized so that cats are in the best and most comfortable environment for their age and personalities. The staff is so kind and knowledgeable about the cats. We adopted two kittens here and were given cute little blankets to take home with them, and all the information we could possibly need for pet care and vet visits. The adoption fee was super reasonable considering the kitties came fully up to date on all their shots, spayed/neutered, and microchipped. Can't say enough good things about Kitty Cottage!

We adopted our girl Biscuit from Kitty Cottage and we had a great experience! Facilities are clean…read moreand the staff is really friendly. All of the cats appeared healthy and happy and the cat rooms were open and accessible. Great place to adopt from!

Everything!!! I worked with Jenn and she was very kind and so helpful. I have been back three more…read moretimes and would definitely recommend for any mom looking for help and support with breastfeeding

The BRC is a wonderful resource that has helped me feel much more comfortable breastfeeding. I…read morecame in for a prenatal consult to get my questions answered, and that helped me feel more ready when my baby arrived. They encouraged me to come back a few days after his birth to check out how we were doing, and it really put my mind at ease. I have regularly been attending the support groups and have found it invaluable for knowing I'm not alone.

We just held our son's 3rd birthday party here. Beautiful space, and a terrific interactive…read moreprogram composed of music, art, dance and dramatic play led by an amazing teaching artist. The children all had a wonderful time. You just bring your own food/paper products, show up, and let the magic happen! Nice alternative to the usual indoor party places.

This place recently relocated to 101 Plush Mills rd in Wallingford PA in an old school building…read more While the staff and activities deserve four or five stars, the new location only deserves one, if any stars at all. The Wallingford location is old and run down. When you walk into the building you are met by an intense and pungent smell of mold, so anyone with allergies to mold should stay away. Next, the place looks like it has not been cleaned the past ten years. It is outright disgusting. Floors are covered in a thick layer of dirt and dust. Disgusting when the kids were encouraged to have bare feet. There is a play area with toys with an old shag rug and toys covered in dirt, dust and old hair. These include even toys for infants who mouth everything. So in a place like this with several events every day and a ton of kids touching and mouthing the toys, they should really be washed every day. Not every year! To the owners: Seriously - clean this place up so it can be fit for kids! And get rid of the mold, so you won't end up with a visiting allergy kid having a severe asthma attack!