Protect Philadelphia, Support the Keeping Society
Click to DonateSome of the Keeping Society's successes in 2019 are shown in the composite above.
The Keeping Society of Philadelphia is a small historic preservation non-profit that works with communities across the city to help protect undesignated historic properties. Please help us continue to do this work by making a donation on this #givingtuesday.
Mission & Accomplishments. The Keeping Society, a 501c3, is Philadelphia's premiere preservation organization focused solely on nominating buildings for listing in the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places—the primary method to protect our historic fabric from alteration and demolition. Since the seeds of our labors were planted nearly five years ago, the Keeping Society and its principal volunteers have nominated, co-nominated and authored nearly 100 nominations.
Above are the marble steps of the once endangered William and Letitia Still Underground Railroad House in S. Delhi Street, which was successfully nominated by the Keeping Society in 2018.
What is at risk? Philadelphia is America’s first #worldheritagecity and arguably the most historic city in the United States. It is a city possessed of an incredible collection of architectural, environmental, and cultural resources. It is also a city threatened by the demolition and wholesale erasure of those historic resources. National Historic Landmarks, like the Colonial Germantown Avenue Historic District, as well as distinctive buildings like North Broad Street Station, designed by Horace Trumbauer, may be subject to alterations and demolition with no historic oversight. Despite the demolition of over 8,000 over the last ten years, there remains still an incredible city of riches worth saving.
81-95 Fairmont Avenue, Northern Liberties, was designated through early efforts of the Keeping Society.
Why donate? So much of the Keeping Society’s work has been completed by unpaid volunteers, including individuals using their own computers, equipment, and time to protect our city’s historic fabric. The costs associated with nominations for individual properties can range based on the complexity of the resource and the amount of research and writing required. the Keeping Society will require funding to complete nominations for at least three historic districts and many more individual historic resources. Nominations are extraordinarily time intensive and require specialized expertise. Many archives require memberships or charge for research. Potential donations and funds will allow us to finally pay our dedicated historians and preservationists for their research and writing; purchase cameras, computer equipment, and software; and to reimburse the costs of archival and research fees, meeting attendance, and otherwise defray the numerous other costs of running a guerrilla preservation organization.
Support the protection of Philadelphia’s incredible collection of historic resources by sponsoring a nomination or contributing to the Keeping Society today!
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Keeping Society of Philadelphia
FAQ
Is my donation tax deductible?
Depends on a few factors like if you received a reward in exchange for the donation and the value of your donation above that rewards cost, etc. You may contact the nonprofit you donated to directly to receive information on whether or not your donation is tax deductible. Nonetheless, the emailed receipts you will receive for your donation is the documentation you need to make it tax deductible.
Allyra FAQ
Is my donation and credit card info secure?
How do I know that my donation was made successfully?
Do I get a receipt?
Is my donation private?
Yes, the security and confidentiality of your information is our highest priority. We will not sell, trade or share your personal information with anyone else, nor send donor mailings on behalf of other organizations, and we will only share personal information if you have given us specific permission to do so.
How do I know that my donation was made successfully?
You will receive an emailed receipt immediately after your donation is submitted and your credit card is processed. Your donation will also show up on your bank or card statement within 1-3 business days.
Do I get a receipt?
Yes, a receipt is sent to your email inbox once your donation is processed. Please be sure to keep a copy of your receipt for tax purposes. If you select a recurring donation, you will be sent an individual receipt each period when your donation is processed.
Is my donation private?
We will not share or sell a donor's personal information with anyone else, nor send donor mailings on behalf of other organizations.