Charitable Donations

Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania provides care to cancer patients while also providing cancer prevention and diagnosis. The center has 300 scientists researching the origin and development of the disease

AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania provides legal assistance to people with HIV/AIDS to help with obtaining benefits, insurance coverage, housing and a range of legal matters.

American Cancer Society is dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing the disease, saving lives, and reducing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and service.

American Diabetes Association is the nation’s leading organization dedicated to preventing and curing diabetes and to improving the lives of people affected by the disease. It provides diabetes research, information and advocacy.

American Inn of Court is designed to improve the skills, professionalism and ethics of lawyers and judges. Groups meet once monthly to hold programs and discussions on matters of ethics, skills and professionalism.

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), founded in 1866, is the nationally recognized animal welfare organization. Programs deal with a range of issues, including pets, livestock, wild animals and overpopulation.

Big Brothers Big Sisters Southeastern Pennsylvania matches at-risk youth with adult mentors in Philadelphia, Chester, Montgomery and Delaware counties. The organization seeks to improve the lives of children and strengthen communities through one-to-one mentoring relationships. (Listen to a podcast interview with Shanin Specter.)

Blanton-Davis Ovarian Cancer Research Program fosters public awareness and works to develop screening methods and, ultimately, a cure for ovarian cancer through innovative research into the causes, prevention, detection and treatment of the disease.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia offer programs and services to promote and enhance the development of boys and girls by instilling a sense of competence, usefulness, belonging and influence.

Breast Cancer 3 Day is a three-day, 60-mile walk that benefits the Susan G. Komen for the Cure, to fund breast cancer research and community outreach, as well as the National Philanthropic Trust Breast Cancer Fund which provides an endowment for breast cancer initiatives

Child Inc., founded in 1963 and originally named the Boy’s Home, is a Delaware organization that helps the victims of neglect and abuse by offering support services and working with the entire family to find solutions.

Children and Families First, based in Wilmington, Del., is a human services organization that seeks to strengthen families through adoption, foster care, counseling, teen services, parenting education and support, and the Resources Mothers Program.

Children’s Crisis Treatment Center provides mental health services to Philadelphia's neediest children and their families. The services address the effects of abuse, neglect, traumatic events, and other challenges to early childhood.

Children’s Hospital Foundation funds patient care, research and clinical education at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, the nation's first pediatric hospital, founded in 1855.

Community Legal Services provides legal assistance to low-income people with the ongoing support of the Philadelphia Bar Association. It also makes available community education on legal rights and files class-action lawsuits to help poor people facing similar injustices.

Delaware Valley Friends School is a Quaker day school in Paoli, Pa., which promotes multi-sensory teaching and learning strategies for students with learning differences.

Doctors Without Borders is a medical humanitarian organization that delivers emergency aid to people in more than 70 countries affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural or man-made disasters or exclusion from health care.

Drexel University in 2014 dedicated the Thomas R. Kline School of Law. Kline made a $50 million donation to the law school, one of the largest donations ever to an American law school. (See news coverage) In 2012, Drexel opened The Kline & Specter Squash Center made possible thanks to a donation from Kline and Shanin Specter. (See news coverage)

Epilepsy Foundation of Eastern Pennsylvania is committed to improving the lives of people with epilepsy through education, advocacy and support. (See photos from the foundation's March 4, 2011 Mardi Gras Gala fundraiser)

Equality Forum promotes GLBT civil rights, producing documentary films and presenting the largest annual national and international GLBT civil rights forum.

Franklin Institute Science Museum provides memorable educational experiences to school children. Donations help sponsor underprivileged students with free or reduced admissions and to offer traveling exhibits and outreach programs.

Fraternal Order of Housing Police runs a Toys for Tots program for needy children in the Philadelphia area.

Habitat for Humanity International – Founded in 1976, the organization has built and rehabilitated more than 150,000 houses for needy families.

Harvard Law School Association of Greater Philadelphia uses contributions from local alumni to sponsor Harvard Law School students to work summers in legal public interest jobs in Philadelphia.

Help A Little One (HALO) is a foundation based in Chestnut Hill, Mass., that helps children with neurological impairment.

HIAS (Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) & Council Migration Service of Philadelphia – Founded in New York City in 1881, HIAS has helped rescue and resettle more than 4.5 million people, generally the threatened and oppressed.

Homeless Advocacy Project provides free legal services to the homeless through the Philadelphia Bar Association. It also connects homeless clients with social services, advocates for the homeless and provides legal assistance to community groups that develop housing and services for the homeless.

Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization with programs related to companion animals, wildlife and habitat protection, animals in research, and farm animals.

Julius Newman Neurodegenerative Research Fund benefits research of the rare neurological illness that claimed the life of well-known plastic surgeon Dr. Julius Newman in 2005.

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International, founded in 1970, funds research to find a cure for the diseases that strikes children suddenly and requires multiple daily injections or pump infusion of insulin.

Juvenile Law Center advocates for the rights of children in Pennsylvania, primarily in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems.

Katie Samson Foundation raises money for research to identify a cure for spinal cord injuries and organizes the lacrosse community to sponsor the Katie Samson Lacrosse Festival.

Legal Clinic for the Disabled in Philadelphia has staff attorneys who collect information concerning a disabled person's problem and provide assistance, often using the services of volunteer attorneys.

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society funds blood cancer research, education, and patient services. The organization’s goal is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma and to improve patients’ quality of life.

Louis D. Brandeis Law Society promotes opportunities for leadership development, social interaction, education and community service for lawyers and judges.

Lupus Foundation of America is dedicated to finding the causes and cure for the autoimmune disease. The organization’s mission is to improve diagnosis and treatment of lupus, support patients and families, and increase awareness of lupus.

Magee Rehabilitation Hospital in Philadelphia works to improve the quality of life of persons with disabilities by providing high quality physical and cognitive rehabilitation services.

Metropolitan Center offers training and support for -specific skills to adults with limited access to academic resources. It prepares students for employment and matches job seekers with employers in the Philadelphia region.

Mission Kids is a non-profit organization created by Montgomery County (PA) District Attorney, the Police Chiefs of Montgomery County, and the Montgomery County Office of Children and Youth to help ease the criminal justice process for abused children in Montgomery County.

Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute and the Philadelphia Department of Recreation annual Philadelphia Wheelchair Tournament. The firm sponsors the tournament which benefits people living with disabilities.

National Alliance for Autism Research (NAAR), which has merged with Autism Speaks, funds research studies to help find a cure for the neurobiological disorder that afflicts 1 in every 166 people in the United States.

National Breast Cancer Coalition is dedicated to ending breast cancer through action and advocacy. Its National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund trains members to work with legislative, scientific and clinical leaders to influence public policies that affect cancer research, diagnosis and treatment.

National Constitution Center is dedicated to increasing public understanding of, and appreciation for, the U.S. Constitution, its history and contemporary relevance through an interactive, interpretive facility.

National Organization for Hearing Research Foundation supports research into the causes, preventions, treatments and cures of hearing loss and deafness.

People’s Emergency Center, founded in 1972, serves homeless women, teenage girls and their dependent children in Pennsylvania.

Peter’s Place provides support for grieving families and children following the death of someone significant in their lives.

Philadelphia Museum of Art donations help the renowned institution provide educational opportunities and world-class exhibitions.

Philadelphia Zoo provides not only a recreational opportunity for families but also plays an important role in educating the public about exotic animals and promoting conservation efforts for endangered wildlife.

Project H.O.M.E. (Housing, Opportunities for Employment, Medical Care, Education), co-founded by Sister Mary Scullion and Joan Dawson McConnon, provides housing and services to chronically homeless men and women in Philadelphia.

Project Rainbow, staffed and organized by Sisters of the Holy Redeemer, provides services to homeless women and their children in the Philadelphia area, including help with transitional housing and in finding jobs and affordable permanent housing.

Public Citizen, founded by Ralph Nader in 1971, is a national consumer advocacy group that represents consumer interests in government and the courts. It also publishes consumer information, including a book about pharmaceuticals titled Worst Pills, Best Pills. (See worstpills_publiccitizen.htm)

Riverbend Environmental Inc. is staffed by scientists who study environmental impacts of various sites. It assesses wetlands and assists clients with storm water management.

Rubye’s Kids in Jenkintown, Pa. provides charitable services to further the social, emotional, and educational welfare of impoverished children.

Settlement Music School provides lessons, classes and activities in music, dance and visual arts to children and adults in metropolitan Philadelphia without regard to age, race or financial circumstances, and awards more than $2 million annually in aid and scholarships.

Share Food Program delivers food to more than 700,000 people every month in the Philadelphia area, serving an expansive, quality partner network of community-based organizations and school districts engaged in food distribution, education and advocacy.

Sixers Charities covers a number of programs, including hosting needy children at Philadelphia 76ers games, educational initiatives, refurbishing playgrounds and providing scholarships.

Southern Poverty Law Center, founded in 1971 by Morris Dees and Joe Levin as a civil rights law firm, is widely known for legal victories against white supremacists and its tracking of hate groups.

Spina Bifida Association helps the estimated 70,000 people in the United States who have the disabling birth defect. Spina Bifida is a neural tube defect that occurs in the first month of pregnancy when the spinal column doesn’t close completely.

Susan G. Komen For The Cure is the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists working to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures. The organization is the largest source of non-profit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer.

The American Jewish Committee was established in 1906 and works to safeguard and strengthen Jews and Jewish life worldwide by promoting democratic and pluralistic societies that respect the dignity of all peoples.

The Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law was founded in 1976 Yeshiva University is one of the finest research universities in the United States with a national reputation for a top-caliber faculty and an innovative academic programs.

The Danny Foundation raises funds to cure Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a disease that causes loss of muscle function and is the most common and most lethal genetic disorder diagnosed during early childhood.

The DeAnn White Scholarship Fund honors the memory one of three women who died in the collapse of Pier 34 into the Delaware River on May 18, 2000. Scholarships enable students, especially women and minorities, to study mass media and related subjects.

The George Fund, honoring the late son of Jerry and Ellen Pappert, benefits Keystone Hospice for terminally ill children and young adults, helping patients and families cope with the end-of-life experience.

The Jefferson Awards Gala has raised more than $6.5 million to advance healthcare research and education and to enhance patient care at Thomas Jefferson University and Hospitals.

The Pacific Institute is a nonpartisan think-tank dedicated to protecting the natural world, encouraging sustainable development, and improving global security. It seeks solutions for water shortages, habitat destruction, global warming, and environmental injustice.

The Pennsylvania Association for the Blind, based in Enola, is dedicated to helping people prevent, prepare for, and manage vision loss. The group holds annual walk-a-thons to raise money for the vision impaired.

The Philadelphia High School of the Creative and Performing Arts Home and School Association raises funds and promotes cooperation between home, school and community for the growth, education and development of all CAPA students.

The Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia individuals and organizations address laws, policies and practices that perpetuate discrimination, inequality and poverty

The Support Center for Child Advocates offers free legal and social services to Philadelphia's abused and neglected children, advocating for child victims with the goal of securing a permanent, nurturing environment for each child.

The Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke University Medical Center is dedicated to the treatment and cure of brain and spinal tumors in children and adults, combining the resources of a leading research hub with a commitment to patient care.

The Wellness Community is an international organization helps cancer victims fight for recovery by providing free psychological and emotional support as an adjunct to conventional medical treatment.

Trial Lawyers for Public Justice fights for justice through litigation designed to enhance consumer and victims’ rights, environmental protection, civil rights and civil liberties, workers’ rights, America’s civil justice system and protection of the poor and powerless.

United Cerebral Palsy of Philadelphia & Vicinity helps children and adults with disabilities live as indepently as possible, while providing families with information and tools needed to support loved ones in the community.

University of Pennsylvania Law School will feature at its new Golkin Hall a courtroom donated by Kline & Specter to be used for mock trials and possibly Pennsylvania Superior Court arguments. Shanin Specter teaches trial advocacy at the school. (See the dedication ceremony.)

University of Virginia Patrick Sean Murphy Scholarship Fund is awarded annually to a student at the university who best exemplifies the values and ideals reflected in the life of Patrick Sean Murphy, who died in the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.

Variety - The Children’s Charity is a not-for-profit organization that provides programs and services to special-needs children between birth and 18 with disabilities resulting from injury, illness, or congenital conditions.

Vision For Equality works to look for avenues of support for people with autism and disabilities.

William Penn Charter School was also the recipient of a contribution from alumnus Shanin Specter and Tom Kline, parent of two Penn Charter Alumni, enabling construction of squash courts at the school, which is located in Philadelphia.(See below) click here for more photos

William Penn Charter School Kline and Specter Scholarship Award established by Tom Kline and Shanin Specter in honor of Lisa Slowick, Class of 1995. It is awarded on an annual basis to "an upper school student who has striven to overcome injury, illness or significant personal hardship as exampled by Lisa

WXPN Special Producers Club sponsors and promotes music and the Arts in the Philadelphia region with a variety of programs, including the Free Concert At Noon Series, World Cafe, Kids Corner and the Fall Arts Preview.