About MANAS
Our History
In 2011, a group of community members in the Graduate Hospital neighborhood formed an organization called Friends of Chester Arthur, known as FoCA, to support the local public school, Chester A. Arthur School. The K-8 public school in Southwest Center City had potential to thrive, but needed community engagement as well as funding to achieve more for its scholars. The group laid out a mission and values that are largely unchanged, but one thing did change–the school name.
In 2023, our school formally changed its name to Marian Anderson Neighborhood Academy to honor Marian Anderson, a groundbreaking opera singer who was raised around the corner from our school and whose character better reflected what we expect in our scholars. FoCA was then renamed Marian Anderson Neighborhood Academy Supporters (MANAS).
MANAS is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that supports a successful and vibrant learning environment for all children who attend Marian Anderson Neighborhood Academy (MANA). Through fundraising, volunteer leadership, and close collaboration with school staff and the Home and School Association (HSA), MANAS helps fund programming, improve learning spaces, form strategic partnerships, market school successes, and respond to emerging needs across the school. Learn more about some of the things we fund.
One way MANAS provides support is by applying for grants that support academics, after-school programs, equipment, and more. For instance, MANAS (as FoCA) secured a $1.1 million grant from the William Penn Foundation to transform the schoolyard. Starting in 2011 and over the course of five years, FoCA secured additional grants from the schoolyard project from the City of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Water Department, and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Other grant-funded projects have included a Lenfest Foundation grant for after-school programming in 2017 and a Penn CARES grant for purchasing uniforms for students in 2024.
Our success would not be possible without the hard work of our Board of Directors and, most importantly, without the incredible support we receive from our community. We’re very proud of the work that we do to help benefit our neighborhood public school and we hope that you are inspired to get involved and donate. It takes a village to educate a child!
MANAS is powered by community members who believe deeply in our scholars and their limitless potential. Through generosity and partnership we help Marian Anderson Neighborhood Academy scholars learn, grow, and shine. Together, we are building brighter futures.
As a volunteer-led nonprofit organization, MANAS is committed to engaging our neighborhood public school, community partners, and families to:
Facilitate involvement and engagement with the school
Promote and celebrate the successes at MANA
Provide tools and resources for the school to improve educational opportunities for MANA’s students and neighborhood children
Foster an engaging, safe and robust learning environment for MANA’s students
Our Mission
Supporting an environment where every student can thrive.
Our Vision
MANAS’s vision is to support Marian Anderson Neighborhood Academy as an anchor for our diverse community and a top choice for all families and serve as a model for how to engage the community in supporting neighborhood public education across Philadelphia.
Our Core Values
Transparency and inclusion
Responsibility in stewardship of funds
Responsive support to school leadership, staff, students, and home/school needs
Adaptability in our role as the needs of MANA change
Mutual engagement between the community and school
Your Questions. Answered.
Marian Anderson Neighborhood Academy Supporters (MANAS) is a 501(c)3 non-profit formed by parents and community members to support staff, teachers, students and parents in their effort to create and maintain a successful and safe environment for all children who attend Marian Anderson Neighborhood Academy. We are committed to partnering with all of MANA’s stakeholders to foster a robust learning environment for our neighborhood children. We help the school to fundraise, form strategic partnerships, innovate, and market its successes.
We offer a range of solutions designed to meet your needs—whether you're just getting started or scaling something bigger. Everything is tailored to help you move forward with clarity and confidence.
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What is MANAS?
How is MANAS related to the Home and School Association (HSA)?
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The Marian Anderson Neighborhood Academy Home and School Association (HSA) is a volunteer organization that partners with MANAS and directly supports the school through in-school events, programs, and teacher support.
MANAS raises funds to support HSA programs. Below is a summary of spheres of activity led by HSA and MANAS.
HSA
In-school facing
Supports teachers, students, and family engagement
Focuses on day-to-day needs, community-building, and school events
MANAS
Externally facing as an independent public charity
Leads fundraising, community outreach, and larger school improvement projects
Provides financial support to the HSA and assists with volunteer coordination
What kinds of things does MANAS fund?
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One of the core activities of MANAS is to help fund classroom and school-wide projects. This work involves fundraising and applying for grants. Past projects have included transforming the schoolyard, purchasing furniture for the cafetorium and middle school classrooms, updating the gym with a rock wall and a sensory room, supporting the school’s makerspace and robotics programs, and providing gift cards and mini grants to teachers for classroom materials and special projects. MANAS also supports the HSA and community engagement events.
How do I get involved with MANAS? What’s the commitment?
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You can get involved with our school in several ways:
Join MANAS as a committee or board member
Volunteer with the HSA, SAC, or Dads on Duty
Help with events such as the Back to School Jam, Movie Night, or The Night Out
Visit this page for volunteer sign ups and/or to express your interest in joining a MANAS committee or the Board.
Is my donation tax deductible?
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Yes. MANAS is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. You will receive a receipt immediately after you donate online. Checks should be made out to Friends of the Chester A Arthur School Education Foundation.
The Night Out (formerly FoCA Night Out) is MANA’s biggest fundraiser of the year. It’s an adult-only party, auction, and fundraiser. Parents, teachers, and community members gather to socialize and support Marian Anderson Neighborhood Academy and Philadelphia public education. But it’s not like other school auctions–this event is a genuinely fun night out at the Armory in Center City with dancing, drinks, food, entertainment, fun, and games. Mark your calendar for March 21, 2026, and book your babysitter in advance.
Buy your tickets or take it up a notch with a sponsorship at www.TheNightOut.org.