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On better citizenship

One of the founding tenets of The Philadelphia Citizen is to get people the resources they need to become better, more engaged citizens of their city.

We hope to do that in our Good Citizenship Toolkit, which includes a host of ways to get involved in Philadelphia — whether you want to contact your City Councilmember about the challenges facing your community, get those experiencing homelessness the goods they need, or simply go out to dinner somewhere where you know your money is going toward a greater good.

Find an issue that’s important to you in the list below, and get started on your journey of A-plus citizenship.

Vote and strengthen democracy

Stand up for marginalized communities

Create a cleaner, greener Philadelphia

Help our local youth and schools succeed

Support local businesses

Who Are The Next Citizens of the Year?

Our search for the next crop of local heroes is well underway — and we need your input!

Who Are The Next Citizens of the Year?

Our search for the next crop of local heroes is well underway — and we need your input!

BY Courtney DuChene

Nov. 02, 2026

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During last year’s Citizen of the Year Awards — what CEO/President Larry Platt likes to call the ESPYs of civic engagement — Mural Arts Philadelphia’s Jane Golden encouraged “everyone, please keep changing Philadelphia for the better, together.”

It was a rallying cry in a room full of change makers. Youth Leader Yuvaraj R. Gambhir and his family raised more than $3 million to fund research and care access for the progressive muscle wasting disease Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Golden accepted a lifetime achievement award for her decades leading Mural Arts. Through the gene therapy treatment they developed, Disrupters Dr. Carl June and Jeff Marrazzo helped save thousands of patients from leukemia and lymphoma.

And, of course, our Citizen of the Year Dr. Paul Offit, who has served as a beacon of public health leadership at a time when top officials like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are spreading misinformation.

Now, we’re looking for this year’s class of civic changemakers who, as Golden said, have gone out and changed Philadelphia for the better. We want to hear from you about the incredible young people, block captains, business leaders, disrupters and all-around astonishing Philadelphians who are making a difference for this city.

They’ll join an all-star line up. Past Citizen of the Year award ceremonies have honored Dr. David Fajgenbaum, the Penn Medicine physician whose search for a cure for his own Castleman disease led him to found his own nonprofit Every Cure, which uses medical data to repurpose more than 3,000 already-approved to treat known diseases; Robert Saleem Holbrook, executive director of Penn’s Abolitionist Law Center, which has fought to end solitary confinement and advocated for the rights of those in our criminal justice system; and Eagles QB Jalen Hurts, for his work uplifting Philadelphia kids.

Here’s who we’re looking for:

  • Block Captain: A block captain whose work with and for neighbors is helping to create a safe, clean, healthy, civic-minded community.
  • Young Leader: A Philadelphian age 25 or younger who is committed to making positive change in Philadelphia, and is setting an incredible example of citizenship for Philadelphians of all ages.
  • Lewis Katz Corporate Citizen of the Year: A leader whose business practices show a commitment to social responsibility for our city and region.
  • Disruptor: A Philadelphian who is challenging the status quo and coming up with meaningful solutions to civic issues in innovative and impactful ways.
  • Edward G. Rendell Lifetime Achievement Award: Recognizes a Philadelphian who has shown a commitment to others and our city throughout the duration of their career.
  • The Philadelphia Citizen of the Year: An all-around inspiring civic humanitarian, a role model whose dedication to others and our city reminds us that every person can make a difference.

You can nominate as many people, in as many categories as you’d like until December 31.

Michael Nutter at the podium during the Citizen of the Year Awards in spring 2026. Photo by Justin Mayer, Veracity Studios

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