Attendees to the Co-op’s New Economy Incubator Committee fundraiser at Karen Singer Tileworks in Germantown on Thursday, May 14 will do more than mingle and munch —they’ll have the opportunity to make a custom ceramic house number for their home. Proceeds will help raise funds for Germantown’s Micro-Loan Fund, which makes small, no-interest loans to local businesses to benefit neighborhoods in Northwest Philly.

The workshop, which will take place from 5:30-8 p.m., will include hors d’oeuvres from the Co-op’s Prepared Foods department, along with wine, dessert and coffee. Participants will be guided by Singer every step of the way, including cutting the numbers, creating texture and design and coloring and glazing the tiles. No prior experience or artistic skill is needed.

Singer has created tile murals for Morris Arboretum, the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, Greene Street Friends School and Wesley Enhanced Living at Stapeley in Germantown. Her client list extends to nonprofits, schools, universities, and other organizations around the country. In addition, she does custom ceramics pieces, offers individual ceramics coaching and conducts workshops and parties for children and adults.

The house numbers are part of a larger social project led by Singer to help better identify houses in Northwest Philly. Not many houses are marked in the area, which creates difficulty for firefighters and police. She hopes to get whole blocks together to make ceramic house numbers, with the idea of building neighborhood community and cohesion in the process.

Karen Singer Tileworks is located at 90 East Church Lane in Germantown. The cost of the workshop is $125, a portion of which includes a tax-deductible contribution. To register: http://www.weaversway.coop/event/party-germantown-micro-loan-fund

The Micro-Loan Fund is a joint venture of Weavers Way New Economy Incubator Committee, the Free Loan Association for Germantown, and Germantown United Community Development Cooperation.