Penn Medicine CARES | 2017 Grant Recipients

GRANT 2017

Grant Recipients

Each day, beyond the walls of our hospitals and clinics, Penn Medicine staff are volunteering to serve our community. The projects detailed in this book provide a snapshot of the inspired efforts of Penn Medicine physicians, nurses, staff, and students who devote their time and talents to the communities Penn Medicine serves throughout our region – from metropolitan Philadelphia to rural Lancaster and Chester counties to the suburbs and shore communities of Southern New Jersey.

As you’ll see, the creativity driving these programs allows our community efforts to improve quality of life in countless ways and across the lifespan of everyone in our community, from newborn babies to elderly neighbors.

Penn Medicine is proud to have supported each of these projects through our Penn Medicine CAREs grant program, which we launched in 2011 as a way to give back to our community and to recognize and amplify employee volunteerism. The CAREs grant program is open to every Penn Medicine employee who seek to address a community health need.

Grants are awarded through a competitive application process based on the quality of the program, the needs of the community it aims to assist, and the potential overall impact of the project.

In many ways, Penn Medicine faculty, staff, and students are our best connection to the community and uniquely suited to be of service – many are community members themselves and have established relationships or personally cared for their neighbors. Many have tirelessly responded to the needs of the sick and underserved in innovative ways, often using their own funds, selflessly dedicating their time and talents. Since its inception six years ago, the CAREs grant program has funded over 250 community projects. This year’s recipients further highlight the dedication and passion of members of the Penn Medicine family – their work encourages and inspires us to continue our mission to eradicate health disparities, improve health education and awareness, and promote healthy practices that support the well-being of our communities.

If you would like to learn more about the Penn Medicine CAREs grant program, please contact our office of Public Affairs at (215) 662-7030 or visit PennMedicine.org/Community.

Ralph W. Muller Chief Executive Officer University of Pennsylvania Health System 2

SPRING 2017 MORE THAN FOOD COMMUNITY RESOURCE PROJECT Jennifer Amajirionwu, HUP Every Saturday, Father’s Heart Ministry gives out food and other necessities to the homeless population on the streets of Kensington. ennifer, who volunteers once a month, secured grant funding to help the project and to print pamphlets containing a list of health resources and aid.

COMMUNITY BUNDLE EVENT FOR HEARTS UNITED AGAINST CANCER Sharon Civa, CORP After receiving a care and comfort bundle during her treatment, Sharon is giving back to the nonprofit that organizes cancer survivors and their families to help support those going through cancer treatment.

Since beginning operations across the nation two years ago, members of the group personally deliver bundles to ease the burden of treatment.

These bundles include hand-written and decorated note cards, handmade blankets and scarves, and other craft items. This organization relies solely on donations and volunteers and holds events that can serve as support groups. Funding has gone towards materials for community bundle events held on March 4 and June 3. Funding will also go toward a future bundle event on October 21.

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SPRING 2017 AMYLOIDOSIS SUPPORT AND EDUCATION Colleen Erb, CPUP The Penn Medicine Amyloidosis Center of Excellence is host to a regional Amyloidosis Support Group in conjunction with the national organization.

At meetings, this group shares the most up-to-date research and treatment options and creates an environment conducive to building camaraderie and caregiver support. Funding has allowed this group to expand the services it offers at its meetings.

HAIRTASTIC Damon Harrison, PPMC

Damon had previously volunteered at St. John's Hospice in Center City, giving haircuts to the men who seek shelter there. With this grant funding, Damon will be able to purchase hair care tools and products to continue his work and expand to serve shelters in West Philadelphia. In addition, he has recruited friends to help with women's hair, offering a basic wash and set.

THE HELEN O. DICKENS DAUGHTERS OF DIASPORA SUMMIT

Shanaye Jeffers, PSOM

Shanaye received funding to help with costs associated with the Dickens Center Daughters of Diaspora Summit that was held on April 8. Linking with the Philadelphia School District, Daughters of Diaspora aims to prevent teen pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases, as well as to boost self-esteem through workshops and social media campaigns led by female African-American medical students and residents from Penn Medicine.

The Summit specifically brought in 75 African-American adolescent girls from Philadelphia to campus to learn about sexual health and self-esteem, inspiring them to make excellent choices regarding their sexual health.

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SPRING 2017 START TALKING SCIENCE Marion Leary, PSOM Start Talking Science is a citywide initiative to increase the awareness of, and interest in, local cutting-edge research through free, public events in order to make STEM research accessible to local students and the community.

The initiative that started in 2012 also serves to create a forum for researchers and scientists to create partnerships across disciplines and institutions.

Marion secured this grant to fund the public events throughout the year.

JILLIAN’S JITTERBUG FOUNDATION Lee Leibowitz, CORP Lee secured grant funding on behalf of Jillian's Jitterbug Foundation.

When Kaelyn Edwards's twin was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, she and her family battled with insurance companies to secure mobile equipment.

Understanding this struggle, they founded their nonprofit that fundraises and provides families with equipment that allows their children to move independently using motorized wheelchairs, adapted bicycles, walkers, and more.

HELP ACADEMY Sharon Lockett, CPUP The Health Exposure and Longevity Project (HELP) Academy is a 10-week seminar that aims to expose 500 inner-city youths to health, science, and related careers. The learning sessions are led by expert medical professionals in the fields of nursing, dentistry, pharmacy, and medicine, thus exposing the youth to careers in those fields.

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SPRING 2017 AGNEW SURGICAL CLINIC AT UNIVERSITY CITY HOSPITALITY COALITION

Christina Marcaccio, PSOM

The Agnew Surgery Clinic serves as a triage clinic for uninsured or underprivileged West Philadelphia patients and helps facilitate appropriate higher-level care at Penn Medicine free of charge. Operated by volunteer Penn Medicine physicians and Perelman School of Medicine students, the clinic collaborates with well-established Penn Medicine clinics and helps patients deal with surgical conditions electively in order to prevent the disease’s progression that may later require emergency surgery with higher morbidity.

PENN MEDICINE BREAST HEALTH INITIATIVE ASIAN COMMUNITY COLLABORATION

Andrea Nicholson, PAH

In an effort to reduce breast health disparities, the Penn Medicine Breast Health Initiative focused on the Philadelphia region's Asian population.

The initiative, now in its third year, has provided more than 900 mammograms to uninsured and underinsured women; eight women who were diagnosed with positive findings were then linked with care at Abramson Cancer Center. Andrea serves as patient navigator for the initiative and aims to reduce barriers to care by providing transportation and language and education support.

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SPRING 2017 FOOD BANK AT BAKER PLAYGROUND Rafeeq Rainey, HUP Rafeeq's extended family owns residential properties throughout West Philadelphia. Upon witnessing the needs of the families that rent their properties, they decided to step up and help out. What started as donations among Rafeeq's family has grown into a food bank operating out of Baker Playground at 54th and Lansdowne twice a month. What started as serving the visible needs of their tenants has turned into serving the needs of the community at large.

PALMYRA HIGH STEM James Riley, PSOM Palmyra High School serves more than 400 students, of which 40% are economically disadvantaged. Operating with The Palmyra High School Foundation for Educational Excellence, James made it a goal to ensure the school provides the best education using up-to-date resources. The grant went towards purchasing STEM items so students can enjoy the hands-on approach to learning.

PROJECT HELPS Penney Rothmaller, PPMC Project Helps is a ministry of Green Grove Baptist Church in West Berlin, NJ. Members of the ministry include nurses, medical technicians, certified medical assistants, and health-care administrators. The entire group volunteers time and services to members of the church and community, to improve and address health. Grant funding purchased medical supplies and instruments.

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SPRING 2017 PENN PRESBYTERIAN MEDICAL CENTER EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT CARES FUND

Noheli Taveras, PPMC

Some emergency-room patients visiting Penn Presbyterian simply need medication to prevent admission and to stay healthy until they are able to connect with a primary-care physician. The grant will go toward providing these medications to the underinsured or uninsured patients while staff work to connect them to stable care and social resources.

CAMBODIAN ASSICIATION OF GREATER PHILADELPHIA: ENGAGED ELDERS PROGRAM

Hien Thach, PAH

Estimated at about 18,000, the Cambodian refugee community in Philadelphia faces challenges associated with quality of life. In particular, Cambodian seniors who have faced war and genocide are aging into a poor retirement. The Cambodian Association of Greater Philadelphia: Engaged Elders Program seeks to increase socialization, health and nutrition knowledge, disease management, and access to benefits.

Grant funding supported this program.

GRACE DANCE THEATER COMMUNITY OUTREACH Leslie Trammell, HUP Leslie received funding to introduce movement and dance-aerobic classes to the children and families of the West Philadelphia community as a way to increase health, encourage community relationships, and develop social skills. By partnering with the West Philadelphia Community Center or the Community Education Center, she offered these classes through the already-established and prominent Grace Dance Theater, which mainly caters to artistic expression with "an African-American flair."

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SPRING 2017 WALK WITH A FUTURE DOC Elaine Tran, PSOM Among adults in West and Southwest Philadelphia ages 20 and over, 31% are obese and 32% have hypertension. Responding to the Health System's Community Health Needs Assessment, the students of the Center for Public Health Initiatives and Perelman School of Medicine teamed up to offer biweekly walks at Kingsessing and other recreation centers in the area. Each walk begins with a short health talk, followed by a one-hour walk through the neighborhood. This project is the first Walk with a Future Doc chapter linked to the national Walk with a Doc campaign.

WINTER 2017 PROJECT HOME CLINIC Scott Bowman, PSOM In the Fall semester of 2017, Perelman medical students worked with Project HOME physicians in Logan Square, where many chronically homeless individuals sleep. Many of these individuals have poorly controlled, chronic medical conditions. Medical care—albeit limited—is provided, and help to connect individuals to primary-care physicians is offered. The aim of this street-based care is to empower people with limited resources and information to seek care in a facility.

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WINTER 2017 RIVERVIEW AVENUE COMMUNITY CENTER Sheila Cummings, CPUP Riverview Avenue Community Center is an evolving community service ministry with a focus on the marginalized population in and around Upper Darby. The center’s newest objective is to open a free clinic that would be fully integrated with the Perelman School of Medicine and University of Pennsylvania schools of Nursing, Social Policy & Practice, and Dental Medicine. Grant funding was used for supplies and equipment to set up the clinic so that staff and student volunteers can provide much-needed medical services to those with compromised access to care, including the homeless who already stay there, immigrants who come there seeking help, and other community members.

PENN INTERPROFESSIONAL STUDENT HOTSPOTTING COLLABORATIVE

Roseann Day, PSOM

Partnering with the Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers, the Penn Interprofessional Student Hotspotting Collaborative (comprising students from four different professional schools at the University, including medicine, social policy and practice, nursing, and business) identified patients who are “superutilizers" of health-care resources—those who frequently are admitted to the hospital or emergency room. Relationships were built with these patients and resources were shared to improve their experience of health care and reduce their utilization.

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WINTER 2017 UGO Gary Ginsberg, PPMC UGo is a community wellness venture that offers free weekly exercise workshops in an outdoor, family-friendly environment and provides private health screenings and educational health chats to groups. UGo engages a network of health partners—including Penn Presbyterian—to offer this unique fitness experience to help motivate participants and monitor their success. Last year, more than 150 people in the West Philadelphia Promise Zone area, with ages ranging from 1 to 77 years old, were engaged. With the more recent CAREs grant, the goal was to increase the number of participants to over 200.

DANCE FOR HEALTH: ACTIVE BODY, ACTIVE MIND Tigist Hailu, PSOM Tigist Hailu received a grant to help bring Dance for Health to the Ralston House. This project of the School of Nursing uses dance to improve health outcomes for community residents. The 80-minute classes at the Ralston House were held every Saturday for 14 weeks beginning in February.

Penn staff, Master of Public Health students, and Sayre High School students were involved in the classes so there would be a learning and exposure component for the students. A pilot program demonstrated that Dance for Health does bring positive change to the elderly.

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WINTER 2017 CUT HYPERTENSION Krystal Hill, PSOM Cut Hypertension sends medical students into barbershops of West Philadelphia—with the blessings of the owners and staff—to offer blood pressure screenings for the neighborhood patrons. This target community exhibits health disparities relating to hypertension. Funding from the grant allowed the Student National Medical Association to measure the program's efficacy, which led to health education material and a volunteer training protocol. In its 12th year, Cut Hypertension sought to identify those affected by high blood pressure, to educate, and to coach with the goal of controlling the disease and linking those affected to local primary-care providers.

ST. WILFRID’S CLINIC Melinda Lamb, PAH St. Wilfrid's Clinic in Camden provides health screenings, clothing, hygiene products, and food bags every third Saturday of the month. Every person and family leaves with clothing and a food bag filled with rice, protein, bread, and fresh fruit. Volunteers include medical staff and translators from many organizations that provide health checks, medication reviews, and resources for social services, and individuals are also offered a chance to speak to a doctor or nurse practitioner. Grant funding helped purchase food, hygiene products, and diapers.

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WINTER 2017 GET FRESH AT MANNA Heidi Lewis, HUP Get Fresh at MANNA is a comprehensive nutrition and cooking program that empowers people with cancer, renal disease, diabetes, and HIV/AIDS to use food as medicine to manage illness. 24 people—through four series of classes—were taught in classes specifically tailored to their illnesses.

Funding purchased SEPTA tokens to reduce barriers for the population to get to the classes.

HEALTH TESTING AT GRACE CAFE Joanne Miles, HUP Grace Café is a restaurant-style community meal that serves nearly 250 people each Sunday at Arch Street United Methodist Church on North Broad.

Volunteer nurses attended the meals twice monthly to provide education, prevention, and health checks, including podiatry services, diabetes screening, blood pressure checks, and wound care. A CAREs grant purchased testing and basic health supplies as well as tokens to assist in reducing the barrier to accessing follow-up care.

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WINTER 2017 CROSSROADS 4-H AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM Mark Mumbauer, PSOM Crossroads Community Center serves the disadvantaged Fairhill neighborhood in North Philadelphia. The Center provides emergency food through its Food Cupboard and is a distribution point for senior citizen food boxes. The grant enhanced the 4-H Afterschool program that aims to teach life skills and provide homework help, healthy snacks, and a safe place for play to area youth, most of whom attend Potter-Thomas Elementary School a block away.

PENN PRESBYTERIAN NURSES 59TH STREET BAPTIST CHURCH

Helena Pittman, PPMC

After a community event at the 59th Street Baptist Church in the Cobbs Creek section of Philadelphia, Penn Presbyterian nurses observed that many members of the church community had hypertension. As a result, they sought to create a partnership with the church to establish monthly screenings with a goal to promote a healthier environment by educating, changing lifestyle behaviors, tracking behavior changes, monitoring vital signs, and providing pertinent education and follow-up. This personal partnership received a grant to purchase blood pressure cuffs, scales, and health journals for particpants to keep a personal record of their health numbers.

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WINTER 2017 HEART HEALTH BRIDGE TO CARE OF UNITED COMMUNITY CLINIC DIABETES INITIATIVE

Leah Rethy, PSOM

Heart Health Bridge to Care of United Community Clinic (UCC) is a free clinic that offers medical care to the underserved Parkside Community.

The findings of a community needs assessment showed diabetes as one of UCC community's top three health concerns. Through a one-month pilot program to quantify need and interest, 47% of patients were found at high risk for diabetes according to ADA guidelines; 33% of them received a positive screen. Based on these numbers, staff and student volunteers believed this community could greatly benefit from a program that offers screening (glucose/(HbA1c), education, early therapy (Metformin), and bridging to more sustainable care through our social work service. Funding was used to purchase medical supplies and screening kits for this new program.

FALL 2016 BASKETBALL COURT Arlene Brackett, CPUP Arlene Brackett, financial services representative in the Helen O. Dickens Center for Women's Health, attends Heart of Worship Restoration Center in the Olney section of Philadelphia. In addition to ministering to souls, the Center has a vision to improve quality of life for the surrounding community.

After a parking lot was completed at church, Arlene and her church received funding to install a basketball court on the church grounds. It gives the children of the church and surrounding community a safe place to play.Â

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FALL 2016 STREETSIDE HEALTH PROJECT ELECTRONIC RECORD IMPLEMENTATION & SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVE

Ben Cocchiaro, PSOM

Ben Cocchiaro, at the time a second-year medical resident, received funding for Prevention Point Philadelphia's free clinic arm, The Streetside Health Project. The funding was used to implement an electronic health record and sustainability initiative at the clinic to aid in its service to its patients, who are largely homeless and users of injected drugs.

PROJECT WELL BALANCED Catrena Drake, CCA Catrena Drake, clinical services coordinator at Penn Medicine Washington Square, received a CAREs grant to enable her West Philadelphia church, Fresh Fire Word of Life Ministries, to host an event where groceries, including fresh produce, were given out to the community, while offering an activities corner for children and youth attending the event. The goal of the event was primarily to help those in need with food, but a secondary objective was to connect families within the community with resources and social support.

INTENSIVE CARE NURSERY FAMILY ADVISORY COUNCIL: ELECTRIC BREAST PUMPS

Michelle Ferrant, PAH

The Intensive Care Nursery of Pennsylvania Hospital received grant funding to purchase electric breast pumps. The benefits of breast milk to critically ill neonatal babies are significant high. To this end, the Family Advisory Council, guided by a social worker, has given out the breast pumps to uninsured women who otherwise would not be able to purchase them.

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FALL 2016 INTERFAITH FOOD CUPBOARD Mathilda Lyons, HUP Interfaith Food Cupboard, operating out of First Presbyterian Church of Lansdowne, serves the residents of the William Penn School District.

The Cupboard’s assistance allows 50 families to receive 3 days of meals once a month. Its members also prepare items for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners for those families. Funding purchased food for this project.

WEST PHILADELPHIA ALLIANCE FOR CHILDREN (WEPAC) Janet McMaster, PPMC Every Thursday from noon to 3:00 p.m. during the school year, Janet McMaster, coordinator for Penn Medicine’s Trauma Center, can be found in the library of the Powel School at 34th and Powelton. This library, which is no longer supported with City funding, remains open and contributing to children’s education because of volunteers like Janet and WePAC, a volunteer organization that enriches the libraries of Philadelphia's public schools and provides academic mentoring and after-school enrichment.

Janet received grant funding to purchase books to enhance students’ understanding of their heritage.

CENTER OF THE ADVOCATE Dasha Saintremy, HUP The Advocate Center in North Philadelphia received a grant on behalf of Dasha Saintremy of Pastoral Care. Dasha, who volunteers at the Center, began a program called “Live Love Liberate,” which allows youths (ages 8-18 years old) to address their social and emotional needs through creative expressions, yoga, gardening, walking, writing, drawing, etc.

Funding purchased supplies for the weekly sessions.

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FALL 2016 MEDICAL ALERT BRACELETS TO EPILEPSY PATIENTS Bethany Thomas, HUP After hearing horror stories of Penn Medicine's epilepsy patients waking up in prison or handcuffed to a hospital stretcher following a seizure, Bethany Thomas, nurse practitioner in HUP Neurology, requested funding to purchase medical alert bracelets. Bethany has given these bracelets to underserved patients to assist first responders in identifying any crisis these patients may be involved in.

JUSTINE’S FOOD ANGELS Joan Wielgoszinski, CCA Operating from her church, Marple Presbyterian in Broomall, Joan Wielgoszinski, a patient service associate of CCA, and her friend Justine provide 50 homeless individuals a hot meal for every night in May and December and every Wednesday outside of those months. Their charity is part of a larger project, Connect By Night, that transports homeless to area churches for a safe, warm place to sleep. Funding has gone toward the food expenses.

SATURDAY ENRICHMENT PROGRAM Victoria Wilson, CPUP Victoria Wilson's Southwest Philadelphia church, Grace Christian Fellowship, has committed to providing an academic enrichment program every Saturday to the children of the church and neighborhood. Volunteers from the church have provided academic instruction and a healthy breakfast and lunch to the children attending.

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FALL 2016 ASIAN SENIOR CARES CENTER Qunbin Xiong, HUP The Asian Senior Cares Center at the Main Line Chinese Culture Center is a community health and wellness program that serves the needs of a growing Asian senior population from Delaware, Chester, and Montgomery counties.

Qunbin Xiong, a technical specialist with Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, received funding to support metabolic screenings and nutritional awareness seminars at the Center to benefit its members.Â

ALPHACARE STORK BUS PROGRAM Julie Yoon, CPUP Julie Yoon, a nurse practitioner within Cardiology, received funding on behalf of Alphcare's Stork Bus. The medical mobile unit of Alphacare, it travels to underserved areas of West, Northeast, and South Philadelphia, offering pregnancy and ultrasound testing as well as a link to social services. An obstetrician and radiologist support the program.

SUMMER 2016 WOMEN’S HEALTH EDUCATION Colby Agostinelli, PAH Colby Agostinelli volunteers weekly with coworkers and friends at the Eliza Shirley House. It provides emergency housing for women and their children. With grant funding, Colby purchased women's health and hygiene items that were given out at educational workshops.

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SUMMER 2016 FAMILY FUNDS Steven Berkowitz, PAH As director of Philadelphia Intensive In-Home Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Service (PHIICAPS) and through serving the families that come to PHIICAPS, Steven Berkowitz realized that many families cannot focus on their children’s treatment and psychological betterment if the families’ basic needs were not met. Grant funding was used to purchase beds and winter coats for these families, taking a burden of worry from them and enabling them to focus more clearly on their child's health.

COLLABORATION WITH REBUILDING TOGETHER PHILADELPHIA

Kim Bistrong, HCHS

Responding to the need of her Home Care and Hospice patients, Kim Bistrong received funding to purchase safety devices for the homes of her most vulnerable patients. She has worked with Rebuilding Together Philadelphia (RTP), which uses a network of volunteers to help complete needed home improvements. These include installing stair railings, grab bars, ramps to home entrances, detachable shower heads, and raised toilet seats to improve patient safety in their homes.

FOOD BANK FOR CHILDREN Nancy Canfield, CCH As part of a Chester County Hospital (CCH) effort, Nancy Canfield headed a donation for the Chester County Food Bank for shelters in the hospital area.

Grant funding purchased gallon bags, toothbrushes, and toothpaste, while CCH employees donated healthy snacks and juices. These donations were packed in the gallon bags for ease in handing out.

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SUMMER 2016 SETFREE URBAN OUTREACH Laura Carter, CCA Laura Carter has been volunteering her time to help inner-city youth reach for their dreams and stay away from illegal influences since 2008. This CAREs grant helped with expenses for her SetFree Urban Outreach.

Through events geared to children and youth between 4 and 17 years old, Laura welcomed the surrounding neighborhood to come and just play, dance, read, and learn.

NOURISH-MANTUA HEALTHY LIFESTYLE GARDEN CLUB PROGRAM

Andrea Davis, PSOM

Following a Penn Medicine outreach event in Mantua last fall, Andrea Davis, a Perelman medical student, and other event volunteers saw a need to help guide Mantua community members toward healthier lifestyles. With grant funding, Andrea and her colleagues hosted a 6-week program at University Square Senior Apartments. It provided nutrition counseling, health food preparation, access to a community garden, and an exercise program for the Mantua citizens.

SAMS COMMUNITY GARDEN Samantha Grannum, CCA The Sports and Mentoring Student Community (SAMS Community) currently serves youth aged 12-17 years in Mt. Airy through a network of faith-based organizations. After New Covenant Church donated land to SAMS Community to be used as a community garden, SAMS Community cultivated the garden. Along the way, students learned about agriculture, environment, nutrition, math, and business education while strengthening the community awareness and stewardship.

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SUMMER 2016 CARDIOVASCULAR CARE AT THE UNITY CLINIC Yoonhee Ha, PSOM Each week, Unity Clinic sees approximately 45 uninsured and underinsured adults. Most of the patients are immigrants who do not speak English as a first language. In addition to offering primary care and preventative care services and medication at no or low cost, the clinic offers medical interpreters at no charge. Funding purchased an EKG machine as well as other devices and supplies that provide cardiovascular services to patients of Unity Clinic.

FIT AND FREE SUPPORT GROUP Marie Mucia, HCHS The Penn Center for Community Health Workers has created IMPaCT, a nationally recognized intervention model shown to improve post-hospital access to primary care, mental health, and patient-provided communication and to reduce hospital readmissions. However, the time immediately after the patient leaves the program can be a difficult transition. This grant funding has gone toward travel and activities for a Fit and Free Support Group specifically created to allow created to allow a patient to “graduate� more seamlessly from IMPaCT and advocate for his or her own health.

BOOKS THROUGH BARS Greg Richter, CORP Books Through Bars is a nonprofit that sends more than 8,000 book packages to incarcerated people in Pennsylvania and surrounding states each year.

As a volunteer, Greg Richter has used the grant funding to purchase specific health-related books to enable incarcerated individuals not only to understand and thus improve their health while in prison but also to help rehabilitate those whose sentences conclude.

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SUMMER 2016 PARENT SUPPORT & ORIENTATION GROUP AT HALL MERCER

Gail Roeshman, PAH

At Hall Mercer, Gail Roeshman saw a need to have parents and caregivers more involved in their children’s mental health treatment. Discovering specific barriers to parent involvement, Gail sought to eradicate those barriers by implementing a parent support and orientation group. Grant funding was used for tokens and activities so that parents could be more involved, understanding, and effective in their children’s treatment.

HEALTH EDUCATION REFFERAL OUTREACH PROJECT Wanda Rogers, PAH Health Education Referral Outreach (HERO), a community outreach program founded by two Penn Medicine employees (a mother, Wanda Rogers, and daughter, Aliya), is based primarily at New Hope Outreach Center in Germantown. Among other outreach endeavors, HERO hosts a health and resource fair in the summer. The program has offered blood pressure screening and heart health information to adults as well as proper hand hygiene and information about autism and mental health for the area families.

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SUMMER 2016 NATURAL CREATIVITY CENTER (NCC) Robert Weidner, CORP NCC currently serves a diverse group of 22 families, the majority from low-income communities dealing with violence, hunger, and broken schools.

Grant funding went toward establishing a 10-month program for 40 youths, teaching them about nutrition and helping them prepare healthy breakfast dishes 4 days out of the week.

UNIVERSITY CITY HOSPITALITY COALITION (UCHC) DIABETES CLINIC

Sara Weintraub, PSOM

UCHC has been devoted to serving the homeless of Philadelphia for more than 30 years. The clinic, on Wednesday nights run by students of the University of Pennsylvania, sought to expand its outreach and address one of the major health concerns facing the West Philadelphia community: type 2 diabetes. With grant funding, medication and blood sugar screening devices and supplies were purchased, enabling UCHC student volunteers to assist their patients in managing their diabetes.

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PennMedicine.org/Community CAREs@uphs.upenn.edu (215) 662-7030