GRANT RECIPIENTS 2012 — 2015
Each year, Penn Medicine awards physicians, staff, and medical students small grants to expand their community service efforts. Since January 2012, the Penn Medicine CAREs grants have provided 183 programs with support totaling nearly $225,000. The projects range from initiatives to increase services in community-based health clinics such as Puentes de Salud and the University City Hospitality Coalition Clinic, to summer camps, like Camp Kesem for children with a parent fighting cancer, to nutrition services and health education in food banks, community centers, and neighborhood churches. These initiatives, which support neighborhoods throughout the region, are brought forward by members of the Penn Medicine community whose call to serve does not end at the doors of our institutions. I am proud to present this booklet of information on community-based projects supported through our Penn Medicine CAREs grant program since its beginning in January 2012 through the end of fiscal year 2015. These grants reflect only a snapshot of the impact made through the work of our doctors, nurses, students, and staff. The CAREs grant program is open to all Penn Medicine physicians, staff, and Perelman School of Medicine students who seek to address a community health need through volunteer service. To learn more about the Penn Medicine CAREs grant program, please contact the office of Community Relation at 215-662-7030.
Ralph W. Muller Chief Executive Officer University of Pennsylvania Health System
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2015SUMMER Helen Chavar
Youth Ministry Holy Cross
Penn Presbyterian
Holy Cross Baptist Church hosts a week-long day camp each summer for teens 12-19 years old in the Overbrook section of Philadelphia. Programs include better health through diet and exercise, safe sex education, prenatal care and parenting, and coping with violence and abuse. CAREs funding purchased a “drug-addicted baby” simulator for use in parenting classes and other health-related items.
Mary Bradis
Operation Yellow Ribbons of South Jersey
Pennsylvania Hospital
Operation Yellow Ribbons of South Jersey is an all volunteer, U.S. troop support group that provides care packages to troops in combat areas. The CAREs grant purchased care items, including food and toiletries, as well as assisted with shipping expenses.
Jawanza Bundy
The Dina Project
Pennsylvania Hospital
The Dina Project is a new mentoring program that links nurses with students from Mathematics Civics and Science Charter School at 407 North Broad Street in Philadelphia who are considering a nursing career. This project is a partnership with Philadelphia Futures, a 25-year-old nonprofit with success in increasing college access and enrollment for low-income, first-generation students. Funding supported transportation, meals, and related expenses for students for overnight visits to area schools of nursing.
Chante Thompson
Brims and Brunch for Breast Cancer Awareness
Clinical Practices of the University of Pennsylvania
Breast cancer awareness has been a passion of Chante’s since her mother’s passing more than 10 years ago. She has turned her grief into passion, and that passion into action. She creates events and opportunities that bring awareness and education about breast cancer and the importance of mammograms. Brims and Brunch is one such annual event held in October during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The sole aim of this particular event is to encourage minority women to obtain mammograms. Speakers include several breast cancer survivors. Funding supported food, t-shirts, and related expenses for the event.
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Joseph Oaster Corporate
Helping Hand Rescue Mission Adult Literacy and GED Program “The best two hours of my week,” is how Joseph Oaster describes his weekly volunteer work at the adult literacy and GED class at Helping Hand Rescue Mission at 6th and Spring Garden Streets in Philadelphia. The class is held every Wednesday night and although the number of pupils and volunteers varies, Joe is always present and has been for the past four years. Funds were used to purchase updated textbooks, tests, and software.
Joan Wielgoszinski
Connect by Night
Clinical Practices of the University of Pennsylvania
Connect by Night is a shelter program in Upper Darby that feeds homeless people and then transports them to a host church for an overnight stay. Marple Presbyterian in Broomall is one of the churches that has undertaken this task to provide the homeless with a hot meal and a good night’s sleep. Joan received this grant to help her church support this effort.
Qunbin Xioing
Asian American Senior Cares
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Main Line Chinese Culture Center provides — among other things — literacy training, and when necessary, transportation to a health facility for Chinese American seniors. Grant funding supported an English teacher, transportation to a health care facility, and on-site health equipment to assess participants.
Anthony Bracey
Give Back
Penn Presbyterian
The Give Back program assists ex-offenders fulfilling their community service and completing their addiction-recovery program by volunteering at the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PSPCA). Animals in need receive attention; participants acquire skills which may lead to animal care jobs, and they receive therapeutic value from their interactions with the animals. The CAREs grant supported transportation costs to the facility and some animal care related expenses.
Johanne Louis
16th Annual School Supply Giveaway
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
This annual giveaway operated by the Noel Roberts Foundation at Bartram Gardens provides school supplies, grooming services, and health and wellness information for low-income children in West Philadelphia. Funding supported the purchase of laptop computers for giveaways at this event.
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Beauty Averion
Esophagectomy Support Group
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
This program provides quarterly support group sessions and online support for Ravdin 6 esophagectomy patients, who must address major lifestyle changes as a result of their surgery. Nutritionists, oncologists, and counselors make presentations and respond to questions. Volunteers also make home visits to help patients and families address difficulties that may arise. Funds are used to underwrite parking costs for patients who attend the in-person sessions as well as for refreshments and related expenses for the events.
Madeline Dawson
“Building Better Bridges� Back to School Party
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Victory Outreach Ministries in Southwest Philadelphia hosts an annual community block party and health fair attended by 250 people. School supplies are provided to low-income children from the area, and Penn Medicine personnel provide information on such topics as asthma, breast cancer, and stroke. Funding supported the purchase of backpacks and school supplies.
Tigist Hailu
What’s a Typical Day? Photo Elicitation Project with Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
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This project gives Penn Memory Center patients and research participants with mild cognitive impairment cameras to document their lives as they address their condition. The photos are then used as the basis for therapeutic discussions with Penn Memory professionals. The images captured by the participants and their portraits taken by a professional photographer will also be mounted for exhibits in the Philadelphia community and displayed online as a means of increasing awareness about cognitive impairment. The CAREs grant supported the purchase of cameras and supplies, photo interview transcription, and costs associated with the community exhibitions.
Helping Hand Rescue Mission Adult Literacy and GED Program
What’s a Typical Day?
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Operation Yellow Ribbons of South Jersey
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The Dina Project
Brims and Brunch for Breast Cancer Awareness
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2015SPRING Helen Moragne
Surviving to Thriving Program
Penn Presbyterian
For the past 40 years, Helen Moragne has volunteered five evenings a week — after her day job in Penn Presbyterian’s Human Resources department — to feed the homeless at Bright Hope Baptist Church at 12th and Cecil B. Moore Avenue in Philadelphia. She and the other church volunteers feed 90 people a hot meal daily and give out groceries to 10-20 needy families a night. Previously Helen completed a food service course, at her own expense, in order to be City-certified to serve food for this service project. CAREs funding supported the purchase of food for this program.
Amy Latyak
Childbirth Education Classes for Hispanic Community in Chester County
Chester County Hospital
La Comunidad Hispana, in Chester County, is well known to the surrounding Hispanic community for offering health care and social services. The CAREs grant helped provide free or low-cost childbirth education classes covering pregnancy, labor and birth, breastfeeding, and newborn care. The childbirth education classes were offered in Spanish.
Paul Giannette
Summer Therapeutic Day Program
Pennsylvania Hospital
Hall-Mercer provides a therapeutic day program for children ages four to six years old who have emotional and social problems. The aim of the program is to ready these children for mainstream kindergarten in the fall. This grant allowed two children from disadvantaged families to attend the nine-week summer program. These children participated in educational and recreational trips, and intensive group, art, and activities therapies.
Elizabeth Neuhaus-Booth
Community Outreach
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Elizabeth Neuhaus-Booth, stroke coordinator in Neurology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, received a grant to bring stroke education and prevention classes to West Philadelphia senior centers and churches as well as to train home health aides of Jewish Employment and Vocational Services who serve in the five-county region.
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Mayange Mitchell
Free Skin Cancer Screening
Clinical Practices of the University of Pennsylvania
For five years, Dermatology has hosted an event one Saturday in May where physicians and staff volunteer to offer free skin cancer screenings for the public, particularly the uninsured. Any individual needing follow-up care is pointed to proper resources. CAREs funding supported production and distribution of educational material at these events.
Randi Jackson
Collaboration: a Shared Vision and Partnership
Penn Presbyterian
In her role as chief service clinical care coordinator of the Department of Medicine, Randi Jackson sees firsthand the importance of self-monitoring for patients with hypertension and congestive heart failure. Randi’s initiative, Collaboration, identifies needy patients in these categories and gives them blood pressure cuffs and digital scales. In exchange, patients agree to adhere to self-monitoring and reporting to United Community Clinic (UCC) where they are encouraged to stick to healthy lifestyles.
Cynthia Ross
Gorgas Park Veterans Tribute
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
A member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Cynthia Ross helps host an annual tribute for the hospitalized veterans of the Coatesville Veterans Administration Hospital. The tribute includes a bus ride for the veterans from the hospital — accompanied by the motorcycle clubs Warriors’ Watch, A Hero’s Welcome, and American Legion Riders — to Gorgas Park in Roxborough, where other veterans and groups, such as the Merion Concert Band and the Savoy Opera Troupe, volunteer their time to honor the veterans.
Jeanette Sukhu
Community Nutrition
Pennsylvania Hospital
Pennsylvania Hospital has a long-established relationship with Old Saint Joseph’s Church, Mercy Hospice, and the Philadelphia Public Library at 7th and Market, to bring health education to homeless men, women in recovery, and the general public. Jeanette Sukhu leads the clinical nutritionists in these sessions to offer nutrition education and promote healthy eating. Grant money went towards teaching aids and visuals.
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Marion Leary
Start Talking Science
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Start Talking Science (STS) is part of the larger city-wide initiative, US2020 PHL, a high-impact mentoring program focusing on increasing youth access to careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) in Philadelphia. STS hosts free public awareness sessions aimed at making STEM more accessible to local students and the community and is endorsed by the mayor and City of Philadelphia, as well as area institutions.
Andrea Nicholson
Penn Medicine Breast Health Initiative
Pennsylvania Hospital
Andrea Nicholson serves as patient navigator for Abramson Cancer Center and the Penn Medicine Breast Initiative, partnering with local community organizations to connect uninsured, low-income women to Abramson’s breast health services. The CAREs grant went towards providing transportation for these women, as well as educational materials to use at outreach events and to promote the initiative in the community.
Olubunmi Ariyo
Knowledge Saturday
Clinical Practices of the University of Pennsylvania
Christ Apostolic Church in Southwest Philadelphia primarily serves an African immigrant population. The Church hosts a monthly Knowledge Saturday where the goal is to maintain African cultural values and create a balanced lifestyle including providing awareness of health and well-being.
Martina Ward
2015 Women’s Health Expo
Perelman School of Medicine
Master Builders Church in Feltonville hosts a community fair twice a year targeting Philadelphia women and caregivers. At prior fairs, Martina Ward and other Penn Medicine employees and nurses from the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Silverstein 7 provided information on obstetrics care and routine cancer screenings. CAREs funding enhanced these fairs and aided this group of employees to better serve the health needs of this population.
Clayton Marcinak
Medical Evaluations for Asylum Seekers
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
The Penn Human Rights Clinic, the first student-run asylum clinic in Philadelphia, provides medical evaluations for individuals seeking asylum in the United States due to persecution and torture in their countries of origin. CAREs grant funding covered training Penn Medicine physicians and students to perform physical and psychiatric evaluations of asylum seekers.
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Joy Cooper Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Jeffery O’Neill Pennsylvania Hospital
Empowering African American Female Adolescents in Reproductive Health Joy Cooper, a resident in HUP’s Obstetrics and Gynecology department, received funding to create a pilot program empowering 20 West Philadelphia African American teens in the area of reproductive health. Perelman School of Medicine students counsel the teens, with several more students helping with online educational content. Teens are chosen with the help of guidance counselors from Bartram, Overbrook, Sayre, and West Philadelphia high schools.
Bucks County Admirals Special Needs Ice Hockey Team The Bucks County Admirals, a special-needs, co-ed ice hockey team, received CAREs funding to purchase ice time and equipment, offering these teens and young adults fun, friendly competition, and support.
Yoonhee Ha Perelman School of Medicine
Unity Clinic Electronic Health Record System and Operation The Unity Clinic at St. Edmond’s Church at 2130 South 21st Street in Philadelphia is open on Tuesday nights and serves the health needs of immigrants from Southeast Asia who do not speak English as their first language. With CAREs grant funding, an electronic health record system was implemented at the clinic. The funding also paid for medical supplies and medical interpreters.
Surviving to Thriving Program
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Collaboration: a Shared Vision and Partnership
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Penn Medicine Breast Health Initiative
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Community Nutrition
Bucks County Admirals Special Needs Ice Hockey Team
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2015WINTER Melinda Lamb
St. Wilfrid’s Free Clinic
Pennsylvania Hospital
Once a month, volunteers from First Presbyterian Church in Haddonfield, NJ, join forces with other local community organizations to host St. Wilfrid’s Clinic in Camden, offering health screenings, counseling, food and hygiene products, and friendship. CAREs funding went toward the food and hygiene products given out at the clinic.
Carlene Clark
Show Sjogren’s
Pennsylvania Hospital
Carlene Clark, a certified pharmacy technician at Pennsylvania Hospital, saw a need to show support, share resources, and bring awareness to those with Sjogren’s syndrome, a chronic autoimmune disease in which white blood cells attack moisture-producing glands. CAREs funding helped her put this program into action in Philadelphia.
Michelle Sohlich-Miller
Pennsylvania Hospital Women’s Health Outreach — School Education Project
Pennsylvania Hospital
With this grant funding, nurses of Pennsylvania Hospital’s Women’s Health expanded their community outreach outside the hospital walls by partnering with local schools to educate students on assorted health topics.
Nicole Leighton
Transitional Care
Clinical Practices of the University of Pennsylvania
The CAREs grant was used to purchase bathroom scales that were given to needy, high-risk heart patients of Gastrointestinal Medicine who were transitioning from the hospital to their homes. The scales help track fluid retention, which is a warning sign for impending problems and a call for immediate action.
Kerry Nihill
Homework Helper Program at the Drueding Center
Corporate
With grant funding secured by Kerry Nihill, a consultant in Penn Medicine Academy, new computers were purchased for The Drueding Center, which offers transitional housing in North Philadelphia for single mothers and their children. The new tech devices benefited 50 children involved in the Homework Helper Program, an afterschool, one-on-one tutoring program provided by volunteers across the city.
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John Flamma Penn Presbyterian
Emergency Department Prescription Drug Assistance Program Some patients visiting Penn Presbyterian’s Emergency Room need medication to prevent admission and to stay healthy until they are able to see a primary care physician. CAREs funds went toward providing these medications while Emergency Department staff worked to connect the patients to preventative health care.
Gary Ginsberg
People’s Emergency Center Food Cupboard
Penn Presbyterian
The Food Cupboard at People’s Emergency Center (PEC) provides basic nutritional sustenance for families living in PEC’s transitional housing and families in the surrounding neighborhoods. The Cupboard also provides weekly cooking demonstrations in an effort to promote healthy eating, as well as health resource information. Grant funding secured by Penn Presbyterian’s assistant executive director, Gary Ginsberg, was used to purchase food.
Debi Ferrarello
Milk Mamas
Pennsylvania Hospital
CAREs funding supported a new program offered to the mothers at the Intensive Care Nursery at Pennsylvania Hospital to facilitate breastfeeding for the most vulnerable of infants. Mother-to-mother breastfeeding support sessions, as well as direction from a lactation consultant, were made available to all patients.
Lauren Cliggitt
Teen Girls Trauma Support Group
Pennsylvania Hospital
A teen girl trauma support group meets weekly at Hall-Mercer. The girls, ages 14-17 years old, all received individual traumafocused therapy but continue to live with high levels of stress. CAREs funding enabled the support group to empower the participants to cope more effectively, connect with others, and create meaning and purpose in their lives.
Matt Kearney
Lea Health and Wellness Initiative
Penn Presbyterian
The Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, along with Center for Public Health Initiatives, received CAREs funding to develop evidence-based curriculum targeting 7th and 8th grades at the Lea School in West Philadelphia. The program is aimed at increasing health awareness, healthy behaviors, and overall wellness among the Lea community.
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Margie Delaney
The Veterans Group
Corporate
The Veterans Group is a 48-bed shelter facility situated in the quiet Powelton Village section of West Philadelphia. The purpose of this nonprofit is to provide food, shelter, and case management services to homeless males who have served in the United States Armed Forces, empowering them to once again become productive members of society. An industrial size washer and dryer were purchased for The Veterans Group of Powelton Village and the 48 veterans who call this place home.
Christina Bach
Camp Kesem
Penn Presbyterian
Each year, this University of Pennsylvania volunteer-driven initiative provides a free summer camp experience for children whose parents are being treated for cancer at Penn, offering support and a chance to not dwell on their parents’ disease but to engage in the adventures that are childhood. The CAREs grant sponsored four children so they were able to attend Camp Kesem.
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Transitional Care
Transitional Care
St. Wilfrid’s Free Clinic
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Homework Helper Program at the Drueding Center
Camp Kesem
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People’s Emergency Center Food Cupboard
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The Veterans Group
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2014FALL Brenda Gilchrist
Calvary St. Augustine’s Annual Health Fair
Clinical Practices of the University of Pennsylvania
For some time, Calvary St. Augustine at 814 North 41st Street in West Philadelphia has hosted yearly health educational events for the surrounding community. Brenda Gilchrist, a medical assistant in Ob/Gyn at Penn Medicine Washington Square, secured a CAREs grant to purchase medical testing supplies and items to provide screenings and awareness for HIV, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, dental care, alcoholism, and aging.
Jennifer Egg
Look Good, Feel Better
Pennsylvania Hospital
Jennifer Egg, a social worker at Pennsylvania Hospital, received funding to continue Abramson Cancer Center’s program of Look Good, Feel Better, which is open to all cancer survivors. The program focuses on make-up and skin care tips, while providing counseling, support, and information on other support resources.
Rhonda Holmstrom
Injury Prevention
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
The already robust community outreach efforts of Penn Medicine Trauma Center were enhanced with the addition of a prize wheel. The wheel is used to attract people and boost energy at outreach events aimed at educating the community on reducing preventable trauma.
Raymond Townsend
Hypertension and Glucose Screening
Perelman School of Medicine
Dr. Raymond Townsend, a community volunteer for over two decades, received a CAREs grant to purchase instruments that measure both blood pressure and blood glucose for the Enon Men’s Health Fair. The instruments were used in community health fairs to make more people aware of their vital health numbers.
Yu-Heng Guo
Asian Mental Health Awareness and Outreach
Perelman School of Medicine
Continuing the work of Steven Sust, the previous chief resident of psychiatry and CAREs recipient, Yu-Heng Guo, received a CAREs grant to cover the cost of educational pamphlets and other items for Asian mental health outreach at established Asian community organizations in Philadelphia. Heng’s colleagues and group of volunteers also produced a list and map of quality of life resources for the Asian community in Philadelphia.
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Jill Townsend
Hand Therapy at Community Volunteers in Medicine
Chester County Hospital
Jill Townsend, lead hand therapist in Outpatient Rehabilitation at Chester County Hospital, received funding to purchase evaluation tools and equipment for use in physical and occupational therapy at the Community Volunteers in Medicine (CVIM) Clinic. The clinic is a community-based, volunteer nonprofit organization providing primary medical and dental care to low-income working people without insurance in Chester County.
Bernadette Wheeler
Black Women in Sports Foundation
Clinical Care Associates
Bernadette Wheeler, an Ob/Gyn physician at Penn Medicine Radnor, is a part of the nonprofit Black Women in Sports Foundation. This organization’s goal is to involve young girls in sports, increase self-esteem, decrease teen pregnancy, and encourage the girls to develop a positive and healthy body image. Funding went towards the field hockey and lacrosse clinics focused on school-aged girls from community churches in West Philadelphia.
Jacqueline Felicetti
Wounded Warrior Project
Chester County Hospital
Because Chester County Hospital is the fifth largest employer in Chester County, hospital leadership feels it is its duty to give back to the community. Each year, the hospital family chooses a worthy charity project to support. For the calendar year of 2014, they picked the Wounded Warrior Project, serving wounded veterans of the military actions following the events of 9/11.
Lawrence Davis
Bread of Life Food Pantry, Epworth United Methodist Church
Penn Presbyterian
The Bread of Life Food Pantry serves the underserved population of the tri-community area of Cinnaminson, Palmyra, and Riverton in Burlington County, NJ. On the third Saturday of each month, canned and packaged food, as well as wheat and dairy products, are given out to these families.
Rebecca Salowe
Glaucoma Bus
Perelman School of Medicine
African Americans are five times more likely to develop glaucoma than Caucasians. Early treatment and screening are essential to prevent irreversible blindness. Rebecca Salowe, project manager in Ophthalmology, received CAREs funding to purchase items needed for a “glaucoma bus,” which offered free glaucoma screening to African Americans in Philadelphia. 25
Merritt Edlind
Healthy Living Support Group
Perelman School of Medicine
In connection with the Penn Center for Community Health Workers, several eight-week-long support groups were created to help patients deal with their chronic illnesses. CAREs funding went toward items used to support the goals of the groups, which include more than just managing the illness. “Fun road maps” were created to help bring joy and enthusiasm into the lives of group members. Some “points on the road map” include knitting, gardening, watching movies, hearing jazz, creating art, and cooking.
Mathilda Lyons
Interfaith Food Cupboard
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
The Interfaith Food Cupboard serves the residents of Lansdowne, East Lansdowne, Darby, Colwyn, Yeadon, and Aldan in Delaware County. The organization is staffed by volunteers two days a week who take phone calls from clients in need of food — either for pick up or delivery, depending on the severity of the situation. The CAREs grant went towards non-perishable food items.
Kelsey Nawalinski
Back on My Feet
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Kelsey Nawalinski, a clinical research coordinator in Neurology, volunteers with Back on My Feet (BOMF) and leads the Ready, Willing, and Able team on 5:30 am runs, three mornings a week. BOMF is a unique, celebrated, and successful program that uses running as a way to motivate Philadelphia’s homeless population and get them back on their feet. CAREs grant funding purchased athletic undergarments for the female members of the Philadelphia charter of BOMF.
Andrea Devoti
Senior Healthlink Program
Chester County Hospital
Senior Healthlink (SHL) is a program run by Neighborhood Health of Chester County Hospital that brings free health assessments, maintenance, and educational services to the frail, low-income, and Hispanic elderly in the Chester County area, while providing a home-health clinical experience for area nursing students. CAREs funding went toward enhancing the program by increasing home visitations, providing an information hotline, and offering an outreach program at local community centers.
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Hand Therapy at Community Volunteers in Medicine
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Glaucoma Bus
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Back on My Feet
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2014SUMMER Luis Ramos Rivera
Wisdom House: Housing for Homeless Veteran Women
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Wisdom House is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping homeless veteran women reach their full potential and independence through transitional housing, located at 405 S. 56th Street in West Philadelphia. Staff used CAREs funding to purchase toiletries, clothing, and bedding for the women they serve.
Janet McMaster
West Philadelphia Alliance for Children
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Every Thursday from noon until 3 pm during the school year, Janet McMaster, coordinator for Penn Medicine’s Trauma Center, can be found in the library of Powel School at 34th and Powelton. This library, which is no longer supported with City funding, remains open and contributes to children’s education because of volunteers like Janet and (West Philadelphia Alliance for Children), a volunteer organization enriching the libraries of Philadelphia’s public schools and providing academic mentoring and afterschool enrichment. Janet received grant funding to purchase books and educational materials to enhance students’ understanding of their heritage and health.
Anup Sharma
Stress Management Workshops for Philadelphia Prisoners & Staff
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Anup Sharma, a psychiatry resident, received funding to conduct stress-management workshops for both Philadelphia prisoners and staff. These workshops, a program of International Association of Human Values, provided practical tools for stress management, emotional regulation, and healthy living.
Michael Williams
Better Nutrition for the Elderly
Penn Presbyterian
Michael Williams, cardiology nurse at Presbyterian, received funding to support the Community Enrichment Fitness Network. This nonprofit partners with area senior centers, hosting cooking demonstrations as well as nutritional talks, highlighting how simple changes in cooking can improve one’s health. The nonprofit also tapes these classes, which are aired twice weekly on Philly CAM, a public access station.
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Kelly Convery
Childbirth Classes at the Dickens Center
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Kelly Convery, an RN in the HUP Intensive Care Nursery (ICN), received funding to expand childbirth classes for patients of the Dickens Center. The program started after ICN staff noticed the need for childbirth education in their patients. These classes are a group volunteer effort and have resulted in a major increase in patients who are well prepared for childbirth.
Bernice Jones and Kathleen Mercado
Newborn Parenting Classes
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Bernice Jones and Kathleen Mercado, both registered nurses with the HUP Intensive Care Nursery (ICN), conduct parenting classes for families who deliver at HUP. The goal of these classes is to help prepare families to care for themselves, their families, and their new babies in a safe and nurturing environment, thus decreasing hospital readmissions, SIDS and Shaken Baby Syndrome, among other potential problems. CAREs funding purchased educational materials for the classes.
Karen Wagner
Mill Creek Farm
Corporate
Karen Wagner, a clinical dietitian and volunteer with farming and greening projects in University City, received funding on behalf of Mill Creek Farm. The farm operates under A Little Taste of Everything, a nonprofit that seeks to provide fresh vegetables throughout West Philadelphia by the work of volunteers in the community and in partnership with Saul High School. Funding went towards bee keeping equipment and plant covers to extend the growing season.
Chiamaka Onwuzurike
Refugee Women’s Health Clinic
Perelman School of Medicine
The Refugee Women’s Health Clinic at the Penn Center for Primary Care received CAREs funding on behalf of Chiamaka Onwuzurike, a Perelman medical student, to purchase prenatal vitamins and interpreter services for the Family Planning and Contraception Project. The objective of this project is to improve outcomes related to family planning and contraception within the service area of the center.
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Mel Kearney
Walnut Street School Playground for Safer Kids
Clinical Care Associates
Walnut Street School in Darby, an underserved community near Philadelphia, serves 500 students from a struggling area at risk for violence, obesity, and other public health problems. The school — and immunization staff nurse from CCA Occupational Medicine, Mel Kearney — received funding to promote student activities, parenting support, and community outreach to foster good nutrition, exercise, violence prevention, and anti-bullying programs.
Kathryn Rose Finley
Reach Out and Read
Penn Presbyterian
Kathryn Rose Finley, a family medicine resident at Penn Presbyterian, received funding to purchase books for Penn Family Care’s Reach Out and Read program, a program addressing literacy needs of disadvantaged children in West Philadelphia neighborhoods through children’s checkups at doctor offices.
Ann Schwoebel
Parent to Parent Mentoring and Education Program
Pennsylvania Hospital
Ann Schwoebel, a clinical nurse education specialist in the Education Department of the Intensive Care Nursery (ICN) at Pennsylvania Hospital (PAH), received funding to enhance two of its programs: educational programs offered six times monthly for parents-to-be and new parents, as well as ongoing parent-to-parent mentoring. ICN staff work in collaboration with other PAH and CHOP departments, as well as parentvolunteers whose families were in PAH ICN previously. Funding went toward educational materials.
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West Philadelphia Alliance for Children
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Mill Creek Farm
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Refugee Women’s Health Clinic
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2014SPRING Steven Sust
Asian Mental Health Outreach
Clinical Practices of the University of Pennsylvania
Steven Sust, chief resident of psychiatry, conducts talks on mental health in the Asian community. This community has been known for a cultural reluctance to use mental health services. CAREs funding supported the purchase of educational materials distributed at these talks and production of a directory of Asian mental health resources and providers in Philadelphia.
Gregory Kennedy
United Community Clinic Bike Rodeo
Perelman School of Medicine
CAREs funding went toward the purchase of bike helmets that were given out at the annual United Community Clinic Bike Rodeo in East Parkside. The event focuses on addressing the social determinants of health by providing strategies for exercise and nutrition in an urban environment.
Jennifer Catrambone
Caring Clothing for Chester County Hospital Emergency Room
Chester County Hospital
The CAREs grant was used to purchase clothing, socks, and undergarments that were given out to homeless patients in the Chester County Hospital Emergency Room, all of whom had an extreme need for these articles.
Candace Syres
In Your Language: Parkinson’s Disease Education
Pennsylvania Hospital
Penn Medicine’s Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center (PDMDC) hosts support groups focused on the Mandarin, Cantonese, and Spanish populations. Grant funding helped pay for translators and for presentation translations. PDMDC offers support groups for patients and caregivers in West Philadelphia, Center City, Elkins Park, Bryn Mawr, Chinatown, and Northeast Philadelphia. The group aims to address health disparities within the Asian and Latino populations by offering support groups in their native languages.
Rebecca Kim
Penn Human Rights Clinic
Perelman School of Medicine
The Penn Human Rights Clinic (PHRC) offers medical and psychological evaluations for individuals seeking asylum in the United States due to persecution and torture in their countries of origin. Upon performing these evaluations, physicians and medical students at Penn Medicine work together to produce medical legal affidavits to be used in clients’ asylum trials. PHRC is the only student-run asylum clinic in Philadelphia and serves an enormous unmet need for a marginalized population that receives very little medical attention. The grant went toward costs for training volunteer physicians and medical students.
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Tiffany Ali
Penn Medicine Woodbury Heights Cares
Clinical Practices of the University of Pennsylvania
Grant funding was awarded to Penn Medicine Woodbury Heights to provide free mammograms to uninsured women from this area in need of this preventive screening.
Jeffrey O’Neill
Bucks County Admirals Special Needs Ice Hockey Team
Pennsylvania Hospital
The Bucks County Admirals, a special-needs, co-ed ice hockey team, received funding to purchase ice time and equipment, offering teens and young adults fun, friendly competition, and support.
Kevin Sims
Philadelphia Black Gay Pride Health Project
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
A CAREs grant supported the Philadelphia Gay Black Pride Health Project by assisting in covering the cost of the health education programs and HIV testing at all events sponsored by the organization.
Jennifer Lai
Vision Care and Glasses for Folk Arts Cultural Treasures Charter School
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
CAREs funding enabled the purchase of 18 pairs of glasses for Kindergarten through 8th grade students of Folk Arts Cultural Treasures Charter School (FACTS) in Chinatown North. The students were mostly Asian and first generation Americans who did not have basic health care access, including dental and vision care.
Raymond Rodriguez
Enon Tabernacle Church Men’s Health Fair
Perelman School of Medicine
Dr. Raymond Rodriguez received funding for the purchase of testing supplies to use at the Second Annual Enon Tabernacle Men’s Health Fair, where 1,500 African American men from Philadelphia attended to have their cholesterol, blood pressure, and glucose read and to be pre-screened for prostate cancer.
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Yoonhee Ha
Unity Clinic
Perelman School of Medicine
The Unity Clinic at St. Edmond’s Church at 2130 South 21st Street in Philadelphia is open on Tuesday nights and serves immigrants from Southeast Asia who do not speak English as their first language. This grant purchased curtains for 45 large windows so that the clinic was better able to provide a safe, welcoming, and respectful environment to give their patients high-quality health care in a dignified manner. Other employee and student volunteers of the clinic include: Anthony Dean, Charles Wolf, Adam “Rafi” Rom, Frances Love, Joan LaJoie, Nancy Dunphy, and Emily Cross.
Paul Huberty
Expanding Access to Mammograms at La Comunidad Hispana
Clinical Care Associates
Because of their CAREs grant funding, La Comunidad Hispana, a federally qualified health center, was able to offer mammograms for uninsured Latinas living in southern Chester County.
United Community Clinic Bike Rodeo
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In Your Language: Parkinson’s Disease Education
Unity Clinic
Penn Human Rights Clinic
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Vision Care and Glasses for Folk Arts Cultural Treasures Charter School
Expanding Access to Mammograms at La Comunidad Hispana
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2014WINTER Anthony Bracey
Beacon of Hope
Penn Presbyterian
The Addictions Program at Presbyterian received CAREs funding for educational pamphlets and items to enhance community events at the already established, once-a-month Family Night. These events shed light on the disease of addiction and promote healing. These volunteer-staffed events focus on coping and living addiction free, both for the patients and their families.
Johanne Louis
Affordable Care Act Enrollment Campaign
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
With passage of the Affordable Care Act, Johanne Louis, already an active community advocate, centered her efforts on bringing health insurance access information to the underserved populations of West and Southwest Philadelphia. Her partnership with Better Health Network helped to enroll 3,000 people in health care coverage.
Christina Bach
Camp Kesem
Penn Presbyterian
A previous recipient, Christina Bach and the University of Pennsylvania chapter of Camp Kesem, received funding to sponsor four children whose parents were being treated for cancer to attend Camp Kesem. At this summer camp, the children benefited from a network of support from University student-counselors and fellow campers whose own caregivers were struggling with illness, while enjoying the simplicity and fun of summer camp.
Eileen Addis
Supportive Older Women’s Network: Philly Families Eat Smart
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
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Eileen Addis, a social worker at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania who volunteers with Supportive Older Women’s Network (SOWN), received funding to buy a number of Wii consoles and accessories to support SOWN’s Grand Family Resource Center’s new initiative: Philly Families Eat Smart. This initiative addresses the high rates of obesity and its complications among low-income, African American children, particularly those living in households headed by grandparents in Philadelphia.
David Schaaf
One Step Away — Helping the Homeless
Clinical Practices of the University of Pennsylvania
David Schaaf, a Clinical Practices Human Resources manager at the University of Pennsylvania, received funding for printing costs of One Step Away, Philadelphia’s street paper sold by homeless individuals, providing them an income. Also, funding helped launch an initiative aimed at providing health insurance enrollment assistance to One Step Away’s vendors.
Wayne Marquardt
LGBT Elder Initiative Medication Safety Seminar
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Wayne Marquardt, a senior pharmacist at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, received CAREs funding to offset costs of a medication safety outreach program aimed at older LGBT adults living in the Delaware Valley. The program is run through the LGBT Elder Initiative which, among other activities, produces medication educational events and brown bag sessions with pharmacists.
Craig Loundas
Broad Street Ministry
Corporate
Craig Loundas, a Corporate Human Resources representative, received support for the homeless mission of Broad Street Ministry. The ministry used the funding for health screening supplies and toiletries for the men and women it served.
Robin Ward
Girls on the Run Expansion
Corporate
A previous CAREs grant recipient, Girls on the Run (GOTR) is a mentorship program linking female volunteers with pre-teen girls and concentrating on running, healthy lifestyle habits, anti-bullying, and positive self esteem. Funding, received on behalf of Robin Ward and Joy Cannon, supported expanding the program to three more sites (community organization sites and schools) and to include participants in 6-8th grades. (Previously only 3rd through 5th graders were included.) Scholarships are given to 50% of the participating girls.
Thomas Volkert
My Place Germantown
Home Care and Hospice
Tom Volkert, a social worker with Home Care and Hospice, received funding for My Place Germantown (MPG), which provides permanent housing for 12 disabled, homeless men between the ages for 40 and 60. Funding went toward the training of staff to more effectively assist the men they serve.
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Deborah Sinni
Have Wheelchair, Will Travel
Clinical Care Associates
Deb Sinni received CAREs grant funding for The Wood Clinic to purchase a wheelchair. The wheelchair is used to transport weak patients from the clinic to Pennsylvania Hospital’s Admissions or Emergency Room.
Kathy Magnes
Christmas Bags for the Homeless
Pennsylvania Hospital
For more than 10 years, Kathy Magnes, nurse manager for the Skilled Care Center at Pennsylvania Hospital, and her family have handed out Christmas bags to the homeless on the streets near Pennsylvania Hospital every Christmas morning. This CAREs grant enhanced her gift bags with items to offer comfort, nutrition, warmth, and improved health for this vulnerable population.
James Hart
The Veterans Group
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
The Veterans Group of West Powelton, a 48-bed home providing shelter, food, and case management services to homeless male veterans who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, received a CAREs grant to purchase a much-needed commercial stove and range for use in preparing meals for the residents.
Camp Kesem
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One Step Away — Helping the Homeless
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Broad Street Ministry
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The Veterans Group
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2013FALL Janeen Cross
Coffee Hour Peer Support Program
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Janeen Cross, a clinical social worker in the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU), received a grant to continue Coffee Hour, a parent-led, peer support group for families in the NICU. Volunteer group members include former NICU mothers, the entire NICU staff, plus the Volunteer Services Department and the Department of Patient and Family Centered Care. Grant funding went toward purchasing educational information plus journals and pens to record infant health information and families’ experiences.
Beth Souders
Old Pine Community Center
Pennsylvania Hospital
Beth Sounders, genetic counselor for Joan Karnell Cancer Center, received support to continue collaboration with Old Pine Community Center at 401 Lombard Street in Philadelphia. Collaborations included two healthy-cooking kids’ classes, an insurance and living will educational session for seniors, and a cancer prevention and screening event. Funding went toward purchasing meals, food items, and items to produce the cancer prevention and screening event.
Angelo Cirrincione
Learning Through Technology
Pennsylvania Hospital
Angelo Cirrincione, case manager for the Community Day Program at Hall-Mercer, received a CAREs grant to purchase LeapPads to enhance Learning Through Technology’s mission of caring and supporting clients from South Philadelphia with mental health issues.
John Flamma
Emergency Department Prescription Drug Assistance Program
Penn Presbyterian
A two-time recipient, Dr. John Flamma received a CAREs grant to purchase medications for Penn Presbyterian Emergency Department (ED) patients. These medications and patients were selected by case management staff who seek to improve patient outcomes and to decrease ED visits and readmissions.
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Matthew Zarkos
Food for Homeless and Halfway House
Clinical Practices of the University of Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania Hospital
Matthew Zarkos, IT manager for Clinical Practices of the University of Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania Hospital Dermatology department, received CAREs funds to help support work at Bethesda Broad at 722 North Broad in Philadelphia, which supplies permanent housing for 49 men and women with histories of addiction and mental illness. Matthew has volunteered there for more than 15 years. The grant went toward purchase of milk, juice, and fruit.
Catrena Drake
Project Well Balanced
Clinical Care Associates
Spurred by experiences during her 3 years of volunteer service with another city nonprofit, Catrena Drake, lead medical assistant with a Clinical Care Associates office at Penn Medicine Washington Square, received a CAREs grant. It enabled her 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.
Lakeisha Palmer
Gathered Dreamz
Penn Presbyterian
Lakeisha Palmer, a Penn Presbyterian Medical Center information quality specialist, received a CAREs grant to help fund a mentee/mentor soirĂŠe event for Gathered Dreamz, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit serving the emotional needs of foster girls and teens who had aged out of foster care. Funds went toward costs related to space rental, a guest speaker, lunch menu, and goody bags. The topics discussed ranged from emotional health to nutritional health.
Peg Rummel
Penn Rides: Transportation Assistance for Abramson Cancer Center Patients at Hope Lodge
Corporate
Peg Rummel, an oncology nurse navigator, received a CAREs grant to provide transportation for Penn Medicine cancer patients receiving treatment at Penn while staying at Hope Lodge. Hope Lodge of the American Cancer Society provides free lodging for patients in active treatment in the Philadelphia area. Hope Lodge is about 15 miles from Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center. Funds went toward cab fare and SEPTA regional rail tickets.
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Mia Perry Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma Community Education Initiative Concerned about the prevalence and misdiagnosis of cutaneous t-cell lymphoma (CTCL) in the African American community, Mia Perry, lead nurse in photopheresis of Dermatology, received funds to create educational sessions at her West Philadelphia church to make community members aware of this cancer. Her church hosts regular health education sessions for the community.
Deborah Sinni
Wood Clinic, Patient Centered Care and Supplies
Clinical Care Associates
Deb Sinni, practice manager at the Wood Clinic, received a grant for glucometers, pillboxes, nutritional supplements, and monofilaments for patients, the majority of which are under- or uninsured and suffer from chronic conditions.
Sarah Blair Smith
Increasing Organ Donation Awareness through the Clyde F. Barker Penn Transplant House
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Nicole Chaney Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Natalie Gamble Pennsylvania Hospital
For several years, Sarah Blair Smith, a heart transplant social worker, organized groups to prepare and serve monthly dinners at the Barker Penn Transplant House. Sarah worked to boost commitment to organ donation, encouraging potential donors to see firsthand the impact on patients’ families, and also by sharing their experiences with other community members. She received a CAREs grant to purchase a refrigerator for the facility.
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania’s Safe Sleep Heroes Two nurses from the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) Intensive Care Nursery implemented HUP’s Safe Sleep Heroes program for the patients at the Dickens Center. The CAREs funds went to purchase sleep sacks for infants, educational material, and a DVD player in order to increase safe sleep education and practices for infants most at risk.
Services for Women with Pregnancies Complicated by Diabetes Natalie Gamble, nursing health educator for the Diabetes Education Center (DEC), received funding to serve the women of Latina Community Health Services (LCHS). DEC serves LCHS with diabetes education and support during clinic sessions offered one afternoon each week. The grant helped support glucose testing for patients at the clinic.
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Services for Women with Pregnancies Complicated by Diabetes
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2013SUMMER Jamie Shuda
Penn Academy for Reproductive Sciences
Perelman School of Medicine
Jamie Shuda, director of outreach and education for the Institute for Regenerative Medicine, received funding for lab supplies, curriculum materials, etc., for 36 high school girls from Philadelphia schools to participate in educational sessions aimed at reproductive biology and careers in research and clinical medicine. Goals of sessions were: 1) to provide girls the information they need to understand the science behind their own bodies, and on a larger scale, the contribution that science and research can make to improve women’s health; 2) to allow high school girls to work directly with Penn faculty, staff, and students to learn cutting-edge research, real-world applications of reproductive biology, and bioethics; and 3) to provide ongoing mentoring and college/career guidance for young women in the Philadelphia area.
Kara Cohen
Best Foot Forward
Home Care and Hospice
Kara Cohen, a per diem nurse at Penn Care at Home and a gerontology nurse practitioner student, received funding for socks and foot-related items to aid Best Foot Forward, a free, volunteer clinic addressing the needs of Philadelphia’s homeless population. The clinic, operating out of Center City’s Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission, began in August 2012 as a fellowship project where 42 different volunteers have since provided 677 individual foot clinic sessions to 433 individuals. Although the fellowship ended in April 2013, the clinic formed a Board and stays committed to providing services.
Chiamaka Onwuzurike
Refugee Women’s Health Clinic
Perelman School of Medicine
Chiamaka Onwuzurike, along with three other medical students, two faculty members, and an internal medicine resident, received funds to pay for a translator for a women’s group to discuss women’s health topics. These volunteers devote 1-2 clinic days each month to the Penn Center for Primary Care (PCPC), one of Philadelphia’s eight refugee health clinics, and see female patients in a group-visit format. Grant funding paid for translators for two sessions per month for one year.
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Mawusi Arnett
West Philadelphia Wellness Empowerment
Perelman School of Medicine
Mawusi Arnett, a medical student, received funding to aid the West Philadelphia Wellness Empowerment group in increasing nutritional compliance in chronic disease management by encouraging awareness and understanding of disease-specific dietary restrictions and recommendations. CAREs funds went toward developing a curriculum and conducting eight weekly educational sessions, serving 30-40 West Philadelphia participants. Partnerships were formed with Investing in Ourselves and the Carroll Park Neighborhood Youth Achievement Program.
Ellen McPartland
Stroke Prevention Education
Pennsylvania Hospital
Ellen McPartland, a stroke coordinator at Penn Medicine, received funding to purchase stroke educational pamphlets to aid in senior education classes that she presented to Philadelphia centers. Because of Pennsylvania Hospital’s stroke center accreditation, and because of the small window of opportunity to reduce the effects of a stroke, Ellen wanted to educate the Penn Medicine community most at risk.
Best Foot Forward
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Penn Academy for Reproductive Sciences
Refugee Women’s Health Clinic
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2013SPRING Alessia Bhargava Perelman School of Medicine
Diabetes and Hypertension Clinic, University City Hospitality Coalition University City Hospitality Coalition (UCHC), a clinic led by medical school students, received grant funds to help extend the outreach of the Diabetes and Hypertension Clinic.
Anthony Bracey
Give Back Volunteer Program
Penn Presbyterian
Penn Presbyterian’s Addiction Assessment Center received a grant to fund the second year of its successful Give Back Program in partnership with the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PSPCA). Patients of the Addiction Program are screened to volunteer at the PSPCA by caring and being responsible for animals. Outcomes showed attitude and behavioral changes in those once challenged by substance abuse or trauma.
Bruce Kloss
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Magnet Community Outreach Program
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Karen Wagner Corporate
A CAREs grant supported the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania’s Nursing Magnet Community Outreach Program. The focus for 2013 was diabetes education. Grant funds went toward meeting the following objectives: 1) educating West Philadelphians about diabetes; 2) identifying people in need of treatment by hosting screenings; and 3) stemming the rise of diabetes in West Philadelphia.
University City Green Corps Greening Maintenance Program University City Green Corps received grant funding to purchase shovels, rakes, leaf bags, hand tools, and t-shirts to forward their goal of providing sustainable, seasonal maintenance to approximately 500 trees and public spaces in University City and West and Southwest Philadelphia neighborhoods and offering environmental education and leadership training for young people and adults.
Steven Allen
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
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Improving Bicycle Safety in the Penn Community Noting that the Trauma Center at Penn cared for over 128 bicyclists injured in crashes in the span of a year, Steven Allen secured CAREs funding to purchase bicycle safety helmets, leg straps, and reflective tape to be given out at bike safety educational sessions in the community around Penn.
Leah Seifu
Penn Human Rights Clinic
Perelman School of Medicine
The newly formed Penn Human Rights Clinics, the first studentrun asylum clinic in Philadelphia, provides medical evaluations for individuals seeking asylum in the United States due to persecution and torture in their countries of origin. Grant funding covered: 1) training Penn Medicine physicians and students to perform physical and psychiatric evaluations of asylum seekers; 2) outreach to lawyers and physicians in Philadelphia to expand the reach of the Clinic; and 3) interdisciplinary lectures at Penn on global issues in human rights.
Rebecca Kimmel
Bladder Health Class for the Prevention of Urinary Incontinence in Women
Perelman School of Medicine
Rebecca Kimmel, a clinical researcher in urology, expanded the NIH-funded urinary incontinence prevention study for older women, the Tulip Project, into the community. Several of her study subjects had expressed an interest in having the class brought to their own personal women’s group. The grant covered educational material and other items necessary for these community education classes.
Rhonda Holmstrom
Strategies to Reduce Falls in the Community
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
The Trauma Outpatient and Prevention Coordinator secured funds for LED night lights with sensors, bathroom safety grab bars, and non-slip safety bathmats. These items were given out to the West Philadelphia community at targeted community health fairs, senior citizen group meetings, and local church gatherings. Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania patients were targeted as well.
Sharon Lockett
The Health Exposure and Longevity Project, Inc.
Clinical Practices of the University of Pennsylvania
The Health Exposure and Longevity Project (HELP) Academy is a mentoring program serving 20 African American and Latino youth, ages 13-18, with an interest in either pursuing a job in the health care field or learning how to properly maintain their health. The twice-monthly, one-hour sessions are led by expert medical professionals in the fields of nursing, dentistry, pharmacy, and medicine. The youth are recommended by school counselors and Bright Hope Baptist Church, 1601 North 12th Street in North Philadelphia.
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Diabetes and Hypertension Clinic, University City Hospitality Coalition
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2013WINTER Christina Bach
Camp Kesem
Penn Presbyterian
In the summer of 2012, the University of Pennsylvania joined the Camp Kesem national network and hosted its first week-long camp for children whose parent had been treated for cancer at Penn Medicine. At the camp, children start each day with breakfast and camp songs and fill the summer days with arts and crafts, sports, drama, and nature, all the while forging a network of support with University studentcounselors and fellow campers. Camp Kesem’s environment is geared to meet the unique needs of these children whose own care-givers had been struggling with illness. Kesem is “magic” in Hebrew; the CAREs grant enabled four campers to enjoy the magic that is childhood at Camp Kesem in late summer.
Peter Cronholm
University City High School Health Collaborative
Penn Presbyterian
Building on an already strong partnership among the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, the University of Pennsylvania, and the School District of Philadelphia, the University City High School (UCHS) Health Collaborative offers resident-led health intervention sessions on a weekly basis to 9th graders and engages older students in four mentored career tracts, four days a week for 18 weeks. CAREs grant funding enhanced both these projects by helping volunteers reach their goals of implementing a health-based curriculum at UCHS, developing a vocational mentorship program for students interested in health care careers, and engaging primary care medical students in all aspects of community-based health.
John Flamma
Emergency Department Prescription Drug Assistance Program
Penn Presbyterian
Many Penn Presbyterian Emergency Department (ED) patients require medication to either treat infection or prevent seizures. Many of these patients do not have primary care physicians or access to prescriptions in a timely manner. This grant enabled the ED to provide these important medications on a short-term basis to its neediest patients while Penn Medicine worked to establish a relationship between the patient and a primary care physician to resolve the underlying illness.
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Carmen Guerra Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
A Patient Navigation Program (Colorectal Cancer Screenings for West Philadelphians) The University of Pennsylvania Health System Colorectal Cancer Screening Navigation Program has increased access to colonoscopy screenings by employing a “navigator” who aids residents of West Philadelphia over the age of 50 who have insurance but neglected to schedule or keep a colonoscopy appointment. The grant enabled 100 patients from West Philadelphia to receive this screening, increasing their chances of possible early diagnosis and survival from the third highest cause of cancer deaths in the United States.
Heather Klusaritz
East Parkside Bike Rodeo
Penn Presbyterian
For 15 years, the United Community Clinic (UCC) has served as the sole medical provider in the Parkside neighborhood of West Philadelphia. Understanding the Clinic’s role in this underserved population, volunteers host the Bike Rodeo and Health Fair annually in partnership with the Viola Street Residents Association. The Bike Rodeo boasted 400 neighborhood attendees and provided valuable health screenings including hypertension, diabetes, dental, and vision. Grant funding was used in production of this much anticipated neighborhood event, which served the Parkside community and strengthened the relationship between UCC and its neighbors.
Phanerrica Muhammad
Esophagectomy Support Group
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
After witnessing firsthand the tremendous impact that a diagnosis of esophageal cancer can have on patients and their families, the Thoracic Nursing staff of the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Ravdin 6 formed a unit-based esophagectomy support group. Established in 2008, the group’s mission is to be a source of information and support for patients and their families as they navigate the recovery process. Initiatives include partnering with national networks to enhance support and hosting an outreach event for the community to increase awareness of this cancer. Also, the support meetings were enhanced by introducing a personal trainer certified in oncology fitness and presenting an interactive cooking class.
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Alyssa Vaysman
Pharmacy Community Outreach
Pennsylvania Hospital
Alyssa Vaysman of Outpatient Pharmacy at Pennsylvania Hospital approached St. George’s Senior Housing at 9th and Locust and offered to present healthy-living educational sessions with topics including medication adherence, therapeutic lifestyle modifications, and vaccines. Grant funding helped produce these sessions by providing participants with weekly pill organizers, vaccine record cards, and educational literature. Presentations were a team effort with employees of both Inpatient and Outpatient Pharmacy including Annie Le, Roslyn Betsill, Elizabeth Tammaro, Kristen Phillips, Elizabeth Marino, Lindsay Varga, Poonam Chhunchha, Tiffany So, Carolyn Orendorff, Renata Kucas, Hannah Dambek, Sarah Kraus, Tracy Miller, Miriam Gonsky, Mary Howell, and Suzanne Brown.
Carrie Kovarik
Teledermatology
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
This program used a smart phone app co-designed by Penn Medicine dermatologist Carrie Kovarik, MD to help Penn dermatologists serve dermatology patients at health centers throughout the City of Philadelphia. Cameras and software were purchased with CAREs grant funds to place in five of the nine city health centers. Center physicians sent photographs of skin conditions via the app to Penn Medicine dermatologists, who consulted on the best course of action for the patient.
Joel Fein
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Violence Intervention Program
Perelman School of Medicine
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The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Violence Intervention Program focuses on young people who were admitted to CHOP’s Emergency Department (ED) for some form of interpersonal assault that is not a result of domestic violence. A recent study found that almost one-fifth of patients aged 8-19 years discharged from CHOP ED after an assault reported subsequently hurting someone else as a result of that violence. The program implemented community-focused case management designed to reduce re-injury and retaliation by addressing psychosocial needs, including mentoring, working with schools to help students affected by school violence, enrolling in substance abuse treatment, finding job training and placement, and providing parental education and support. Partners included the Healing Hurt People program at Drexel University and allowed patients to participate in weekly SELF (Safety, Emotion, Loss, and Future) sessions. Funding was used for client and staff travel as well as administrative costs.
Margie Delaney
The Veterans Group
Corporate
The Veterans Group is a 48-bed shelter facility situated in the quiet Powelton Village section of West Philadelphia. The purpose of this home is to provide food, shelter, and case management services to homeless male veterans who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, empowering them to once again become productive members of society. Grant funding went toward renovating the bathrooms of this home, some of which were made handicap-accessible.
A Patient Navigation Program (Colorectal Cancer Screenings for West Philadelphians)
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Teledermatology
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The Veterans Group
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2012FALL Shirley Arrington
Community Outreach, Pine Hill Primitive Baptist
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
For the past several years, on the third Saturday of every September, Shirley Arrington and other members of Pine Hill Primitive Baptist Church serve at an outreach event for the homeless and other in-need members of the North Philadelphia community. In the past, hot meals and gift bags of toiletries and socks were distributed. With the CAREs grant funds, Shirley provided blood pressure and diabetes screenings and health education information in addition to the services normally provided at this outreach event.
Killeen Shuda
Girls on the Run Philadelphia
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
After seeing alarming statistics showing female youth in the Philadelphia region are at risk for obesity, crime, risky behavior, and limited education, Killeen Shuda and Amy Remy founded the Philadelphia Council of Girls on the Run, an international mentorship program that focuses on 3rd through 5th grade girls, supporting them through running activities. CAREs funding supported the purchase of educational materials and refreshments.
Eileen Agiya
Home Infection Control
Home Care and Hospice
Eileen Agiya and Veleta Boswell, both nurses with Penn Home Infusion, were awarded CAREs grant funds to purchase hand sanitizers and digital thermometers for the needy, high-risk Philadelphia patients that they serve every day. The hand sanitizer helped thwart infection while thermometers enabled patients to monitor their own symptoms.
Jack B. Lewis
Penn-Sayre Health Center Anti-Bullying Project
Perelman School of Medicine
Penn Medicine and Sayre Health Center have maintained a successful partnership for a number of years. In furtherance of this collaboration, in response to a request from the administration of Sayre High School, Perelman’s Office of Diversity and Community Outreach produced mandatory classes addressing bullying for the school’s freshmen. The CAREs grant sponsored training of instructors and helped purchase supplies and materials to conduct the classes.
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Delane Casiano
The Maternal Wellness Initiative
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
The Maternal Wellness Initiative links sustainable psychiatric and psychological services to at-risk pregnant and postpartum patients of The Dickens Center of HUP. Dr. Delane Casiano used these CAREs grant funds to help in the promotion of this initiative and to increase mental health education of these targeted women.
Tom Volkert
My Place Germantown
Home Care and Hospice
Founded in 2007 by Tom Volkert, My Place Germantown (MPG) is different from other shelters in that it provides permanent housing and continuing support for men 40-60 years of age who call MPG home. Grant funds were used for CPR training for staff and residents and a blood pressure cuff for health monitoring.
Robert Bonacci
Health and Vitals Screening in a Primary Care Clinic for Latinos
Perelman School of Medicine
Joanne Miles Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Rob Bonacci, a Perelman medical student, volunteered with Puentes de Salud for several years. During his time at the primary care clinic serving South Philadelphia’s Latino community, Rob saw the need for a blood pressure and vital signs device that would improve screenings and patient flow during triage. Grant funds enabled Puentes to purchase this machine.
Heeding God’s Call — Faith Based Gun Control Advocacy Joanne Miles has been involved in Heeding God’s Call for several years. This program, focused in West Philadelphia and in line with the goals of the Firearm & Injury Center at Penn, unites faith communities against gun violence by persuading gun shops in Philadelphia to adopt a 10-point voluntary code of conduct known as the Responsible Firearms Retailer Partnership Agreement, ultimately leading to a reduction in illegal gun sales. The group also works to persuade city officials to require or at least encourage this code.
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Health and Vitals Screening in a Primary Care Clinic for Latinos
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2012SUMMER Kris Gallagher
Interfaith Hospitality Network
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Interfaith Hospitality Network, under the Family Promise of Gloucester County, is a network of churches of all denominations that focuses on homeless families: providing shelter, food, and social services with an aim toward the families becoming self-sufficient. This grant went toward children’s medical, dental, and eye care co-pays and prescriptions.
Douglas Worrall
United Community Clinic Vision Program
Perelman School of Medicine
The Vision Program of United Community Clinic (UCC) of East Parkside offers comprehensive vision care, from a complete vision exam to frames and prescription lenses, in just two visits and at no charge for the patient. Community needs assessments completed by UCC regularly show vision as a health needs priority, affecting 55% of the population surveyed in a recent assessment. This grant funded a portion of the patients on the Vision Program’s waiting list.
Sue Canning
Emergency Dental Care
Perelman School of Medicine
Pierre Toussaint Dental Office, a program of the Ministry of Caring (MOC) in Wilmington, Delaware, supports dental care visits for the poor, including the homeless and uninsured. MOC offers a full network of social, health, and support services for the population. The grant funded emergency dental visits.
Janelle Harris
Penn Careers in the City
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
The Community Outreach Committee of the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania's Ravdin 9 developed a partnership with Robeson High at 4125 Ludlow in West Philadelphia by producing a presentation on the effects of smoking on the body and smoking prevention. From that event, the group realized that this local high school and the children would benefit from a health care career fair, which CAREs funding supported. Penn Medicine participants included RNs, respiratory therapists, and social workers.
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Aliya and Wanda Rogers
Health Education Referral Outreach Project
Home Care and Hospice
The Health Education Referral Outreach (HERO) Project, a community outreach program founded by two Penn Medicine employees (a mother and daughter), is primarily based at New Hope Outreach Center in Germantown. With this grant, HERO established a weekly clinic where screenings and referrals are conducted, health care fairs providing education and screenings (aimed at African Americans of Germantown), and falls prevention presentations to seniors in the area of Pennsylvania Hospital.
Vivian Prince
Summer Skin Protection
Clinical Practices of the University of Pennsylvania
No stranger to West Philadelphia health fairs, Vivian Prince, nurse manager from Penn Center for Rehab and Care, was awarded a grant to support a series of four summer workshops. These workshops take place in the 19104 zip code at different locations addressing different audiences (seniors, children, etc.) to raise awareness of skin cancer and preventative measures.
Jeanie Carpenter
Montgomery Early Learning Center Infant Friendship Center
Corporate
This grant went toward funding two new programs within Montgomery Early Learning Center, specifically the branch in the 19104 zip code. The first program offered hearing and vision screening for 2-4 year olds. The second program created educational packets for parents of children diagnosed as special needs. The packet pulled together resources for emotional and financial support while providing a wide base of education for parents. These packets highlighted federal, state, and city information and also pointed parents toward CHOP’s Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities and the Friendship Circle, a social support organization that targets families with special needs children.
Eric Morgenstein
Camp Bright Feathers, Haven Youth Center
Home Care and Hospice
Camp Bright Feathers, an overnight camping experience for children and teens, ages 7-18, in Southwest Philadelphia that are HIV infected or affected, received CAREs funding for educational materials and transportation costs. The camp educates and entertains, focusing on promoting positive attitudes and key developmental tasks. Camp Bright Feathers is fully funded by Haven Youth Center, which concentrates on the same demographic. 71
Zheya Jenny Yu
Raising Healthy and Happy Kids in East Asian Families
Pennsylvania Hospital
In a culture with a reluctance to use mental health services, Zheya Jenny Yu and her partner, Ingrid Chung, produced several outreach sessions aimed at the East Asian community in the Philadelphia area. Cultural and language access barriers may also discourage Asian families from seeking help. These sessions were created to spread the word about the signs and symptoms of mental health and learning issues in children, as well as specific acculturation and assimilation difficulties related to recent immigration. This team also trained group leaders in the East Asian community to help families in need get the appropriate help. CAREs funding went toward furthering this outreach.
Michele Pastorius
Nurture Your Core Women's Retreat
Penn Presbyterian
Michele Pastorius, a nurse in the Interventional Cardiology Unit at Presbyterian, and her partner, Kim Lacy, have been actively involved with Narcotics Anonymous (NA) for 25 years. Noting the absence of any NA women’s retreats in eastern Pennsylvania, Michele and Kim conducted the area’s first retreat in the Poconos. 60 women from NA groups from Philadelphia and the surrounding counties attended this Nurturing Your Core Women's Retreat, where the goal was to help empower these women in recovery from drugs and alcohol to live a productive, sustained life free of substance-abuse. Grant money went toward items to produce this retreat.
James Bobyak
Pharmacy Brown Bag Program
Pennsylvania Hospital
The Pharmacy at Pennsylvania Hospital has set up an in-house outreach service to educate people on their prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. The medication is reviewed by the pharmacist who educates the patient on consumption, storage, and interactions and answers any questions the patient may have. Also, the Pharmacy takes an intensive approach to educating the patient during medication counseling at patient discharge. With grant funding, pill organizers were purchased for both projects, simplifying medication regimens for patients, ensuring proper home administration and reducing hospital readmissions.
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United Community Clinic Vision Program
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Pharmacy Brown Bag Program
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2012SPRING Nicholas Kenji Taylor
The Cut Hypertension Program
Perelman School of Medicine
The Cut Hypertension Program, started by the Penn Medicine Student National Medical Association Chapter, addresses the hypertension health disparity through preventative screening and education on healthy lifestyle modification by direct engagement and partnership with the African American community in West Philadelphia’s barbershops. CAREs funding supported printing and distribution of blood pressure educational materials.
Phillis Dupree
The Heart of the Caregivers in the Community
Home Care and Hospice
The Beulah Baptist Church in West Philadelphia is open 19 hours a day, seven days a week, year-round to provide care to seniors. The grant money covered an AED defibrillator, sphygmomanometers (blood pressure cuffs), thermometers, stethoscopes, and wheelchairs and ramps used in their community outreach health ministries.
Pandora Chua
University City Hospitality Coalition Clinic
Perelman School of Medicine
University City Hospitality Coalition (UCHC) Clinic is a free medical practice run by students of the Perelman School of Medicine. The mission is to 1) provide free medical care, education, and referral services to low-income and homeless individuals who attend weekly UCHC dinners at St. Agatha-St. James Church; and 2) provide medical training and education to medical students and undergraduates who volunteer at the clinic. UCHC operates on Wednesday evenings, a few minutes’ walk from campus, serving West Philadelphia's homeless and underserved population by offering acute and emergency care, hypertension and diabetes screening, flu shots, condom distribution, and social service referrals. Medical students interview and examine patients and work with the attending physician to determine treatment options. Grant funding provided a new laptop for the clinic and vaccinations.
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Marion Leary
Sink or Swim Philadelphia
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
In 2010, nearly 50 million Americans were uninsured; this estimate did not take into account those who were underinsured. Working-age adults constitute more than 8% of Pennsylvania’s uninsured. Sink or Swim Philadelphia was created to help fill the severe gap in healthcare coverage for people who need the most medical care at the most desperate times. Its mission is to assist uninsured or underinsured people in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties, by paying for necessary medical expenses through social networking and web donations.
Johanne Louis
The Vermase Foundation
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
The Vermase Foundation is a Christian, international, nonprofit relief organization with headquarters in Upper Darby, that delivers food, medicine, clothing, and other necessities to individuals and families who lack these essentials due to famine, poverty, or natural disaster. They serve people in need as close as The First Haitian Church of God at 6219 Lancaster Avenue and as far away as Haiti after its recent devastating earthquake. The grant was used to purchase health screening supplies, a scale, blood pressure cuffs, stethoscopes, glucometers, and other similar equipment.
The Vermase Foundation
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The Cut Hypertension Program
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2012WINTER Margie Delaney
The Veterans Group
Corporate
The Veterans Group is a 48-bed shelter facility situated in the quiet Powelton Village section of West Philadelphia. The purpose of this nonprofit is to provide food, shelter, and casemanagement services to homeless veterans who have served in the United States Armed Forces, empowering them to once again become productive members of society. The CAREs funding was used to purchase dining tables and chairs so the group can have its meals together.
Sharon Civa
Hospice Volunteer Reiki Program
Home Care and Hospice
At Wissahickon Hospice, the results of an introductory Reiki program, a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation, showed a measurable decrease in patients’ anxiety and pain while promoting a peaceful feeling — for both the patient and family — during the end of life journey. This grant enabled Wissahickon Hospice to expand certified Reiki training to volunteers at Penn Hospice at Rittenhouse, who were then able to offer this beneficial service to hospice patients in the community and at long-term care facilities.
Nora Brennan
Weighing In!
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Repeat heart failure hospitalizations can be prevented if patients diagnosed with advanced stages of heart failure weigh themselves daily. This action can foster an understanding of the disease process and promote more intensive self care. Penn Medicine has undertaken a huge effort to reduce heart failure readmission rates, advising patients in their discharge plan to weigh themselves daily, yet the financial circumstance of many patients prevents them from purchasing a scale. This grant provided 69 patients with scales so they could be actively involved in their recovery after hospitalization for heart failure.
Julie Stutzbach
Dance for PD in Philadelphia
Pennsylvania Hospital
The Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center of Penn Medicine is dedicated to providing extensive outreach programs that improve the quality of life for its patients. One of its most exciting and successful outreach programs is Dance for PD (Parkinson’s Disease), a movement class specifically designed for patients diagnosed with PD and other movement disorders. Classes are held in Philadelphia and West Chester.
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Andrea Blount
Falls Prevention - Watch Your Step
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Penn Medicine operates a Level I Trauma Center, worldrenowned for innovation in health care delivery, research, and patient care. In 2011, 719 patients were seen in Penn’s Trauma Center as a result of falls, more than 50% of which occurred at home. Nearly 50% of these patients were age 55 and over. This growing, aging population was the focus of an educational program developed and maintained through Trauma and sponsored in part by the CAREs grant.
Camille Evans
New Choices Career Development
Corporate
The New Choices Career Development Program at Delaware County Community College has provided free, intensive career development services to single parents, displaced homemakers, and unemployed and low-income individuals in Delaware, Chester, and Philadelphia counties for 29 years. This program provides a seven-week series of workshops that meets for five hours, twice weekly, in groups of 15-20. Participants gain the skills necessary to identify a viable career target, develop an individualized career plan, create a resume, enhance interviewing skills, and improve job search skills. All program participants are afforded the full array of services available at the college, many of which assist individuals with specific needs. This grant helped ease the burden of child care costs for participants.
James Bobyak
Pharmacy Brown Bag Program
Pennsylvania Hospital
The Pharmacy at Pennsylvania Hospital has set up an in-house, outreach service to educate people on their prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. The medication is reviewed by the pharmacist, who not only educates the patients on consumption, storage, and interactions, but also answers their questions. Also the Pharmacy takes an intensive approach to educating patients during medication counseling at patient discharge. With grant funds, pill organizers were purchased for both projects, simplifying medication regimens for patients, ensuring proper home administration, and reducing hospital readmissions.
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Monica Yun Liu
Service Link at Sayre
Perelman School of Medicine
Service Link is a project at Sayre Health Center in West Philadelphia that connects low-income patients with basic resources — such as health insurance, food, housing, heating assistance, and legal referrals — that they need in order to stay healthy. Fully trained volunteers with the assistance of on-call social workers then assist these patients with applying for various public services, including Medicaid and WIC. This grant helped with the costs of transportation by purchasing SEPTA tokens for Service Link volunteers.
Hospice Volunteer Reiki Program
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Weighing In!
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Dance for PD in Philadelphia
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800.789.PENN To our employees at Penn Medicine
PennMedic
and the students of the Perelman School of Medicine for not only seeing the community need but rising to meet it in creative and impactful ways, we thank you for your commitment. For more information on Penn Medicine and its commitment to the community, please visit PennMedicine.org/community. 800.789.PENN
PennMedic
800.789.PENN
PennMedicine.org
800.789.PENN
PennMedicine.org
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