Jane Addams Place
Title: Fostering Family, Community, and Connections
Student Interns:
Aisha Adebisi
Temple University, School of Pharmacy
Adaeze Oduma
Temple University, College of Public Health
Academic Preceptor:
Jerome Wright, MSW, LSW
Temple University, Lewis Katz School of Medicine
Community Preceptor:
Briana Clarke
Manager of Children’s Services
Jane Addams Place, Lutheran Settlement House
Community Site:
Jane Addams Place is a family shelter located in North Philadelphia, connected with Lutheran Settlement House. It is a place where families stay for up to 12 months as they navigate homelessness and try to find stability again. It offers services that support families’ holistic well-being, including case management, educational support, therapeutic support, community activities, and programming.
Team’s Experience:
The Bridging the Gaps interns worked with staff and residents at Jane Addams Place, developing weekly programming for the shelter’s families and children. In addition to building relationships with residents, the interns organized events including Camp Crafts, a Talent Show, karaoke, and a field trip to Sesame Place. These events were intentionally designed so that all members of a family could collaborate and participate together, fostering bonding. The interns also decluttered and organized donations to meet the demands of the residents and identify any gaps. To promote long-lasting hygiene behaviors, the interns hosted an interactive oral health presentation. Through games like trivia and bingo, families collaborated and learned important information. Families also received oral health kits and dental health trackers. These activities aimed to foster community, address shelter needs, and support residents’ well-being through education and engagement.
Reflections
My time at Jane Addams Place was deeply meaningful and changed how I understand housing instability. I witnessed families doing everything they could to build stable lives while facing barriers far beyond their control, which gave me a new understanding of housing instability and the shortage of affordable housing. I also witnessed how the lack of accessible summer programming for children affected parents’ ability to work, search for jobs, and care for themselves, reminding me that resources like childcare are essential to a family’s well-being. Being able to support the children through programming gave me a sense of purpose and showed me how even small acts of service can make a meaningful difference. This experience broadened my perspective on the social factors that shape health and reinforced that caring for patients means understanding the circumstances that shape their lives, not just treating their symptoms.
Aisha Adebisi
My experience at Jane Addams was very insightful and significant for me. It was my first time working in a shelter setting. The families and staff were amazing with their proactivity and ability to be creative, not only via the arts but also in navigating systems. Much of the programming we helped organize emphasized that there are many avenues to facilitate holistic health and wellness. Providing children and adults moments of pause and levity can do so much in helping them navigate difficult realities. Being at my site and the Wednesday sessions have grown my understanding of the need for nuance and trauma-informed care. This intentionality is necessary to see improvements for the future of patients and clients, but also as professionals. Personally and professionally, I am inspired to continue moving with intention and cultural competence that shows the people I work with that I am here to support them, being very much aware that I’m not there to fix or solve their lives, but to walk with them and hold space.
Adaeze Oduma
