Lutheran Settlement House
Title: Lutheran Settlement House
Student Interns:
Mariama Jawara
Temple University, Lewis Katz School of Medicine
Academic Preceptor:
Jerome Wright, MSW, LSW
Temple University, Lewis Katz School of Medicine
Community Preceptor:
Lassiter Williams, MSS, LSW
Lutheran Settlement House
Community Site:
Since opening its doors in 1902, the Lutheran Settlement House has consistently served children, adults, and families in the Philadelphia area. As a nonprofit community-based organization, it has remained committed to evolving with the times by offering a wide range of programs and services. Individuals at the Lutheran Settlement House live out its core mission each day: “to empower individuals, families, and communities to achieve and maintain self-sufficiency through an integrated program of social, educational, and advocacy services.”
Team’s Experience:
The Bridging the Gaps student intern worked with both the staff and the senior members of Lutheran Settlement House. Warmly embraced by its closeknit community of older adults, the intern participated in and assisted with various classes throughout the week and spent time getting to know other members of the Fishtown community outside of the senior center, especially while helping to distribute the annual WIC farmers market vouchers. Everyone was kind, welcoming, and deeply appreciative of the services LSH provides. Lutheran Settlement House is truly a haven for the people of Fishtown.
Reflections
“My time at Lutheran Settlement House has been a real-life testament to the idiom ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover.’ I entered this establishment knowing I would be working with an elderly population and, therefore, immediately associated them with the typical connotations that come with aging, such as having physical disabilities, potential cognitive declines, and a slower-paced lifestyle after years of enduring the rat race of the Western society. While some of these attributes may technically apply, the elders at Lutheran Settlement House have not allowed the limitations that come with age to stop them from truly living. The members of the Lutheran Settlement House are in constant motion: taking initiative with their physical well-being by participating in hour-long exercise or dance classes, engaging in invigorating conversations about today’s world and their health, volunteering to support peers in need, and continuing to serve others in ways similar to their past professions. They may not be as agile as they once were, but they persevere through it all. This experience has taught me the importance of taking the time necessary to learn about each individual because you never know what they are capable of, or what they might need help with.”
Mariama Jawara