Visitation Homes
Title: Fostering Community and Resilience at Visitation Homes
Student Interns:
Adja Box
Thomas Jefferson University, College of Population Health
Keziah Smallhorne
Thomas Jefferson University, Sidney Kimmel Medical College
Academic Preceptor:
Zoë Van Orsdol, MA, MPH
Thomas Jefferson University, College of Population Health
Community Preceptor:
Zakiyyah Harris
Program Director, Visitation Homes
Shawna Murray, BSW
Visitation Homes
Community Site:
Visitation Homes is a program of Catholic Charities of Philadelphia (previously known as Catholic Social Services) that has been serving families experiencing homelessness since 2003. The program began as a transitional housing initiative in partnership with the Philadelphia Office of Homeless Services. Located in the Kensington neighborhood, Visitation Homes offer a trauma-informed Permanent Supportive Housing Program for both single mothers and single fathers. Many of the families it serves have a history of significant trauma. The organization’s priority is to create a safe environment that satisfies the basic human need for shelter. When a family is admitted, they receive keys to their own furnished apartment stocked with essentials like linens, kitchenware, toys, cleaning supplies, and more. One of the primary goals is to help families eliminate barriers, achieve self-sufficiency, and improve their quality of life. Program staff work closely with residents to teach them how to lead a healthy lifestyle after experiencing trauma.
Team’s Experience:
The Bridging the Gaps student interns engaged directly with residents to better understand and address the community’s needs. They prioritized community wellness and empowerment by incorporating social drivers of health and women’s health screenings. After identifying where their efforts were most needed, they shifted their focus to wellness initiatives. This included designing an arts workshop aimed at reflection and future envisioning to promote goal-oriented self-expression. They also hosted multiple oral health education sessions for children and helped establish a partnership with Gentle Gratitude Philly to provide free period product kits to residents. On a day-to-day basis, the interns supported ongoing workshops by setting up food, utensils, and other materials, while also actively listening and contributing to discussions when appropriate.
Reflections
“I am grateful to have had this experience. It had a deep impact on my professional, personal, and academic development. I appreciate the staff and community members at Visitation Homes as they made the experience worthwhile. My fondest memories include interviewing one of the residents and building rapport with her for the storytelling project, as well as attending weekly women’s workshops. She [this resident] uses her voice and testimony to educate people and spread awareness about substance use disorders and their detrimental impact on the mind and body. Many of the workshop discussions focused on the importance of self-reflection, self-care, and overall wellness, while also offering the community members parenting advice and informal life coaching. This experience provided me with new ways to build rapport and support underserved communities while enhancing my communication skills. The experience also sharpened my critical thinking, problem-solving, and time management skills so that I can be better equipped for future professional opportunities.”
Adja Box
“This summer, my experience at Visitation Homes has been grounding and restorative. This experience reaffirmed my commitment to working in underserved spaces and expanded my understanding of what truly empathetic care can look like. Throughout the summer, I saw just how resilient both social service providers and the people they support truly are. Everyone here, including the staff, residents, and those who come in to teach and host workshops, feels like a family. They support each other in ways that reminded me of the strength and beauty in community. I hope to carry the patience and perspective I refined here at Visitation Homes with me for the rest of my life.”
Keziah Smallhorne