Center in the Park

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Assessing Health, Wellness, and Diversity Among the 55+ Community at Center in the Park (click to view poster)

 

Student Interns: 

Jacob Beckman, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University

Olamide Sowole, Temple University, College of Public Health

Denise Swygert-Huzzy, Temple University, School of Social Work – College of Public Health

 

Academic Preceptors:

Ingrid Mapanao, MSW, MPH, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University

Brian Work, MD, MPH, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University

Jerome Wright, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University

 

Community Preceptor: 

Cleo Smalls, MBA, Center Director, Center in the Park

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Community Site: 

Center in the Park (CIP) is a nationally accredited nonprofit senior community center dedicated to promoting positive aging and fostering community connections for its older adult members. The Center provides older adults an opportunity to engage their minds, bodies, and spirits, asserting that growth and learning are lifelong pursuits. Located in the Germantown neighborhood of Northwest Philadelphia, Center in the Park is available to adults 55+ from across the city. The Center offers community support and programming, ranging from exercise and dance classes, piano lessons, and art classes to housing counseling, nutrition assistance, and an on-site social worker.  

 

Project:

The Bridging the Gaps student interns were assigned individual projects focused on addressing areas of potential growth for the Center to be presented to the staff leadership team at the conclusion of the program. The interns also created two separate presentations — one focused on health and wellness and the other on technology proficiency — and presented them to small groups of CIP members interested in the subjects. In conjunction with their assigned tasks, each intern also spent the summer engaging with CIP members and staff during community events such as the Juneteenth celebration and by sitting in on workshops and distributing Philadelphia Corporation for Aging produce vouchers. Many meaningful relationships were built along the way.

 

Intern Reflections:

Jacob Beckman: “I am incredibly grateful to have spent the summer working with and learning from the wonderful members and staff at Center in the Park. Prior to my time with CIP, most of my interactions with older adults were in the context of healthcare, a setting defined by illness that provides an incomplete understanding of what it means to grow old. Conversely, CIP has imparted a refreshing and invaluable perspective on aging encapsulated by one of the Center’s favorite slogans: “You’re never too old, and it’s never too late.” I appreciate the members at CIP for embracing my team of Bridging the Gaps interns and sharing their stories of triumph, hardship, resilience, and their excitement for their community and their future. The support, wisdom, and kindness that I received there will stick with me for the rest of my life and will undoubtedly inform my practice as a future physician.”

 

Olamide Sowole: “During my time at CIP, I have learned a great deal about the value of healthy aging and the need for its promotion. Rather than neglecting the social needs of the elderly, CIP acts as a resource for nurturing, fostering, and promoting holistic social and behavioral services to assist Germantown’s aging population. Additionally, working with fellow BTG interns has helped me to see the advantage of incorporating diverse perspectives into the organizational and customer-facing structure of a nongovernmental organization devoted to surmounting the odds in a capitalist-driven economy. CIP stands as a monument of the population health model of providing systematic intervention to a vulnerable population.”

 

Denise Swygert-Huzzy: “Time was exceptionally well spent during the Bridging the Gaps internship at Center in the Park. There was a myriad of personalized experiences with CIP’s lovely 55+ aging population, including impromptu discussions, planned activities, live interviews, their Juneteenth celebration, and honoring birthday celebrants of the month. This Bridging the Gaps Community Health Internship Program allowed space for up-close involvement with the members of the CIP community to connect with the 55+ citizens aging positively and living in the Germantown area. The COVID-19 pandemic unfortunately affected many in the CIP community by way of depression. The CIP members reported that isolation during the quarantine phase was brutal as well as suffering the deaths of family members and close friends due to complications with the virus. As a school social worker pursuing a Master of Social Work, connecting with some of Philadelphia’s aging population has prompted me to consider a concentration in geriatrics after graduation. The BTG experience will undoubtedly enhance how I move forward in my social work career.”

 

 

Lenfest Center for Community Workforce Partnerships, Temple University’s Vice President’s Office for Public Affairs

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Promoting the Health and Well-Being of Communities with the Lenfest Center (click to view poster)

 

Student Interns: 

Santiago Appiani, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University

Michael Mirarchi, Temple University, School of Social Work – College of Public Health

 

Academic Preceptor:

Brian Work, MD, MPH, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University

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Community Preceptor:

Alejandra Castano, MSW, PHA Cares Project Coordinator, Lenfest Center for Community Workforce Partnerships, Temple University’s Vice President’s Office for Public Affairs

Shirley Moy, MSW, Executive Director, Lenfest Center for Community Workforce Partnerships, Temple University’s Vice President’s Office for Public Affairs

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Community Site:

The Lenfest Center for Community Workforce Partnerships (LCCWP) is a part of Temple University’s Office of Public Affairs. Its mission is to engage people throughout the North Philadelphia area and address the issues that affect those communities. It has several programs through which it supports adult education, career development, health literacy, public housing, trauma education, and many other aspects of the community.

 

Project:

The Bridging the Gaps student interns provided math tutoring for adults studying for the GED and support for the Lenfest Center’s Resiliency in Communities After Stress and Trauma program, which funds community organizations to promote healing from trauma and stress. They also assisted with the Temple job fair by helping to set up and take down the event and by answering job seekers’ questions about the fair. They manned a table at a Parenting Day event at the Achieving Independence Center (AIC), which supports young adults aging out of foster care. At this event, the interns answered health-related questions from new and expecting mothers. The interns also participated in discussions during a mental health class taught by AIC for teens in foster care. The interns also manned a table at the Philadelphia Housing Authority’s (PHA) Jump Into Summer event, where they distributed leaflets on summer health topics along with free sunscreen, and prepared and presented various health-related topics at PHA sites. Finally, the interns provided support to the Lenfest Center’s Branching Up Program, which gives incarcerated men early release from prison conditioned on their completing an internship and obtaining full-time employment after the internship.

 

Intern Reflections:

Santiago Appiani: “BTG CHIP has given me the experience to become a more caring and understanding healthcare provider. By both working at the Lenfest Center for Community Workforce Partnerships and learning and discussing various topics about the disparities of healthcare on the Wednesday sessions, I have been given a lot of new tools and skills to help with communicating and connecting with people, and the opportunity to apply and practice these lessons with real people. Additionally, my gained knowledge about the different city resources available for struggling people will aid in my future healthcare work. Finally, the experiences at BTG CHIP will allow me to be a kinder and more empathetic person in my everyday life.”

 

Mike Mirarchi: “BTG CHIP has given me valuable firsthand experience working with clients in vulnerable populations. It has shown me the power of macro social work to effect structural change, as the various programs offered by the Lenfest Center result in people living in North Philadelphia achieving greater economic security. My work supporting men participating in the Lenfest Center’s Branching Up Program, which gets men who were incarcerated early release from parole, has shown me how critical economic opportunity is to preventing recidivism and the importance of providing support to men who are reentering society after having been incarcerated. The Wednesday presentations challenged me to think about issues, such as period poverty, that I had never even been aware of due to my privileged demographic.”

 

 

Lutheran Settlement House

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Combating Food Insecurity and Promoting Wellness at Lutheran Settlement House (click to view poster)

 

Student Interns: 

Zoie Bissic, Temple University, School of Social Work – College of Public Health

Jared Dickson, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University

 

Academic Preceptor:

Ingrid Mapanao, MSW, MPH, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University

Brian Work, MD, MPH, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University

Jerome Wright, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University

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Community Preceptor:

Meg Finley, Senior Services and Nutrition Director, Lutheran Settlement House

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Community Site:

Founded in 1902, Lutheran Settlement House (LSH) provides a wide range of services to more than 6,000 members of the Philadelphia community each year. The senior center at LSH holds activities, informational sessions, and meals throughout the week for members’ wellness and enjoyment. LSH provides food services through their Hungry to Healthy program for the community of Fishtown and surrounding areas. There is a food pantry Monday through Friday, and LSH distributes fresh produce and other perishable goods as part of their Choice Pantry and Fresh Farm Stand every Thursday. LSH offers services to those experiencing housing insecurity through the Jane Addams Place, which works with LSH to provide shelter to families across Philadelphia. Additionally, LSH offers domestic violence services that provide counseling and support for survivors of domestic violence.

 

Project:

The Bridging the Gaps student interns helped combat food insecurity and promote wellness at Lutheran Settlement House through its Hungry to Healthy program by serving as community advocates and pantry assistants. The interns organized food deliveries, packaged food for distribution, arranged the food pantry, and assisted over 150 community members weekly with signing-in and gathering their food items, and by entering new clients into the site’s database. The interns promoted healthy practices and wellness at the LSH senior center through a cardiovascular health and smoking cessation presentation. Additionally, they promoted oral health by distributing informational flyers and oral health supplies to community members at the food pantry.

 

Intern Reflections: 

Zoie Bissic: “The Bridging the Gaps internship program was an insightful experience for our development as healthcare professionals. Working with the Lutheran Settlement House in Fishtown gave me a lot of insight into the problems of the local community, but also visiting other BTG sites across Philly showed me multiple communities and their individual struggles. I’m grateful for my time with BTG because I don’t know if I would have been exposed to as many organizations that support individuals, families, and children in Philadelphia. Being able to serve many different communities was also extremely personally rewarding. Serving the community showed me that although we can’t save anyone with a brief interaction, we can work to help individuals feel supported by their community. The BTG program made me realize that one moment of support could help someone for a long time. I hope to use my memories from this experience to remember the importance of serving each client as an individual throughout my career as a future social worker.”

 

Jared Dickson: “Serving at Lutheran Settlement House this summer was an eye-opening and humbling experience. While I was aware that Philadelphia has a significant number of underserved populations, I lacked firsthand experiences that would allow me to understand the extensive hardships endured in these Philadelphia communities. Hearing about the health disparities in Philadelphia communities only goes so far, but my BTG experience at Lutheran Settlement House made these disparities, such as food insecurity, clear and definite. Listening to the stories and experiences of community members at my site taught me about the barriers many people face that prevent them from maintaining good health. However, the gratitude expressed by our food pantry clients each week demonstrated the impact that the simple service of providing a variety of fresh produce and nonperishable food items can have on the health and wellness of individuals. I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to serve the Philadelphia community through Lutheran Settlement House, and I am confident that the experiences and lessons learned from this internship will prepare me well in caring, connecting, and listening to my future patients as a physician.”

 

 

Red Shield Family Residence at the Salvation Army 

 

Fostering Connection and Relationships with Youth at the Red Shield Family Residence (click to view poster)

 

Student Intern:

Sheba Daniel, Temple University, School of Social Work – College of Public Health

Allison Stern, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University

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Academic Preceptor:

Ingrid Mapanao, MSW, MPH, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University

Brian Work, MD, MPH, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University

Jerome Wright, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University

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Community Preceptor:

Katie Barnhart, MSW, Assistant Director, Red Shield Family Residence

Deanna Handy, Youth Services Coordinator, Red Shield Family Residence, The Salvation Army Greater Philadelphia

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Community Site:

The Red Shield Family Residence at Salvation Army is a safe and welcoming emergency housing program that offers supportive services to equip families with the necessary tools to achieve

self-sufficiency, including weekly case management and child-centered resources. This institution welcomes individuals regardless of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, or age. The institution primarily serves mothers with young children, but all parents and children are welcome.

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Project: 

The Bridging the Gaps student interns worked on a project that addressed cardiovascular health, focusing on the impact of stress on the human body. They spent time with the residents discussing how crucial the early years of a child’s life are, influencing physical health, social interactions, and emotional growth. They examined how stress affects children holistically and how life transitions such as homelessness can be a risk factor for long-term stress and anxiety. The interns created a presentation that included information on heart-healthy habits, stress management techniques, healthy food options, the benefits of art and journaling, and the importance of physical activity, with the goal of helping the kids develop heart-healthy habits they could incorporate into their daily lives. The interns also participated in various field trips and programs that centered around stress management, including crafting sessions, physical recreation, and a smoothie-making workshop. All the activities reinforced the primary objective and helped deliver the message more effectively.

 

Intern Reflections: 

Sheba Daniel and Allison Stern: “In our work with children and teens at Red Shield Family Residence, we learned about the complex dynamics of housing insecurity. Despite challenging circumstances, every kid embodied a spirit of resilience and optimism. There is a lot we could learn from their uncanny ability to turn any situation into a time for joy and playfulness. However, we also know that resilience is not a stand-in for the support these children need. Within the framework of this program, we were able to create an environment with a dual purpose for the young residents. One aspect served to foster the simple joys of being kids, while the other emphasized the importance of expressing emotions, navigating anxieties, and reaffirming self-worth. These kids did not just give us a chance to teach — they gave us a chance to learn, and we will use these lessons to guide our approach to patient care and social support.”

 

 

To Our Children’s Future With Health

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To Our Children’s Future With Health, Inc., Summer Internship (click to view poster)

 

Student Interns:

Frances Resweber, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University

Gerardo Salgado-Martinez, Temple University, College of Public Health

 

Academic Preceptor:

Brian Work, MD, MPH, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University

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Community Preceptor:

Charmaine Sudler-Milligan, MSW, Director of Services, To Our Children’s Future With Health

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Community Site:

To Our Children’s Future With Health, Inc. (TOCFWH), is a community-based nonprofit that serves the Overbrook and Nicetown-Tioga sections of Philadelphia by providing community health and education services. Its summer program operates from Kenderton Elementary School and provides rising first- through seventh-graders in the School District of Philadelphia with summer camp experiences, including classroom activities and weekly field trips.

 

Project:

The Bridging the Gaps student interns worked with the team at To Our Children’s Future With Health to provide a summer camp experience to rising first- through seventh-grade children in conjunction with academic enrichment provided by the Philadelphia School District. Each intern was assigned to a Kenderton elementary school classroom to work on social-emotional and project-based learning. The Franklin Institute’s To Be a Physicist program provided STEM exposure. The interns also provided oral health education and supplies to all students.

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Intern Statements:

Frances Resweber: “The BTG CHIP program has given me direct experience working with Philadelphia youth and helped me better understand the multifaceted process of their childhood development. As a BTG intern, I got the opportunity to work with children from various backgrounds and home lives and am growing to understand the impact those lived experiences have on their behaviors and personalities in the classroom. This will be invaluable to me as I grow towards working with patients and their families in a career in pediatrics.”

 

Gerardo Salgado-Martinez: “My time spent with the BTG CHIP program thus far has provided me with insight and skill development in regard to working with Philadelphia youth. I have come to understand how differences in upbringing and environment influence each child and their abilities to interact with one another. I have been given tools to foster connections with each of the children I work with and their families. I will always look back on my experience at To Our Children’s Future With Health in my future career as a public health practitioner.”