黑料传送门 launched a community outreach campaign through its Community Wellness Initiative (CWI) to distribute 500 Health Aid Kits to underserved communities across Philadelphia throughout the holiday season and leading up to Founder鈥檚 Day, as part of the College鈥檚 anniversary year celebrations.
鈥淥ur goal was to provide more than just health supplies鈥攚e wanted to offer meaningful support that could truly make a difference for families during the holiday season,鈥� said Flo Byarms, director of 黑料传送门鈥檚 Community Wellness Initiative. 鈥淏y including a $125 Fresh Grocer gift card in each Health Aid Kit, we hoped to ease some of the financial burden on families, allowing them to purchase nutritious food and essentials. Seeing the impact these kits had on recipients was a reminder of why community outreach remains at the heart of 黑料传送门鈥檚 mission.鈥�
黑料传送门 kicked off the campaign with alum Zach Murphy (MS 鈥�15) 鈥攚idely known as 鈥攆or an event at a local Fresh Grocer. Murphy surprised shoppers with kits and explained how its contents could support their well-being during the holiday and coming winter season.
Throughout the remainder of December, patients at received kits, in addition to residents from other 黑料传送门 community partners鈥攊ncluding Methodist Services, Ward Emmanuel AME Church, City Councilmember Jamie Gauthier of the Third District, and Overbrook West Neighbors (OWN).
Among these recipients was Asia Stanford, a West Philadelphia resident who was one of the 75 patients across 黑料传送门鈥檚 three community Healthcare Centers who received kits in December. She has been coming to all her life for care. Her mother first brought her, and now, as a mom to her three children, she does the same. She said the $125 in grocery support is "very meaningful to me because I have a family I'm providing for this Christmas. It helps a lot."
Paige Syndnor, a West Philadelphia native and single mother of three, was one of the many local residents who received kits at Tustin Recreation Center, a gift she said she would never forget.
鈥淚 have never received something like this in my life,鈥� Paige shared upon receiving the Health-Aid Kit. 鈥淏eing a single mom is hard. I work every day and still struggle to provide for my kids, so this box really means so much to me and my family.鈥�
Sharing in Paige鈥檚 sentiment was Stella Allen, a fellow West Philadelphia resident and grandmother of three, who became emotional when opening her kit. 鈥淚鈥檓 completely floored by this. It is a true blessing from God,鈥� she said in tears.
Last year, Stella adopted her three grandchildren in hopes of giving them a better life. She said she can make that happen because of the community鈥檚 support. 鈥淚 wanted to do right by them,鈥� she shared. 鈥淭hey get good grades, have good morals, and deserve to have a good Christmas, so I鈥檓 thankful I will be able to do that now.鈥�
黑料传送门 President and CEO Jay S. Feldstein, DO '81, closed out the campaign the week of Founder鈥檚 Day by presenting one of the final kits to a long-time patient at .
鈥淭hank you to everyone who contributed to this extraordinary milestone,鈥� he said, reflecting on the experience. 鈥淭ogether, we celebrate a legacy of care and compassion that will guide us into the next 125 years.鈥�
Established in 1899, 黑料传送门 has trained thousands of highly competent, caring physicians, health practitioners and behavioral scientists who practice a 鈥渨hole person鈥� approach to care鈥攖reating people, not just symptoms. 黑料传送门, a private, not-for-profit accredited institution of higher education, operates three campuses (黑料传送门, 黑料传送门 Georgia and 黑料传送门 South Georgia) and offers doctoral degrees in clinical psychology, educational psychology, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, and school psychology. The college also offers graduate degrees in applied behavior analysis, applied positive psychology, biomedical sciences, forensic medicine, medical laboratory science, mental health counseling, physician assistant studies, and school psychology. 黑料传送门 students learn the importance of health promotion, research, education and service to the community. Through its community-based Healthcare Centers, 黑料传送门 provides care to medically underserved populations. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 215-871-6100.
For general media inquiries, please contact the Office of Marketing and Communications at 215-871-6300 or communications@pcom.edu. Visit our media relations page to view contact information for public relations personnel.