Red Shield Family Residence at Salvation Army

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Exploring Health and Well-Being With Youth at the Red Shield Family Residence

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Student Interns: 

Valerie Gomez, Temple University, Lewis Katz School of Medicine

Mirelle Rojano, Temple University, Lewis Katz School of Medicine

 

Academic Preceptors:

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

 

Community Preceptor: 

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

 

Community Site: 

Red Shield Family Residence at Salvation Army is a safe and welcoming emergency housing program offering the services needed to empower residents to strive toward self-sufficiency. All family configurations, including single parents with children of various ages, are accepted. Programs offered at the site include intensive case management, parenting courses, and after-school and summer enrichment programs.
https://easternusa.salvationarmy.org/eastern-pennsylvania/greater-philadelphia/red-shield-family-residence/

 

Team’s Experience:
The Bridging the Gaps student interns taught children aged 7 to 12 about various health topics, including cardiovascular health, mental health, and oral health, through a series of presentations and hands-on activities. The interns also provided a space for the children to explore their creativity and manage their stress through art and exercise. This safe environment for self-expression allowed the children to improve their communication skills and form trusting relationships with one another. The summer enrichment program highlighted important health topics and served as an outlet for children experiencing challenging times.

 

Intern Statements:

Valerie Gomez: “My time at the Red Shield Family Shelter has been a memorable experience and taught me countless lessons that helped me connect with the Philadelphia community. Spending the majority of my summer with the kids at the shelter has taught me a lot of patience and understanding. Before this experience, I had never been inside of a shelter. I have seen families with their children trying to get back on their feet and working towards a better future. Overall, my experience at the family shelter will allow me to have a better understanding of families that I may encounter that are experiencing homelessness and what the process looks like for being placed in a shelter, which is far more difficult and frustrating than I could ever imagine. I understand more about the struggles the kids face at the shelter and how as a physician I can help to address some of the barriers they face (such as nutrition and mental health wellness) and provide accessible resources.” 

Mirelle Rojano: “Working this summer at the Red Shield Family Residence site was very eye-opening and impactful in ways that I did not expect. Although I enjoyed planning and teaching health topics to the students at the shelter, what was most meaningful to me was getting to know the students on a personal level. Learning about how different circumstances shaped their development and outlook on life, pushed me to become a better listener and constantly encouraged me to change the ways I approached difficult situations. Whenever I would find myself discouraged that I couldn’t do more to help, I would remind myself that at least for this particular child, for this particular family, I was in some way making a difference. I may have not done much for them, but the effect they had on me will last forever. I look forward to continuing my participation in community programs to gain an even better understanding of people from different backgrounds as well as helping promote healthier practices. I am sure that my experience with Red Shield will help me become the thoughtful, informed, and empathetic family physician that I strive to become.”

 

 

To Our Children’s Future With Health (TOCFWH)

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To Our Children’s Future With Health: Educational Experiences at Summer Camp

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Student Intern: 

Joshua Somers, Temple University, Lewis Katz School of Medicine

 

Academic Preceptor:

Nora Jones, PhD, FCPP, Temple University, Lewis Katz School of Medicine

Providenza Rocco, JD, MSW, MBE, Temple University, Lewis Katz School of Medicine

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

 

Community Preceptor:

Charmaine Sudler Milligan, Director of Services, TOCFWH

 

Community Site:

The mission of To Our Children’s Future With Health (TOCFWH) is to empower youth, adults, and communities toward healthy living by providing comprehensive community health and education services. 

 

Team’s Experience: 

The Bridging the Gaps student intern taught alongside a summer camp teacher in a classroom with 13 middle-school-aged children. The camp included different activities to enhance the students' education, including, social-emotional learning discussions, Project Alert lessons, discussion about the impact of social media on our lives, and a cardiovascular health activity. The Project Alert lessons covered use of alcohol, marijuana, and cigarettes. The children learned about the impacts of these substances and were given opportunities to share their thoughts and knowledge on the topics. In addition to these activities, the intern assisted in implementing the GSK Science in the Summer™: Be a Biologist program, which is put together through the Franklin Institute.

 

Intern Statements:

Joshua Somers: “My time with TOCFWH was filled with an array of projects, discussions, activities, and field trips with the campers. This Bridging the Gaps Community Health Internship Program allowed me to get involved in the North Philadelphia community and connect with the children and their families living in this area. I quickly noticed the impact of the pandemic; I saw kids who were the same age at very different reading, writing, and math levels. Unfortunately, the community that TOCFWH serves suffered significantly from the pandemic on top of the health consequences of COVID. As a future physician with hope of working with children, I appreciated having the opportunity to get to know the kids and what their everyday lives are like, challenges that they face, and their favorite things to do. Connecting with patients is such a strong way to build relationships and trust. Being at this camp, I was on the front line of getting to know the kids in this community. This experience will help me in my profession as I move forward, building new relationships both with patients and members of the communities I will be serving.”

 

 

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