Get to know our 2025 Lancaster Avenue Jazz & Arts Festival headline performer!

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Dr. Ronald Patrick McManus, Jr. dedicated his career to giving back to the community and providing valuable resources. He worked as a Family Medicine Faculty Physician at Thomas Jefferson University for 25 years before sadly passing away last month. "There is nothing that he would not do to support those he worked with. He was available after hours and would guide young people in getting the best care possible," says Gwen Bailey, Vice President of HopePHL Programs. Gwen collaborated with Dr. McManus from the beginning, when he first had the idea to bring a medical clinic to the teen shelter in 1995.

Dr. McManus served as the Medical Director for Youth Emergency Service (YES) adolescent health program. During his peak involvement, he was at YES twice a week, supervising four to five residents from Jefferson’s Department of Family and Community Medicine who conducted health assessments and provided individualized follow-ups.

He also established a connection between YES and the summer resident program at Jefferson called Bridging the Gap. This initiative brought two medical residents to YES, where they designed and implemented a summer program based on activities requested by teens. These included both fun and educational activities.

Dr. McManus was devoted to supporting teens in need and made himself available for consultations at any time of day or night. He provided counseling to teens in a trauma-sensitive manner. Even after concluding his tenure with Jefferson, he continued to contribute in different ways, especially during the holiday season where he would fulfill wish lists for the teens at YES, to ensure that they were able to experience the joy of the holidays. Additionally, he served on the board of Youth Service, Inc.

We are deeply grateful for the years of service that Dr. McManus contributed to our community. In honor of his legacy in community medicine, we will be naming the Wellness Room at YES after him. Additionally, we will feature a permanent health-related article in our monthly newsletter, titled "The McManus Memo." He will be greatly missed, but his impact will be lasting.

In this edition of our newsletter: Darien's story, a garden transformation, staff spotlight, & more!

At HopePHL, we're committed to providing innovative, responsive services to families experiencing homelessness. We are excited to share that HopePHL has secured two grants through the William Penn Foundation totaling $1.3 million dollars to support our Homelessness Prevention and Diversion and Family Connections programs. With so many deserving causes in our city, we are both honored and grateful to receive this funding, which will help us continue our work toward improving the lives of the people we serve.
The Homelessness Prevention and Diversion Program supports at-risk households, particularly in communities of color and those with chronic illnesses, by helping them maintain housing or find safe alternatives. We provide short-term case management, landlord-tenant mediation, and financial assistance, currently serving about 75 families annually. With backing from the William Penn Foundation, we aim to assist an additional 75 families, targeting those with children aged 0-8.

​HopePHL collaborates with partners like Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, the School District of Philadelphia, and the Philadelphia Office of Homeless Services to identify families facing housing crises, with targeted sub-groups including families involved with Department of Human Services, families of children with disabilities, and families in danger of homelessness due to job and wage loss.

Our easy, trauma-informed referral process includes education on rights under housing laws, legal aid referrals, housing search assistance, eviction prevention grants, and connecting families to benefits like SNAP and TANF. We also offer help with credit repair and rental assistance. Our program's focus on vulnerable families aims to address the trauma and stress of housing insecurity.

Family Connections provides information on parenting, child development, and early learning through home visits, as well as access to supports like clothing, furniture, and financial assistance. We uniquely serve families experiencing homelessness, conducting visits in shelters and supportive housing programs. Annually, we assist about 50 families with children aged 0-5, with plans to expand to over 75 families with the support of this grant. HopePHL will enhance outreach to families receiving services and the broader community, exploring ways to increase caregiver support by participating in partner meetings and launching a marketing campaign to promote our program. Our goals are to increase healthy pregnancies, improve parent knowledge of child development, facilitate early identification of developmental delays, and enhance parenting practices and family health. By focusing on families facing homelessness, our program aims to advance these outcomes specifically for caregivers and children affected by housing insecurity.

Each program's unique approach to serving families experiencing homelessness helps achieve positive outcomes for families who have faced the trauma and stress of housing insecurity like Kerry, Charles, and Cassandra. We look forward to strengthening these programs with the generous support of the William Penn Foundation!

Join us this month in recognizing and celebrating these special days and month-long celebrations!

Men's Health Month
National Safety Month
African American Music Appreciation Month
Father's Day
​Juneteenth

We are so excited to be nominated in Metro Philly's Best 2025! Our Lancaster Avenue Jazz & Arts Festival has been nominated for Best Annual Event/Festival.
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You can vote once a day until August 8th. Vote daily and share! Thank you for being part of our community and believing in our mission!

​Facing potential homelessness can be an overwhelming challenge for any adult, especially when the well-being of children is at stake. Housing instability can have a profound impact on children's education as well. The prospect of changing schools mid-year can be distressing and intimidating for kids of any age.

​Kerry and Charles were navigating this difficult situation with their two school-aged children along with a one-year-old. They were facing approximately $11,000 in back rent and had received a Notice to Quit from their landlord. Despite Charles working two jobs to cover their ongoing rent and living costs, they fell behind when Kerry took maternity leave and after lost her job. She had been working with the landlord to create a payment plan for the overdue rent, but the total amount was daunting.
 
In a moment of need, Kerry reached out to HopePHL, where she found assistance with their back rent, helping them to avoid homelessness, stay near family, and keep their children in their current schools. “This was truly a big help. It gives us a chance to start fresh," Kerry expressed. At HopePHL, we are dedicated to helping families navigate the challenges they face while striving to recover from crises.

In the face of overwhelming adversity, a single mother of six fought every day to keep her family afloat. She fell behind on rent and bills when she was unable to work for over a year. A temporary reduction in her children’s SSI, coupled with inflexible property management, created a perfect storm of financial hardship. The situation reached a critical point when, for more than three long months, the electricity was shut off, and an overwhelming bill of over $8,000.

HopePHL's timely intervention paid the entire electricity bill, restoring power and, with it, a renewed sense of hope. Empowered by this crucial support, the mother found a part-time job, and gradually, the family began to rebuild their lives – a testament to the transformative power of compassion and community support.

The Early Learning Play Spaces team recently completed their Garden installation at Visitation Homes in North Philadelphia. Everyone had a great day playing in the new area, painting bird houses, and cutting the vine to open the new garden! Check out pictures from the event, including some "before" pictures from the Fall of the area!