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Father's Day weekend marked a significant milestone as we celebrated the 10th anniversary of our Men's Wellness Day Event! The idea for the event began in a discussion at our Men’s Coffee Talk event about increasing awareness of health issues impacting men in our communities. Despite the unseasonably drizzly weather this year, our community gathered in Saunders Park Greene to honor not only Men's Wellness Week but also Father's Day, Juneteenth, and the spirit of togetherness that defines our community.​

Throughout the day, attendees had access to a variety of valuable resources designed to promote well-being and support improved health outcomes. These included utility assistance for those in need, free haircuts for a fresh look, and the fun opportunity to blend their own smoothies on a smoothie bike, encouraging healthy habits.

The event was packed with engaging performances and activities catering to all ages and interests. Highlights included a lively group dance lesson that got everyone moving, followed by a run/walk to Drexel Park, fostering camaraderie and fitness. Additionally, several group workout sessions offered participants a chance to break a sweat together!

Many thanks to our partners: Keystone First, Community Legal Services, University of Pennsylvania, 16th Police District Advisory Council, 16th District Philadelphia Police Department, Oak Street Health, Philly Track Jawn, Penn Medicine, West Philadelphia Reading Captains, United Block Captains Association, Royal Court Gamma (Tri-State Kings) of Mu Beta Phi Military fraternity.
Men’s wellness is a cause we cherish and advocate for each June in celebration of Men's Health Month. However, our commitment extends far beyond one month, as we strive to ensure that resources and support for men's health are available throughout the entire year. We believe that promoting wellness is a year-round effort, and we are dedicated to making a meaningful impact in our community.

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