Fun, food & fitness
The Philly Counts neighborhood engagement team works hard to find new and unique ways to connect with residents all over Philadelphia. In the past year, the neighborhood engagement team has hosted vaccine clinics at schools, partnered with REFORM Alliance for job fairs, and provided coats and food during the winter. With the COVID-19 vaccine now available for those six months and older, the team created an event series where the entire family could get involved and learn more about wellness called the “Food, Fun, and Fitness” program.
Each Food, Fun, and Fitness event had COVID-19 resources provided by Philly Counts as well as other resources and information shared by City departments. Kids played an old-fashioned game of tag with a twist featuring facts about the COVID-19 vaccine, and lunch was provided by a Philadelphia favorite: Wawa. It was a great way to engage with and give back to the community. The final Food, Fun, and Fitness event of the season was held on September 15th at Lindley Academy in the Olney section of Philadelphia. To keep up with the engagement team this fall sign-up for the Philly Counts newsletter!
Philly Counts Community Health Workers
Earlier this year, the Philly Counts Office, in partnership with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health’s Division of Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention, started its Community Health Workers (CHW) program. CHWs were recruited, trained, and deployed throughout the City to help alleviate the effects of COVID-19 and promote healthy communities through care referrals and information sharing.
CHWs work in neighborhoods to elevate ongoing public health efforts, engage directly with community residents, and serve as a bridge between the Philadelphia Department of Public Health and the community, with a particular focus on communities of color. Since the program began, CHWs have reached out to more than 4,000 residents who requested food, utility, housing, or financial assistance, and to date, over 1,200 residents received support.
Lifelong Philadelphia resident Lakisha Rodriguez was inspired to apply to the Community Health Worker program because she has always had a passion for helping others and watching them progress. When asked what has been the best part about being a Community Health Worker, Lakisha shared, “I love being a positive example for my children. CHWs are so needed and should be uplifted, people are going through a lot. It’s about building a network to help more people and share resources. Recently, SNAP benefits increased and many people didn’t know about it. Spreading information like that is so important and I’m just glad I had the information to give.”
Residents can connect with a Philly Counts Community Health Worker by emailing PhillyCounts@phila.gov.
Tackling water insecurity
At Philly Counts, we believe in listening to people. We host weekly phone banks to connect Philadelphians to the most vital resources surrounding food insecurity, rental, and utility assistance. We know that when we address these basic quality of life issues folks are happier and healthier. sIn partnership with the Philadelphia Water Department, Philly Count’s phone bankers have made over 14,000 calls to residents scheduled for water shut off. Water shut-offs can be postponed for two weeks by requesting an application to water shut-off program. If accepted, Pennsylvania is offering one-time grants for up to $5,000 for unpaid water bills. Since July, our team has connected over 1,000 families to water bill assistance programs.
Residents can request an application or apply for programs that make water services more affordable for their household at phila.gov/water-bill-help or by calling (215) 685-6300.
