About SOWN
SOWN's Wellness Center without Walls - a new initiative
Part of SOWN’s mission is to find new ways to improve how we grow old together. Our newest initiative, Wellness Center without Walls, brings older adults as volunteer health navigators together with their peers. These peer health navigators go to the places – in the homes and neighborhoods of older people – where problems of access and coordination of care are most acute.
SOWN’s Wellness Center without Walls helps older adults increase access and continuity of health care, and is instrumental in prevention.
“I’m more familiar with the health system because of the trainings at SOWN and am proactive for myself,” says Sharon, a 60-year-old West Philadelphia resident, who is waiting to be partnered with someone who will need her knowledge and skill as a volunteer peer health navigator, part of SOWN’s newest initiative, Wellness Center without Walls. Volunteers entered into a two-session workshop in July and August, and will attend training workshops throughout the year as be partnered with other older adults in their communities.
The Wellness Center without Walls program trains volunteers to become peer health navigators who provide emotional and practical support to other older adults in their communities dealing with illness and/or chronic health conditions.
Training includes learning ways to:
· Support someone over the phone
· Help with questions to ask your doctor
· Be an extra set of ears at healthcare appointments
· Help find information about health or other social services
Interested in becoming a volunteer or learning more about Wellness Center without Walls?
Contact Arlene Segal, 215.487.3000 ext 11 or asegal@sown.org
We thank the Barra Foundation for their generous funding of this project.
Selected Philadelphia's Winning Charity for the 2010 Lilith Fair concert tour
SOWN is honored as the selected winning charity for Philadelphia as part of the 2010 Lilith Fair concert tour Facebook contest. SOWN will receive $1/ticket sold in Philadelphia at Lilith Fair on July 28, 2010 at the Susequehanna Bank Center, Camden NJ. See also:
Community Innovations for Aging in Place Technical Assistance Resource Center
Philly.com: Story and Photos (Scroll to #11 and #13 for SOWN!)
SOWN receives Administration on Aging grant for new health initiative
SOWN is one of 15 agencies nationally to receive in October 2009 the Community Innovation for Aging in Place grant from the Administration on Aging to fund SOWN's newest program, Growing Healthy Lives Together, which breaks down barriers to health information and access to wellness resources for older adults who, with limited resources, can continue to live independently with better health, wellness, and community engagement. This funding will support weekly ongoing workshops on healthy living and wellness, healthy diner and snack experiences, one-on-one counseling, access to credible health knowledge and resources, specialized exercise and computer workshops and training.
SOWN receives grant from the Henrietta Tower Wurts Memorial
SOWN wishes to acknowledge and thank the Henrietta Tower Wurts Memorial for a generous grant of $3,000 which will support the Grandparent Ambassador program, which is part of our services for grandparents raising children. The announcement of the grant was made recently by R. Andrew Swinney, President of the Philadelphia Foundation which administers the Memorial. The Wurts Memorial carries out the wishes of Miss Wurts to support needy children and the elderly in Philadelphia. This funding will support the expansion of the Grandparent Ambassador program, which is part of SOWN's GrandFamily Resource Center, which supports over 100 grandparent-headed families. SOWN's Grandparent Ambassadors offer their knowledge, skills, and experience to assist other grandparents raising children in need of support. Volunteers (“ambassadors”) are assisting grandparents with legal/custody issues, childcare support, getting medical care for children, and adjusting to their new parenting role.
SOWN honored by The Alfred and Mary Douty Foundation
In November, SOWN was honored by The Alfred and Mary Douty Foundation for Distinctive Service to the Community.
SOWN on The Philadephia Agenda
On March 16, 2008, Marypat Tracy and Richelle Phillips of SOWN appeared as guests on The Philadelphia Agenda hosted by Brad Segal of WOGL radio. A podcast of that interview is available here.
SOWN’s GrandFamily Resource Center — Grandmothers Raising Grandchildren Travel to Washington, DC as Advocate Ambassadors
Grandmothers board the bus on Wednesday, May 7, 2008 traveling to Washington, DC for the Third National GrandRally for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. Joining more than one thousand grandparents from across the country, SOWN’s grandmothers raise their voices by personally meeting with U.S. Congressman Chaka Fattah’s staff and U.S. Congressman Robert Brady’s staff. SOWN’s grandmother ambassadors focus on the need for supportive services for grandparents and their grandchildren.
Richelle Phillips, GrandFamily Resource Center Coordinator and Caitlin Prusko, GrandFamily Social Worker coordinated SOWN’s participation. This trip was made possible by the organizational efforts of Sandy Cross, Grand Central, Inc.
SOWN’s GrandFamily Resource Center is based at Project H.O.M.E.’s Honickman Learning Center Comcast Technology Labs (HLCCTL) in North Philadelphia. The program enhances the ability of grandparents to continue in their role raising their grandchildren by providing a strong safety net of educational, health related, counseling, information/referral and supportive services.
SOWN is seeking Board Members who:
- want to make a difference in the lives of women,
- desire to network with other professional people
- are looking to engage in policy discussions
- want an opportunity to plan SOWN's success
- will attend five meetings per year
For more information contact: Merle Drake, Executive Director
SOWN at a Glance — 2010
SOWN was a pioneer over 20 years ago when it recognized that women are disproportionately affected by the consequences of aging and that physical health is intricately tied to emotional well-being. Over the years, SOWN has championed older women's issues and found creative ways of providing services to address these needs.
SOWN is a community-based organization that has developed an innovative service model, which has been replicated nationally. SOWN began with a $300 budget in the basement of a social service agency and has grown into an organization that serves over 1,000 diverse women annually.
SOWN’s Services Highlights:
GrandFamily Resource Center — SOWN was awarded a four-year matching grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to create “The GrandFamily Resource Center”, a network of support services for grandparent-headed households. It offers a “one-stop” approach to provide educational, health-related, and social services to both grandparents and children. This model program is based at Project H.O.M.E.’s Honickman Learning Center Comcast Technology Labs (HLCCTL) in North Philadelphia.
Community Group Connection — Support groups for older women meet in varied settings. Over 150 groups have been initiated, and many SOWN groups continue to meet for over ten years. Throughout its history, SOWN has empowered older women to recognize their spirit, abilities, and skills to provide support to others coping with similar problems and concerns.
Telephone Group Connection — Many women cannot get out to support groups in the community. SOWN offers support groups conducted via conference call. The Telegroup serves:
- Frail homebound older women who are too ill to leave their homes
- Older women caregivers of relatives with Alzheimer’s Disease
- Grandparents and other relatives raising children
Older Women Voters Count — a social change project that educates, informs, and helps older women access their right to vote.
