Children's Hospital of Philadelphia recently celebrated an important milestone in community health — the fifth anniversary of the Nicholas and Athena Karabots Pediatric Care Center in West Philadelphia.
Funded by a generous gift from Nicholas and Athena Karabots, the Karabots Center has provided innovative care and community programs to thousands of children and families in the neighborhood since 2013.
More than 32,000 children like Kwaeli, 12, and Nup, 15, come to Karabots for medical care. The siblings have had the same pediatrician since they were babies and went to appointments at CHOP’s Main Campus. "I was ecstatic when this location opened," their mother, Eboni, says. "It has become an extension of our home. I have never had consistent healthcare from one doctor during my lifetime, and I know it makes a big difference for my children."
Karabots' 56 exam rooms are designed to be child-friendly. There’s dedicated space for radiology, hearing and vision testing, and a phlebotomy laboratory.
In addition to a full range of primary care services, the Karabots Center also houses 16 community programs including Early Head Start, the Community Asthma Prevention Program, the Refugee Health Program, the Homeless Health Initiative, the Violence Prevention Initiative, and Reach Out and Read.
One program based at Karabots, the Keystone First Cares Program, assists more than 500 children — like 8-year-old Jonathan — who have complex medical needs that require home care services or specialized equipment. By coordinating care and improving the care experience for the entire family, Keystone First helps reduce emergency visits and hospitalizations.
In the colorful Karabots Garden, more than 1,300 corporate and community volunteers — including children and teens — tend to fruits and vegetables like eggplant, tomatoes, okra, leeks, watermelon, cucumbers and carrots. The fresh produce is then distributed to CHOP families through the Early Head Start and Healthy Weight programs.
Karabots by the numbers
- 32,000: Patients served each year
- 85: Percentage of patients enrolled in medical assistance
- 56: Child-friendly exam rooms
- 52,000: Square footage of the environmentally sustainable building
- 16: Community programs housed at Karabots
- 500: Plants grown in the Karabots Garden
- 4.2: Tons of fresh produce from the Karabots Garden distributed to the community
- 700+: Community events held at the Karabots Center each year