Family Health Fair Provides Resources, Fun for Local Families

The Homeless Health Initiative (HHI) participated in the fall Creekside Family Fun, Health and Safety Day event in Bensalem, Bucks County, on Sept. 18, 2021. The event aimed to provide resources to residents of the Creekside Apartments and the surrounding community. Some of the community partners present included: the Bucks YWCA, HHI, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, represented by Ahema Asare from the CHOP Foundation, a local State Farm agent, and Temple University occupational therapy instructor Dr. Erica Pugh and her OT students.

The event was a great success, with the health fair providing resources to 150 attendees. Participants enjoyed activities including group Zumba, face painting, basketball, line dancing and much more.

As the HHI intern volunteer, I was grateful to be a part of this event. I interacted with many families by providing them with children’s health information and small giveaways such as Band-Aids, crayons, and toys — all compliments of CHOP Community Relations.

I was also able to connect with Pugh and her students and came away with a better understanding of how occupational therapists relate to children. I was able to see this in practice when they used some of the developmental toys with the children at the event. Some of my takeaways from this experience were the importance of holistic care, the impact of networking, building community and having fun.

— Verlonda Johnson-Baker, HHI, MSW intern