The CHOP Cares Community Fund and Grants Program awards grants to CHOP employees to cover expenses for health-related projects that fulfill specific needs in one of the many communities CHOP serves. In addition to CHOP Cares Grants, the program includes EXCEL grants, which are larger awards. Since 2013, CHOP has awarded 173 grants from the CHOP Care Community Fund for a total of $741,116. Healthier Together, CHOP’s five-year initiative that focuses on programs that address poverty, housing, trauma and food insecurity as a path to improving children’s health, announced its inaugural grants in spring 2021. These grants are for two years.

Read more about the CHOP Cares Community Grants and the first round of Healthier Together grants awarded in spring 2021 and learn how they plan to impacting children and families in the community.

EXCEL Grants

Books for Babies

Sheila Knerr, MD

Newborn families will receive a literacy gift bag (safe sleep board book, custom bookmark, handout with tips for reading to babies, a link to the Reading Rockets website and local library information) at select CHOP Care Network Community Hospital Alliances where CHOP physicians provide newborn care.

Standing up for our future: Ending the cycle of violence

Joy Burrell, GSW

A 26-week program designed to help West, South, North and Northeast Philadelphia youth ages 13-16, understand the root causes of violence, learn the consequences of violent behavior and explore strategies for managing difficult emotions. It will highlight employment and entrepreneurship as alternatives to destructive behaviors, and teach methods for improving coping, creativity, and creative identity as life-enhancing and empowering actions. The project will be offered virtually with the option to be moved to an in-person setting if restrictions are lifted.

Be well: A holistic approach to childhood wellness

Vi Nguyen, RN

Healthy Hangouts lessons will be offered to South Philadelphia youth ages 0-18. The sessions will include yoga, Zumba and emotional wellness to provide a comprehensive, holistic approach to childhood wellness. This project is a collaboration between the partners of the Community Health & Literacy Center, which includes CHOP Care Network South Philadelphia primary care office, South Philadelphia Library, Philadelphia Health Center 2 and DiSilvestro Playground/Recreation Center, and its external community partners.

CHOP Cares Grants

Wellness programming for childcare programming

AmyRose Proietti-Fox, RN

Nutrition education for North Light Community Center summer camp program, expected to serve 70 children, from Philadelphia neighborhoods in 19127,19128 and 19148 ZIP codes.

Close the Gap iSTEM Mentoring Program

Paulette McRae

Virtual support iSTEM/Mentoring Program for youth between the ages of 5 to 17 who participate at North Philly Project. Project aims to improve reading comprehension and provide exposure and understanding of iSTEM areas of study and careers.

FosterRx: Improving healthcare transition for children in foster care

Ilana Lavina, MD, Rebecca Whitmire, MD, and Ashley Bach, MD

Provide CHOP staff and foster parents with the information and tools to ensure and improve healthcare coordination for foster care children.

Language access rights: Educational video for limited English proficient families

Massiel Ortega

Create online video designed for local and regional Limited English Proficient families to help increase their awareness of CHOP resources for language access.

Hispanic Family Center Pathways to Health: Community Health Worker Program

Priscilla Ortiz

Informative health education workshops held virtually or at Hispanic Family Center of Southern NJ, East Camden City headquarters. The goal is to serve 50 children, ages 0 to 18.

Racial disparities in human lactation: West Philadelphia

Deanna Nardella, MD

Create a breastfeeding video series targeting West Philadelphia’s expectant families, consisting of three, 10- to 15-minute videos with the aim of increasing the rate of breastfeeding.

Healthier Together Grants

Strengthening community food sovereignty through home gardening and trauma-informed resource networks in West and Southwest Philadelphia

Danielle Cullen, MD, MPH, MSHP, and Philip Scribano, DO, MSCE

Leveraging an existing network and responding to local priorities in ZIP codes 19143 and 19139, this project builds community food sovereignty, improves food security, promotes healing from trauma and employs residents through installation of home and community gardens and orchards as platforms for health, mentorship and community-building. Partners: Bartram’s Garden, Urban Tree Connection and Philadelphia Orchard Project

Home Plate + Food Bucks Rx: Empowering West Philadelphia families to tackle hunger and advance food justice

Senbagam Virudachalam, MD, MSHP

This program will disseminate Home Plate and Food Bucks Rx, evidence-based programs to address food insecurity, among 200 families with 0- to 5-year-old children from four early childhood education (ECE) centers in West Philadelphia. Delivered over six weeks, Home Plate empowers parents with food planning, procurement and preparation skills, supporting healthier family food habits and resilience. Food Bucks Rx vouchers ($50 every two weeks for three months) will be reimbursed for fruits and vegetables at participating local retailers. Partners: The Food Trust and several West Philadelphia-based Early Childhood Centers