Jefferson Announces Expanded Outreach for Two of its Community Programs
Thomas Jefferson University
Hospital (TJUH) is proud to announce funding from Verizon Foundation which
helps to expand programs that address the heart of social issues such as
literacy, technology, education and domestic violence. Jefferson’s Department
of Emergency Medicine received a $24,500 grant for its Domestic Violence
Prevention Program; and the Department of Family Medicine’s pediatric practice
and the Jefferson-duPont Children’s Health Program, received a $10,000 grant for
Reach Out and Read, a program dedicated to instilling the love of books and
reading in underserved preschool children in Philadelphia.
“On behalf of the employees
of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, I want to thank Verizon for their
generosity in funding two very important initiatives that directly impact the
lives of those living within our community,” said Thomas J. Lewis, President and
CEO, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.
“Verizon is pleased to
partner with Jefferson in our joint mission to helping people and families in
the city of Philadelphia improve their personal safety, literacy education and
health,” said Gale Y. Given, president of Verizon Pennsylvania. “These programs
offer services to those who may not have anywhere else to turn and we are just
happy that we could offer support to Jefferson, a hospital known for its
compassionate medical care and its long history of helping those who can’t
always help themselves.”
Expanding Service to Domestic
Violence Victims
According to Women Against Abuse, for the
2007 fiscal year, 13,000 women filed for protection from abuse orders and almost
72,000 domestic abuse incidents were responded to by the Philadelphia Police
Department. Receiving an infusion of money will help Jefferson’s Emergency
Department (ED) strengthen its system to identify and treat victims of domestic
abuse for the large area it serves. The Verizon grant will allow Jefferson’s ED
to establish a comprehensive program of training doctors, nurses, staff and
volunteers to better treat victims of abuse. It will also help the ED implement
a cohesive and coordinated structure of screening, evaluation, treatment and
referral for patients.
Read Early and Often
Research shows that children who are read
to at a young age, typically six months to five years, tend to embrace reading
as they grow leading to advanced comprehension and vocabulary skills, lower
school drop out rates, fewer substance abuse problems and a lower incidence of
teen pregnancy. Often children from lower income families do not have access to
books. Through the support of Verizon, the Department of Family Medicine and
Jefferson-duPont Children’s Health Programs’ Reach Out and Read initiatives will
be expanded so that they can provide more books to more children during regular
well-child visits. Typically volunteers read to the children when they are
brought in for a clinical visit. This often inspires parents to continue the
practice at home, a key component to success. The child’s pediatrician also
gives him/her a brand new book to take home that is carefully chosen based on
developmental and cultural appropriateness. By the time the child begins school,
he/she will have a personal library of ten books. This gift will allow even more
children to be instilled with a love of reading which can directly affect the
rest of their lives.
Media Only Contact:
Ed Federico
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
Phone: (215) 955-6300
Published: 7/15/2009