Yesterday, long time Regional Housing Legal Services (RHLS) partner, Project HOME, celebrated the grand opening of their Stephen Klein Wellness Center (SKWC). Located at 2144 Cecil B. Moore Avenue in Lower North Central Philadelphia, the Federally Qualified Health Center represents a significant expansion in Project HOME’s health services offerings.
Evidence repeatedly shows that communities benefit from improved health outcomes for their residents, and that the health of communities is often inextricably linked with that of the residents themselves. The SKWC is a shining example of community-based development designed to improve the lives of low-income and vulnerable residents in the area, an RHLS strategic priority.
The area of Philadelphia that the SKWC will serve is a Medically Underserved Area with some of the most dire health outcomes in the City of Philadelphia. Staff will provide integrated care that is sensitive to the specific needs of the community, as well as to the needs of individuals experiencing homelessness.
Services will include primary medical care; behavioral health care services; wellness classes such as nutrition, healthy cooking, stress reduction, and exercise; physical therapy; a legal clinic; an emergency food pantry; showers for clients and patients experiencing homelessness; an exercise facility operated by the YMCA; referrals to specialty care; and assistance for patients who need to apply for health insurance. Later this year, dental and pharmaceutical services will be added.
Stephen Klein, President, CEO, and Founder of The Klein Company provided the leading support for the project, acting as a champion for the initiative for several years. The project was also funded in part by John and Leigh Middleton, the Thomas Jefferson University and Hospitals, Jefferson Medical College Department of Family and Community Medicine, the DHHS Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the Connelly Foundation, Sheila & John Connors, Janet & John Haas, Lynne & Harold Honickman, the JBJ Soul Foundation, Peggy & Harold Katz, Frances & James Maguire, Elizabeth R. Moran, the Neubauer Family Foundation, the Oak Foundation, the Raynier Institute and Foundation, The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Inc., and Ruth & Morris Williams.
Regional Housing Legal Services attorneys Kim Dolan, Laura Schwartz, and Mark Levin all worked on the project, drafting and negotiating the Architect’s Contract, Construction Contract, and Lease to YMCA; drafting ownership entity formation documents; drafting the application for federal tax exempt status; reviewing all investment and loan documents; negotiating acquisition documents from the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority; and reviewing funding agreements in connection with the State Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP).