This quote by Benjamin Franklin, demonstrates the importance the University founder placed on helping others. And this desire to do more is still an important component of Penn Medicine.
While known for its impact, innovation, and scientific breakthroughs, the ‘c’ words — compassion, caring and community — also represent Penn Medicine. “Who wants to live in a world where we’re not caring for each other, helping each other,” said CEO Kevin Mahoney at the annual event celebrating Penn Medicine CAREs grant recipients. “Yours are success stories that we want to duplicate. Your dedication — doing your day job and then a little bit more – heartens me. Good is being done… it’s all in this room.”
Since starting in 2012, the CAREs grant program has helped to fund more than 500 outreaches. This year’s program also included the Inaugural Penn Medicine CAREs Community Champion Award, given to a CAREs grant recipient whose overall work with an organization has helped exceed expectations of a program’s growth and outcomes. This year’s winner of the award was Janet McMaster, RN, outpatient practice coordinator in Trauma and Surgical Care at PPMC, for her volunteer efforts with the West Philadelphia Alliance for Children (WePAC). For the past seven years, McMaster has volunteered every week to bring libraries back into elementary schools by providing programs, books, and volunteers to steer children to read. She also motivated nurses from Penn Presbyterian to host reading cafes throughout the year for elementary school kids.
The special award also provides a $5,000 donation to WePAC’s reading program, which will buy books for the elementary schools that focus on a variety of topics, for example, health, community, kindness and heritage.
Read more about Penn Medicine’s CAREs program at
https://www.pennmedicine.org/news/news-blog/2020/january/550-grants-and-counting