Abraham (third from left) with others who helped make the care packages.Outreach is nothing new to Merlyn Abraham, MD, a fellow in Geriatric Medicine at HUP. Growing up in Atlanta, she was always involved in outreach and, during the past four years, when she’s been at Drexel for residency and now HUP for her fellowship, she has continued this dedication, working with youth in St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Church — where she teaches Sunday school, coordinates a youth service, and plans service events for college students — to help many of the city’s vulnerable populations.
Even COVID has not kept her from giving back. Last fall, she came up with a plan for people to safely put together care packages. While she originally reached out only to young adults in her church, “everyone in the parish wanted to be involved,” she said. Abraham created a special calendar as a guide, with each day naming one item to be purchased for the care package, such as crackers or socks, or to do an activity, such as writing a card to go with the care package. “It was a way for people to be mindful of what they were doing by engaging in this service,” she said. “While we can’t do this in a huge group together, anyone can do it in the safety of their home.”
Abraham said entire families — with multiple generations — were all getting involved. “One of my students — a third grader — asked his parents to take him to the grocery store to buy things.” Even members of HUP’s Geriatrics faculty reached out to help by making care packages or donating.
Personal notes made some of the packages even more special. One person wrote, “I’m hoping I can make your day at least a little bit better by reminding you that God loves you. I also hope 2021 brings you happiness, peace and security.” In addition to the requested items, “one parish member made and donated masks,” she said. And with her Penn Medicine CAREs grant, Abraham was able to purchase and include first aid kits as well.
Completed packages were dropped off at specific locations and, in total, she received nearly 180 wrapped packages! Along with Jenny Chacko, APC coordinator in Health Information Management, Abraham was able to deliver packages to nursing home residents, organizations helping the homeless, and Penn Medicine homebound patients. “I reached out to our social worker, asking ‘do you know of anyone who would like a care package to remind them that there are people who care about them?’”
People who received the care packages “were so surprised. To see a smile on someone’s face… it’s such a joy,” she said. “Sometimes we’re only focused on disease. We want to fix big issues, but it’s nice to brighten someone’s day with something small as a care package.”