My Road to Philadelphia: Part II

Part II:

After a quick two years that were spent finishing my undergraduate degree at “getting things done for America” with NCCC in the Southwest Region, I’ve finally returned to the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection!  I fell in love with the city all over again, especially when I found out how much there is to do - between running clubs, art museums, countless restaurants, music festivals - there is always something going on.

During Pre Service Orientation (PSO), the entire corps had the opportunity to get acquainted with one another and with the Philadelphia Health Corps (PHC) Program Staff, Sara and Aniela. We finally got to put a face with the name after communicating via Facebook and email in the months before. Aside from free coffee every morning and fun ice breakers and energizers, we spent the week learning about the National Health Corps as a whole, what it means to be an AmeriCorps member, basic health disparities in the Philadelphia area, and a little bit about our specific positions at our respective host sites. The end of the first part of PSO had all of us itching to finally get to our sites and “get things done.”

Within the first couple days of being at my host site, I quickly realized that this was a position that you had to physically jump into to learn, and why there was only so much that could be explained to us in a classroom setting. Slowly but surely, the 27 of us have begun to feel comfortable with our positions and as the service term progresses, we continue to make strides to learn more and become more confident in our roles and responsibilities. For me personally, my past AmeriCorps experience has taught me that the best way to start a new chapter is to remain as optimistic and flexible as possible, so my expectations started small – I’m trying to take one day at a time. I knew that trading in my grey NCCC t-shirts and khaki BDU pants for classy business casual attire would be a change in and of itself, not to mention the transition from serving outdoors to spending the majority of my time in an office. Regardless, it was a transition and an experience I was ready for.

As AmeriCorps Members with the Philadelphia Health Corps, we’re tackling the health issues in Philadelphia one day at a time as Patient Assistance Program Advocates, Insurance Specialists, Health and Benefits Advocates, Health Educators, and more. Since we are all serving in different organizations and neighborhoods throughout the city, it’s awesome to catch up with someone during our monthly member meetings or on the weekends (or Wednesday nights at Quizzo) and listen to one another’s success stories.

After being at our host sites for just over a month now, any successes are worth being proud of. It’s also been great to relate to a struggle someone may be facing at their host site that you have experienced yourself, having the opportunity to bounce ideas and tips off each other. I’m excited to see what this year will bring not only for me but for my fellow corps members as well. We are certainly a kooky crew, but we are also very driven and committed individuals. I’m happy that I have chosen another AmeriCorps path, and who knows how the experiences and skills I gain this year with PHC will direct me towards whatever comes next. Until then, I’m excited to see the tremendous impact 27 young adults from all over the country can make in Philadelphia in one simple year.

This post was written by PHC member Stephanie Storer.
Stephanie serves at the Philadelphia Department of Public Health - Health Center #9 as a Patient Assistance Program Advocate.