Penn Foundation is so special because of its responsiveness to community need and its capacity to maintain long-term positive relationships with the individuals served and their support systems, with its employees, and with the community at large. In other words, it has created a caring community based upon the vision of its founder, Dr. Norman Loux, and maintained by remembering its history while always looking forward.
Most of my professional career was spent at Penn Foundation where I had the privilege of supporting individuals living with major mental illness. Unfortunately, the public funding which “paid” for these services was insufficient to meet the needs of the community. I feel it is important for me to contribute to ensuring that Penn Foundation can do its best to meet the needs of the community because I know how important their services are to the persons receiving those services and to the families who love them.
There are many worthwhile causes to which people can donate their money, especially during this pandemic. However, when you donate locally, you can more easily see and hear about the impact of the organization to which you have donated. Penn Foundation strives to meet the behavioral health care needs of the community, reduces pain and suffering in members of our community, and enhances our overall community by making it a more caring, inclusive community.
In this sad time of division in our country, I appreciate the inclusivity of Penn Foundation and its facilitation of acceptance of individuals who have been marginalized. Its emphasis on looking at people from a holistic perspective recognizes the potential of each individual to whom they provide services.