Temple Health has launched a groundbreaking initiative, bringing healthcare directly to the community with the opening of the Healthy Together Hub at Shoprite Of Fox Street. This innovative collaboration with Brown’s Super Stores, supported by Highmark Inc., was officially unveiled on Tuesday, December 5th, drawing attention from news outlets like NBC10/Telemundo62 and The Philadelphia Inquirer. Located conveniently at the entrance of the ShopRite of Fox Street, the hub offers a range of free health services, aiming to empower local residents to proactively manage their well-being.
This partnership leverages ShopRite’s commitment to serving underserved areas, aligning perfectly with Temple Health’s community-focused mission. Aliya Khabir, Marketing Manager for Community Health at Temple Health, emphasized the strategic location: “Brown’s Super Stores has been very intentional in opening supermarkets in underserved areas, including many of the communities we work with at Temple Health. …the Fox Street ShopRite, which is just down the road from Temple University Hospital-Main Campus, is the perfect location.” This ensures that individuals visiting for groceries or Temple Health services can easily access vital health resources. The Healthy Together Hub at ShopRite of Fox Street aims to provide a seamless continuum of care for the community.
Accessible Preventative Healthcare at Your Doorstep
The Healthy Together Hub at ShopRite of Fox Street provides a comprehensive suite of preventative services, thanks to the expertise of Temple Health staff and collaborations with esteemed institutions like the Lewis Katz School of Medicine (LKSOM), Temple University’s School of Pharmacy, and the College of Public Health. Lakisha Sturgis, RN, BSN, MPH, CPHQ, Director of Community Care Management at Temple Health, detailed the services: “We’ll be administering blood pressure and diabetes screenings, including blood glucose testing, and providing behavioral health education.” Further enhancing its offerings, the hub partners with the Healthy Chest Initiative for lung health evaluations and Fox Chase Cancer Center for cancer education and screenings. Community Health Workers will also be on-site to connect shoppers with valuable local resources.
The commitment to accessible healthcare extends to incorporating the skills of future healthcare professionals. Pharmacy students will offer medication counseling and reviews, while Nursing students will assist with blood pressure screenings and share healthy recipes, directly applicable to shoppers at ShopRite of Fox Street. Internal Medicine residents will conduct screenings and educate on the risks of untreated conditions, and Neurology staff will provide information on brain health and diseases like Parkinson’s.
Sturgis emphasizes the importance of creating a comfortable and accessible environment: “We want to create opportunities and a safe space to have these kinds of conversations in our communities. You can come to the Healthy Together Hub and have instant access to experts who can answer the medical questions you’ve been wanting to ask.” The goal is to empower individuals to manage conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and cholesterol through lifestyle modifications and readily available tools and information at the ShopRite of Fox Street location.
Building on a Legacy of Community Empowerment at ShopRite of Fox Street
Temple Health’s dedication to community empowerment is deeply rooted in its mission. The Healthy Together Hub at ShopRite of Fox Street is a direct outgrowth of the successful Healthy Together Mobile Health Vehicle initiative. This mobile van, staffed by Community Health Workers, has been providing services throughout North Philadelphia, including blood pressure screenings and disease management education.
The effectiveness of reaching community members at grocery stores became apparent when the mobile van was hosted at the Fox Street ShopRite. “The Fox Street ShopRite was kind enough to allow us to park here and use their space, and we found that connecting with grocery shoppers was so effective,” Sturgis recalls. “If our goal is to meet people where they are, then there’s no better place to talk to them than at a grocery store, where they’re already thinking about making healthy choices.” This realization paved the way for the permanent Healthy Together Hub at ShopRite of Fox Street.
This insight propelled the Population Health team to collaborate with Brown’s Super Stores leadership, including Jeff and Sandy Brown, to establish the permanent hub. While the focus is currently on maximizing the impact of the ShopRite of Fox Street location, Sturgis and her team are optimistic about future expansion.
“My goal, above all, is for us to have a healthier community,” Sturgis concludes. “We see so many people who’ve suffered from conditions like heart disease, or had strokes. I want the Hub to address these issues, and empower our community to have a vested interest in their health. That’s the purpose of the Hub—and that’s why we’re all here.” The Healthy Together Hub at ShopRite of Fox Street represents a significant step towards a healthier, more empowered community.
