Our Delaware Valley Podcast

Trooper Sanders, CEO of Benefits Data Trust, discussed the Philadelphia based non-profit, helping thousands of people access entitlements for food, housing, and healthcare.  We began with the fact that there is over 400 billion unclaimed funds that are lost each year – lost to the farmers, grocers, transportation system.  He discussed their mission to connect and educate the public on assistance they are entitled to receive but don’t know it or are deterred by the complicated enrollment process. We discussed the barriers, pride and stigma one of the largest. Mr. Sanders described how BDT works with both sides, the social service funders and the applicant, to help create more accessible, user-friendly systems to help alleviate poverty and get families back on track and to get more of these dollars back into the economy.     

Benefits Data Trust

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Len Schroeder, owner of Bloomers Garden Center and host of Bloomers In The Garden radio show, discussed the steps to creating a modern Victory Garden.  He told us that we begin with sun, we need a spot that has at least six hours of direct sunlight.  Whether it’s a garden plot or containers on the porch, the next step is soil, making sure that it is loose and porous.   He recommended checking the PH level, a test that can be done by your local garden center or county extension office.  We discussed augmenting the soil with compost and mulching, too.  Len suggested easy to grow vegetables, from seeds, sprouting vegetables or shared cuttings.  We talked about landscaping, too, and not over mulching trees.  Finally, he directed us to our local garden center for advice or to our local county extension office, a direct link to local agricultural schools with great advice and resources.   

Bloomers Home & Garden Center

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Dr. Arnold Baskies, Oncology Surgeon, Clinical Professor of Surgery at Rowan School of Medicine, Chairman of the American Cancer Society Global Cancer Control Advisory Council, and former Chairman of the National Board of Directors of the American Cancer Society, discussed how their mission and work continues despite the Covid 19 lockdown.  He explained that treatment is a flexible thing, even in the best of times; an infection, a schedule change, all can affect treatment and it is assumed that there will be some interruption.  We discussed known cancer risks and discussed the part that genetics plays into it.  A surgical oncologist, he shared his enthusiasm and his early work in immunology, and described how it affects cancer treatment and its place in viral research, such as Covid 19 and other Corona virus vaccines.   We discussed the mission of the ACS and its commitment to funding innovative, breakthrough research, providing the funds to develop new studies into full programs.  Finally, we talked about how we can help in the fight against cancer, through education, lifestyle change and through volunteering, through driving, donating and participating in their many fundraisers, still going on virtually!  For more information about the America Cancer Society, and programming local to you, go to CANCER.ORG.   

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Dr. Yolanda Graham, SVP, Chief Clinical, Chief Medical Officer at Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health returned to discuss kids and their reaction to Kids social distancing. She explained that all children, not just children with intellectual or developmental disabilities or behavioral issues, will experience some level of trauma, they will act out, misbehave, become clingy or regress emotionally.  She advises parents to care for themselves, take time to relax, understand their own fears and concerns, and pause before reacting to a chlid’s outbursts or bad behavior.  She discussed the need for routines to add a form of security. She directed us to go to the Devereux website for tips and information on how to nurture a resilient child, tips that apply to any change or upheaval in a child’s life.   

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Executive Director Beth Sturman and Community Outreach Director Stacy Daugherty of Laurel House discussed domestic abuse and family violence during the COVID 19 quarantine.  Although assuring us that services, including emergency restraining orders, police assistance, emergency shelter and their 24 hour  hot line and emergency response programs are still operating, they wanted everyone to be aware of the added dangers of this crisis.  Enforced isolation, job and money worries, children in the house and access to alcohol can increase domestic violence, it exacerbates bad behaviors already present.  They recommended having a plan for eventual escape, keeping important papers cash and clothing ready for themselves and their children, staying away from the abusive partner as much as possible and always, confiding and asking for help.  They provided resources for victims of domestic abuse and for family and friends, with help for the latter in reaching out In a supportive way.     

For more information visit laurel-house.org

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Darcy Krause, Executive Director of Uplift Center for Grieving Children discussed the work of the center. 

One in five children in Philadelphia will lose a parent or sibling by the time they reach their 25th birthday. You could fill all three of Philadelphia’s major sports arenas and still need 60,000 additional seats for each grieving child to have a spot. While grief is a normal and universal response to death, children in Philadelphia often face barriers that can lead to a difficult grief process, including inadequate school support, limited financial ability to access professional therapy, and a general lack of awareness about the mental health needs of under-resourced families in the City.

Uplift’s Family Services Programming provides peer support for children, youth, teens, and caregivers through groups meeting in 6 sites around the city.  Their School and Community Programming reaches students in public, private, and charter schools across Philadelphia. This program also partners with community organizations and tailors grief programming to their needs, including Spanish-language speakers, justice-involved youth, the LGBTQ+ community, and families who have lost a loved one to an overdose or homicide death. Post-Crisis Interventions help stabilize school communities in the aftermath of the sudden death of a student or teacher through in-person and phone support as well as crisis support groups. We discussed more numbers, this year over 2,500 children will have participated in grief groups over 300 caregivers will be supported through their grief to help the children in their care.  Uplift will provide over 200 In-School Grief Groups in 150 schools throughout the city and their training and workshops will help over 1,500 professionals learn best practices in working with grieving children.   All of Uplift’s grief support services for children and families are provided free of charge. Uplift is funded primarily through donations from individuals and corporations and foundation grants, while receiving a portion of its funding through state and city government grants.  Learn more at  upliftphilly.org

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Edward Lafferty, Public Affairs Specialist for the Social Security Administration discussed the latest news from the agency, including recent cost of living increase, the restoration of Wednesday hours at local offices, and the current open enrollment window for Medicare.  Edward offered examples of the increasing Full Retirement Age and  we discussed the benefits – and costs – of taking benefits early or delaying an enrollment.  Take benefits before your full retirement age and you and spouse will see a reduced benefit that never returns to the amount you could have received, delay taking benefits and it goes up, at the same time, delays in enrolling in Medicare Plan B and your monthly premium goes up.  We also discussed scams which are increasing.  Edward advises us that the Social Security Administration will never call or email you unless you initiate a discussion with them, they will never make threats of use a third party or collection agency to collect money, and that if you do have issues it can always be appealed, you never have to make an immediate payment.  He also reminds us that you cannot pay a fee or service charge to get an increased benefit.  He suggests we visit SSA.GOV to watch a video created by the Inspector General discussing fraud and he gave us the hotline to reports fraud, 1-800-269-0271.

Always remember that a MySocialSecurity account will help you track your benefits, catch mistakes, apply for benefits and replacement cards.   For anything Social Security, visit SSA.GOV.

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Katherine Kortum, Senior Manager, Mission Delivery, and Dianna Dalton, Senior Community Development Manager, Coaches vs. Cancer program discussed the mission and programming of The American Cancer Society.  We began with its mission, funding research, advocacy, providing information and support, and fundraising.  The ACS funds new ideas and new discoveries with seed money to allow them to test and prove their potential worth before seeking big grants.

For direct services, Katherine described how they work with patients to overcome barriers to treatment, transportation and lodging; Road To Recovery volunteers drivers provide transportation to and from appointments and treatments, Hope Lodge and participating hotel partners provide low/no cost rooms for patients traveling for treatment.  Both are looking for more volunteers and participants. 

Dianna discussed fundraising, vital to the ACS mission.  Philadelphia’s Coaches vs. Cancer Program is the country’s most successful, having raised millions of dollars with great support from the “Philly Six” college basketball coaches and she invited all to attend their two big fundraisers, the Tip-Off Breakfast and the BasketBall Gala.

They remind us that the ACS is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, online at cancer.org and by phone at 1-800-227-2345, that’s 1-800-ACS-2345.   The ACS has staff on duty to help with everything from referrals to volunteer opportunities.    

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Dr. Michael Goldberg, Chair of the Division of Gastro-Enterology at Einstein discussed the work of the Colorectal Cancer Alliance promoting prevention, detection and screening.  . 

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