An Urban Garden is Growing at Esperanza…
 Zucchini, peppers, kale, cherry tomatoes, basil…on Esperanza’s back patio? Yes, you heard that right! In May, students from Hunting Park Christian Academy planted their own “Earth Boxes” as Esperanza’s Rob Reich, PA-C and Roanna Keener, RD, LDN provided hands-on instruction and taught them about gardening and nutrition. The boxes have thrived on the back patio of our Hunting Park site, and eight of the students have taken boxes home to experience the process of growing produce with their families.
 Esperanza’s staff will follow up in the fall to hear about what they learned. Plans are to develop our first sustainable garden in 2016 and expand youth nutrition education. Roanna is our newest dietitian, and she also leads regular cooking classes in our teaching kitchen. Said Roanna: “We used lettuce greens harvested from the boxes in our June cooking class—and although it was rainy and participants didn’t get to spend much time in the garden, there was still a great sense of appreciation for being able to eat something that was just harvested!”
Welcome Back, Dr. Ramon Gadea!
 We are pleased to announce that Ramon Gadea, M.D. has returned to Esperanza as a part-time medical care provider, where he will provide specialized care our patients with Hepatitis C infection. Originally from Puerto Rico, Dr. Gadea is a graduate of Ponce School of Medicine in Ponce, PR. He previously served as Esperanza’s Medical Director from 1996 to 2000, and then founded and served as director of Esperanza’s HALOS HIV care ministry from 2000 to 2004. Welcome back to Esperanza, Dr. Gadea!
2015 Summer Medical Institute Update!
 A team of 26 health professions students from around the U.S. and world have come to North Philadelphia for the 2015 Summer Medical Institute (SMI) Philadelphia, a ministry of Medical Campus Outreach (mcophilly.org) in partnership with Esperanza. Since the week of June 29th, students have been conducting door-to-door outreach together with volunteer bilingual interpreters from Esperanza and local churches. Please pray for the SMI teams as they continue door-to-door health screens with North Philadelphia community members through next week, and as they also seek to share the love of Christ through conversation and prayer with the people they meet. As one SMI student recently posted on the SMI Philly blog site (link below): “I’m so grateful for the opportunity to practice sharing my faith while offering health screenings. I’m even more excited to explore the practical ways the gospel applies to my life and to the lives of the people in this neighborhood. Thank you for your prayers. Please keep them coming!”
Read blog posts from current SMI participants at: https://smiphilly.wordpress.com/blog/
Learn more about the SMI through this short video: https://vimeo.com/84184718
New Volunteer Chaplain Team Starts
 Representing 10 different churches in and around North Philadelphia, Esperanza’s newest group of Volunteer Chaplains completed their initial training on June 2nd. After they shadow Esperanza clinicians this summer, they will begin to meet with patients this fall, joining our current group of eight Volunteer Chaplains. Three of our current Volunteer Chaplains, Arelis Hernández, Irvin Fester and Ana Medina (photo, L to R) played a key role in the training. We praise God for this faithful group of servants here at Esperanza!
We’re Hiring!
Esperanza is seeking qualified, professional individuals to join our team in advancing our mission. We have current openings in a number of clinical and administrative positions. To view all current openings at Esperanza and to apply, please visit: https://www.esperanzahealth.com/opportunities/
Your generous gift to Esperanza will make a real impact for our patients and community. To make a secure, tax-deductible donation, please click below:
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