Home is where the help is

A huge smile breaks across Dreya Searcy’s face as her doorbell rings. She’s eager to welcome her guest, Eileen Storm, who has seen Searcy and her family through some tumultuous times.

Though the two only met seven months ago, they chat like they’ve known each other for decades. Their topics range from Searcy’s 2-year-old daughter, Azaiyah, to boyfriend Tom’s smoking habit.

"It would normally be me here all day with my baby," said Searcy, of the 2700 block of Wolf Street. "Some days, you just need an adult to talk to."

Storm, program supervisor for the home-visiting program Services to Assist Families Excel, or SAFE, is happy to lend an ear.

Rather than provide monetary support, her staff assists clients seeking help with raising their children, providing referrals to the proper city agencies if needed.

The program has helped Searcy’s family obtain food, clothing and household items. During home visits, SAFE employees even have given Dreya tips on child discipline and anger management.

"The staff helps you with everything you need," said Searcy, 32, who also has a 13-year-old daughter, Ashlee. "Their resources are unlimited."

Resources for Children’s Health, in conjunction with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health’s Division of Maternal, Child and Family Health, launched SAFE in July.

SAFE is also available to residents of North Philly, Southwest Philly and Germantown – areas that were specifically targeted by the city’s Health Department. Storm and her staff exclusively serve South Philly. The city contracts with various agencies to serve the other neighborhoods.

Initially designed to provide in-home postnatal care to families, the program expanded to help ensure that parents of infants and toddlers have access to necessities, including medical care, free diapers, cribs and scores of baby paraphernalia. The local division of SAFE now serves 43 clients with children ranging in age from newborn to 3 years. The program just received approval to serve children up to age 5, Storm said.

During home visits, staffers distribute health and nutrition information. More advice, such as lead-prevention tips to protect children and smoking cessation for adults, is available at public workshops.

STORM AND HER staff began promoting SAFE as soon as the program got off the ground last summer.

"There was no referral system. The Health Department did not refer anyone to us," she said. "We really had to use our own footwork to get the word out."

Storm ventured to bus stops, daycares, health centers, Laundromats and schools to inform the public about the free program.

Her attempts proved successful. To date, the local division has served more than 150 clients.

While the program’s main focus is helping children, Storm said her staff attempts to assist the family as a whole.

When SAFE client Felicia Elmanfaa was threatened with a utility shutoff, her counselor took action.

"She called the company and explained the situation – that I was pregnant and couldn’t afford to pay the bill," said Elmanfaa, of Fifth and Gerritt streets. "They then put me on the [Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program]. I didn’t think I could qualify, but I did."

The staff also persuaded the mother of three to return to school, which she will do next month.

"Due to my counselor continually talking about it, I thought I would give it a shot," said Elmanfaa, 26, who will pursue a career as an EKG technician.

Storm says her office at 260 S. Broad St. serves a mix of nationalities, including a handful of undocumented clients.

"I have to explain to them that we have nothing to do with immigration and that we’re not going to report that they are here illegally," she said.

During a recent in-home visit, Storm got a glimpse into one client’s problematic life.

"One woman had never been to the park with her children and didn’t know where her local grocery store was," she said. "They come to America because we have so many opportunities, but they are still trapped and afraid."

The staff uses an international translation service to deal with language and cultural barriers. Some other clients are battling the complex issue of domestic violence.

"Sometimes they want to work things out and sometimes they want to go to a shelter," said Storm. "If they don’t have any other family support here, they feel stuck. We let them know that there is help out there."

Workshops have enticed a few residents to emerge from their homes, said Storm.

"Just to see them break out of their isolation and get support from one another is rewarding to me," she said. "For them, it was like a social night out."

Whether she needs more information on child immunizations or simply a ride to the doctor’s office, Patricia Howarth, 32, said she knows where to turn. SAFE has been a godsend for her and her 2-month-old daughter, Briyonna, she said.

"These services have improved my life," said Howarth, of the 2000 block of Wilder Street. "The staff has helped me to stop worrying so much because they were there to help in any way they could."

For more information on the SAFE home visiting program, call Eileen Storm at 215-790-7217.

Cornering bad eating habits

Put down that candy bar and listen to this: On average, Philadelphia elementary-school students spend $2 a day on junk food at corner stores, according to the Food Trust.

The nonprofit group, whose mission is to provide affordable, nutritious food to all age groups, is attempting to change that by persuading children to choose fruit over fat.

This month, the Philadelphia-based organization begins its Corner Store Campaign, aimed at promoting healthier snacking options for children. Partnering with Jackson Elementary, 1213 S. 12th St., and Southwark Elementary, 1839 S. Ninth St., the Food Trust will award prizes to children who purchase nutritious eats at four corner stores: 1928 Deli, 1928 S. Ninth St.; Lucky 7, 1903 S. Seventh St.; Red’s, 1900 S. Ninth St.; and Rodriguez Grocery, 1839 S. Seventh St. The participating stores are within a half-mile radius of Southwark. The Food Trust is still seeking stores near Jackson.

"This is a significant place where kids are getting food from," Food Trust spokesperson David Adler said of corner stores. "So it’s important to target kids at the places where they are consuming a lot of food."

A "Make a Snackin’ Slam Dunk" logo is displayed next to items fitting Food Trust’s criteria, including snacks with 7 or fewer fat grams, beverages containing 100-percent juice and low-fat milk.

Storeowners will distribute prizes, such as key chains, softballs and bookmarks, for each approved snack chosen. The healthy eaters also will be entered into a lottery to win a CD player and gift certificates to Sneaker Villa and Tower Records.

Food Trust representatives and school staff will brief students on the program through daily announcements and school assemblies, said Adler.

Red’s owner Michele Burgese purchased munchies recommended by the Food Trust, such as cheddar popcorn, baked potato chips, pretzels and wheat bread, but she still expects a tough sell.

"The problem is that kids want the junk," she said. "The fruit goes mainly to the teachers and the older customers."