Penn Foundation Archives - Page 2 of 2

Penn Foundation: A Model for the Country and the World
by Penn Foundation

Dr. Norman Loux was a Souderton, PA native and member of Franconia Mennonite Conference. He was a family physician who helped to found Penn Foundation, a “psychiatric program *for* the community in the community.” PHOTO CREDIT: Unknown

Penn Foundation’s history is one of unique community partnerships around a shared vision of providing the most leading-edge and highest-quality mental health care for the community, in the community.

Penn Foundation was founded in 1955 by Dr. Michael Peters, then Chief of Medicine at Grand View Hospital, and Dr. Norman Loux, a Souderton, PA native and family physician who recognized that many of his patients had “emotional problems.” These two men garnered the support of other area business leaders to establish a community-based mental health center, a novel concept at that time.

Their vision, which was tremendously innovative, was recognized in 1962 when the National Institute of Mental Health called Penn Foundation a “model for the country and the world.”

We have continued to strive to be a pioneer and leader in our field to this day, providing high-quality, innovative, evidence-based mental health and addiction treatment and prevention programs to our community. With headquarters in Sellersville, PA, Penn Foundation employs 455 compassionate professionals that serve more than 20,000 children, adolescents, and adults each year with integrated, holistic care designed to meet the unique needs of each person. We also partner with businesses, schools, churches, law enforcement, physicians and healthcare providers, and others to shine a light on mental health and addiction issues and provide education and resources on these topics.

Penn Foundation believes in treating the whole person – mind, body, spirit. Chaplain, Rev. Dr. Carl Yusavitz (center), Mosaic Mennonite Conference member, provides spiritual support to Penn Foundation clients of all faith backgrounds. PHOTO CREDIT: Lowell Swartley Photography

Building community has always been part of Penn Foundation’s mission. We do this in a variety of ways:

offering innovative, responsive care
creating a welcoming, safe community among our clients and residents that supports their journeys of change and recovery
being responsible stewards of the generous gifts and resources that we have been given
participating in community events and supporting partner organizations.

As we look to the future, we remain committed to effectively meeting the needs of our community. We will continue to reimagine the services we provide, remain a pioneer in our approach to care, and seek strategic partners who want to help us advance our mission.

Community support was instrumental to the founding of Penn Foundation, and it continues to be a key factor in our ability to provide mental health and addiction care to our community. We are incredibly grateful to our caring community, which has generously answered our calls for help over the past six decades. To learn more about Penn Foundation, or to give the gift of hope and ensure that mental health and addiction services continue to be available, please visit our website at www.PennFoundation.org or contact Kim Detwiler, Vice President of Advancement and Communications, at (215) 453-5190.

Building community has always been part of Penn Foundation’s mission. PHOTO CREDIT: Lowell Swartley Photography

Prayer Requests

For Penn Foundation’s Board of Directors as they imagine how to best serve our community through these uncertain COVID-19 times
For Penn Foundation’s administration who have to navigate financial and legislative decisions beyond their control
For Penn Foundation’s staff who have to juggle child-care and schooling along with their work at Penn Foundation
For Penn Foundation’s Recovery Center staff and the dedicated work they do 24/7 with people struggling with debilitating and devastating addictions
For the safety and well-being of Penn Foundation’s residential program staff
For psychiatrist Dr. Vernon Kratz (Ambler (PA) congregation) as he retires after 47 years of faithfully serving the community

Womens Gathering 2013 — Women from Franconia and Eastern District conferences attach symbols of healing to an oak tree at this year’s Beauty for Brokenness seminar. Photo by Anne Yoder.

by Lynne McMullan Allebach, Arise

On the morning of Saturday, June1^st, thirty women came together at Salford Mennonite Church in Harleysville (Pa.) for the first women’s equipping event sponsored by the new Eastern District & Franconia Mennonite Conferences Women’s Committee.

Angela Moyer, co-pastor of Ripple congregation (Allentown, Pa.) and occupational therapist at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation, spoke about melding a clinical model for recovery from trauma with the story of Christ to bring healing for hurts, whether small or truly traumatic. She explained how we can choose to “act in” by doing things destructive to ourselves or “act out” by doing things that are destructive to others, or we can choose to heal by taking positive steps toward forgiveness, reconciliation, and peace. Sister Mary Julia McKenzie, chaplain at Penn Foundation’s Recovery Center (Sellersville, Pa.), spoke about the work of recovery, especially as it relates to drug and alcohol addictions. She shared a poem about an oak tree as a symbol of resilience in the face of trials, then invited the participants to decorate items to be placed on a drawn oak tree as a part of the closing worship time.

Phyllis Chami shared a devotion she had written about Eve and Mary, two women of God. The devotion came out of her own personal trauma and how God has played a part in her growth toward wholeness. Lynne Allebach also shared the story of the loss of her son and how the care of others aided in overcoming her grief. Participants met in small groups to discuss their own trauma experiences and their need for recovery. The morning ended with a time of worship that included a version of “Beauty for Brokenness” with words written specifically for the gathering.

Franconia and Eastern District Conferences sponsored a seminar last year on training women for relationships of mutual care. Responses to a survey taken after the training indicated an interest in continued equipping gatherings that address the needs of women. Anne Yoder, West Philadelphia congregation, answered the call for ongoing ministry and assembled a committee to begin brainstorming ideas. The theme of Beauty for Brokenness was chosen as a motif for the June event as a way of examining trauma and seeing how people may grow toward wholeness from places of brokenness.

Beauty for Brokenness was well received and there was support expressed for continuing to meet, probably twice a year. “There were women from eighteen churches here, most from smaller congregations that do not have established women’s programs,” observed Yoder. “It is a joy to be able to provide a forum for so many who are looking for spiritual and emotional encouragement and for friendships with other women of faith. . . . I am so grateful to see the Spirit moving among us, empowering us to sister each other through our life journeys.”

To join the planning team or to receive information about future gatherings, please e-mail Anne Yoder at ayoder1@swarthmore.edu.

Penn Foundation

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