Home, sweet home,
thanks to Rhawnhurst NORC

By Jon Campisi
Times Staff Writer

When her husband passed away six years ago, Rhawnhurst’s Diane Mazzara found it difficult to perform many of the household chores most people tackle on a daily basis.
After all, she’d been married for a long time, and, as with many older widows who’d depended on their man for tasks around the house, her life at home became difficult.
So it was quite fitting when Mazzara, 78, learned about Rhawnhurst NORC. It has been, she says, a godsend.
"When you’re a widow, it’s not the same as when your husband is with you," she explained.
Mazzara is among a number of residents who have benefited from the services offered by Rhawnhurst NORC, or Naturally Occurring Retirement Community, since its inception in September 2005.
The non-profit organization is primarily sustained through grants from the likes of Mellon Mid-Atlantic Charitable Trusts and the Pew Charitable Trusts, and also receives assistance from such groups as the Rotary Club of Northeast Sunrisers and Orleans Technical Institute.
NORC is a joint program of Catholic Social Services, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia and the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania.
For Elaine Griffin, working with a non-profit that can benefit so many people was an opportunity she couldn’t pass up.
"We know that seniors want to remain in their homes," said Griffin, the organization’s project manager since April 2005.
Griffin, who moved from Chicago to Philadelphia the year before, said the push these days seems to be toward retirement-type communities, even though statistics show, and common sense often tells you, that many seniors want to stay in their homes.
But for some, like Mazzara, staying behind could be difficult, even though the pursuit of an independent life, for the most part, is the ultimate goal.
Enter Alan McHale and Carolle Brown, NORC’s two full-time paid staffers. The duo goes around to the homes of seniors throughout Rhawnhurst (and some neighboring communities), performing small yet important tasks such as changing light bulbs, putting new batteries in smoke detectors, raking leaves, shoveling snow and even installing handrails for those who have trouble navigating around the house.
Rhawnhurst senior Stephanie, who declined to give her last name, had nothing but praise for McHale and Brown, who have been in her home on numerous occasions.
"They’re making sure that everyone is being taken care of, that no one is individually favored," said Stephanie, who is 95 and lives alone.
She has relied on NORC’s assistance for a couple of years, and she couldn’t be happier with the services. While she is perfectly capable of doing things like her own banking and shopping, she still needs someone to get her to those destinations.
Enter NORC.
"If you tell them that ‘I would like to go to the doctor’s,’ they make sure you get transportation to go there, or get there somehow," she said.
Stephanie was able to get out on her own until last year, but mobility has since become a problem. Now she spends much time at home, keeping a tidy one-floor duplex that includes a bedroom, bathroom, living room and recreation area.
"I take care of it and keep it repaired," she said. "This is how I live. Things are milling around in my mind, but if I were to go someplace like a retirement home, I would want the same thing that I have here."
But it’s still nice to have interaction with NORC’s staffers, Stephanie added, and she appreciates their work to help keep her home livable.
"They go out of their way for you, which you don’t find in other (organizations)," she said.
In founding Rhawnhurst NORC, Griffin, the project manager, explained that the idea was to identify the gaps in services experienced by seniors living alone. (NORC is available to anyone 60 or older.) The biggest demand seemed to be home maintenance, Griffin said, which explains the strong focus on home repairs and basic upkeep.
"You need someone to rake your leaves, to shovel your snow, and you cannot wait for your kids to come in every two weeks," she said.
According to Griffin, Rhawnhurst NORC has served around 700 "unduplicated," or first-time users, since its inception three years ago. Information from the 2000 U.S. Census shows that 9,195 people in Rhawnhurst’s population of 28,407 were 60 or older at the time.
Griffin noted that NORC’s outreach workers are middle-aged. Nothing against younger people, she said, but the sentiment seemed to be that seniors would connect better with those somewhat closer in years.
"We wanted people seniors can trust, but we also wanted people with life experiences that seniors can relate to," she said.
In addition to performing tasks at homes throughout the year, NORC organizes annual spring cleanups and winterization days. They rely on volunteers of all ages who lend a helping hand, performing many of the tasks the staffers do on a daily basis.
Another event is the Dessert & Lecture, which this year is scheduled for May 30 from noon to 2 p.m. at the Rhawnhurst Presbyterian Church, 7701 Loretto Ave. Seniors will learn about CLIP — the city’s Community Life Improvement Program — and hear from such speakers as representatives of the city’s police and fire departments.
Stephanie said those programs are an added bonus.
"We are all treated very cordially, with our little Danish or a cup of tea or coffee, and there’s always a very good speaker who is very informative," she said.
Griffin said part of her job is to make connections in the region and seek out potential funding sources, since, she admits, "money is always an issue." More partnerships will likely develop if the greater community learns of the good work being done by NORC, Griffin added.
"Rhawnhurst is a great neighborhood, and we just want to encourage people to get involved again," she said.
Those who have volunteered their services thus far have really enjoyed their work, she added, which explains the volunteers who return year after year for the spring cleaning and winterization days.
"People wanted to be involved, and I thought that was really neat," she said. "They wanted to be able to do more in the neighborhood."
Rhawnhurst NORC is preparing to start a "shopping van" service. Seniors will be given rides to grocery stores and get help with shopping — the driver will even help carry groceries inside upon their arrival home. This is the one service, however, that will come with a price; all other NORC services are free.
Griffin, who has a background in public relations and television (she worked on the show Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous for some time), said her work with Rhawnhurst NORC has been very fulfilling.
"I wanted to work on something I was really excited about," she said.
But she also admitted it has been as much a learning experience for her as for others involved. But once the ball got rolling, there seemed to be no telling where or when it would stop.
Griffin said while there are NORC’s elsewhere, particularly New York, which employs what she termed a "vertical method" — workers primarily assist high-rise apartment tenants — she would like to see more sprout up in the Philadelphia area.
And if the response to Rhawnhurst NORC is any indication of its success, Griffin expects it to become that much more popular.
"We want to give them whatever they need," she said, before adding, "If you use it once, you’ll probably use it again."
For Mazzara, there’s no question that she’ll continue to use NORC for some time to come. After all, it’s not just about getting house chores done; it’s about feeling alive.
"Interaction is very important, especially when you are a senior and you are a widow and all that jazz," she said. "I did a lot of volunteer work in my life and I’m used to being with people. This has been a very, very good thing for me." ••
For more information about Rhawnhurst NORC, call 215-728-1330.
Reporter Jon Campisi can be reached at 215-354-3038 or jcampisi@phillynews.com