Driving in style
with NORC

By Jon Campisi
Times Staff Writer

Marian Bradley eyed up the shiny new vehicle parked outside of the Rhawnhurst Presbyterian Church on Loretto Avenue, anxious to take her first ride.
"I may use it today for all I know," she said, noting that her grocery shopping day is near.
Bradley was one of a small group of senior citizens who came out Friday to participate in a dedication ceremony for a recently donated 2008 Ford E-350 van that will be used to transport seniors, such as herself, to shopping destinations.
The van is the newest service offered by Rhawnhurst NORC, or Naturally Occurring Retirement Community, a non-profit organization that helps aging members of society stay as independent as possible by remaining in their own homes.
"We at the Rhawnhurst NORC are very excited about this van. This van now completes the array of services," Rhawnhurst NORC project coordinator Elaine Griffin told the crowd gathered outside the church.
Rhawnhurst NORC, begun in 2005, is a joint program of Catholic Social Services, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia and United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania.
The dedication ceremony was attended by representatives of the various human services organizations, as well as state and local elected officials.
David Fair, vice president for community impact at the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania, said Rhawnhurst NORC proudly exemplifies the recently adopted slogan by his organization, which is "Live United."
"Our purpose in the world is to mobilize communities so we can all live united," Fair said.
Fair spoke about the importance of neighbors helping neighbors for the sake of kindness, and not money.
"You can be motivated to care about someone else just because it’s the right thing to do," he said.
Rhawnhurst NORC prides itself on this philosophy, with outreach workers making house calls to seniors residing at home, performing tasks such as mowing grass and changing light bulbs to changing smoke detector batteries, shoveling snow and raking leaves.
Now, transporting area seniors to the supermarket, and even helping them carry their groceries inside can be added to that list.
The van "provides the critically important transportation service that you need," said Ira M. Schwartz, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia.
Schwartz said one of the federation’s top priorities is serving seniors. To that end, the van will undoubtedly serve a wide number of people — since the organization’s inception three years ago, NORC has already served 700 seniors in the Rhawnhurst community, and that doesn’t include repeat users.
"No matter how you cut it ... it really comes down to the individuals who run the programs," James Amato, deputy secretary of Catholic Social Services, said of NORC staffers, whose faces may sometimes blend with the crowd, and whose selfless actions often go unnoticed by outsiders.
"Really, where the rubber meets the road is the staff making it happen."
State Sen. Michael Stack (D-5th dist.), who also addressed the crowd, said having the largest number of seniors of all 50 senatorial districts in Pennsylvania makes this project hit close to home for him. The NORC van, he said, is a welcome addition to an already thriving program.
"Today, our seniors are more and more vital and they should have as much independence as possible," he said. "This is a wonderful day."
State Rep. John Sabatina Jr. (D-174th dist.), whose scheduled wedding the following day didn’t stop him from attending the ceremony, echoed Stack’s statements.
"I was awestruck," he said of his reaction to first learning about Rhawnhurst NORC. "That’s exactly what this area needs."
Sabatina, who first met project coordinator Griffin two years ago while campaigning for his state House seat, said NORC is a prime example of a worthwhile community organization.
"It’s about community, it’s about helping each other get through life, because it’s not that easy," he said. "We’re all in this together and we can all help each other."
Perhaps the most important people at the ceremony were two quiet, distinguished senior citizens from Montgomery County, without whom the day most likely would not have been possible.
Charles and Barbara Kahn spearheaded the fund-raising efforts for the van, which seats 14, or less when wheelchair space is taken up. With the Kahns’ help, NORC was able to secure the necessary $60,000 for the purchase of the van.
"Our motivation for wanting to do this project is we felt the entire interfaith community would benefit," Barbara Kahn told the crowd. "We have accepted the challenge, and happily, today, our goal has reached fruition."
As the ceremony came to a close, the seniors who were present were given a ride home in the new van, driven by recently hired NORC staffer Steve Kret.
As the first batch of seniors boarded the vehicle and the van pulled away, the remaining participants in attendance broke into applause, a testament to the excitement felt by all who are involved with Rhawnhurst NORC. ••
Reporter Jon Campisi can be reached at 215-354-3038 or jcampisi@phillynews.com