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esteem, develop copingmechanisms, andmaster life
skills. It offers three levels of care: a full-day partial
hospital program, a half-day after school program, and
outpatient individual and family therapy.
One of themost popular features of C.A.S.T.L.E. is
Fitness Rocks. Ledby SaraO’Brien of Community
Rocks! Corporation, this therapeutic programmixes
yoga and other forms of exercisewithmusic and
lessons about self-confidence and sensitivity. Not only
does play, music, anddancing help students cope
with stress and anxiety, but it gives thema chance to
get outside andbe kids.
“Without this place, I would have been lost,” says
Leslie Paige, who is raising two grandsons. “As I see
themgrowand change and use the tools that they’re
learning here to build their self-esteem, it buildsmy
self-esteem.”
“It has been a joy towitness childrenwho normally
struggle to communicate and engagewith others
become playful, energetic and even loudwhenMs.
Sara comes with her guitar,” says AmyQuick, director
of theC.A.S.T.L.E. Program. “Doing something fun
so kids don’t know they are getting therapy is just
as important.”
The initial one-year pilot program for Fitness Rocks in
2011was funded entirely by the generosity of Virtua
Camden’s passionate donor community. It wasmade
permanent thanks to a grant from the Sumner Station
Foundation, and it continues to rely on philanthropic
funding. Last year, the 2ndAnnual Somerset
Properties 5K Run and 1-mileWalk on September 10,
2015 raisedmore than $14,300 to support
Fitness Rocks.
C.A.S.T.L.E. also provides horticultural therapy and
collects food, coats, andbackpacks full of school
supplies for children. For themore than 600 families
connected toC.A.S.T.L.E., fromCamden andbeyond,
this program is themiracle they’ve been praying for —
a fun, positiveway to keep kidsmoving forward in the
educational process and learnwhat they need to
succeed in school, at home, and in the community. It
always comes back to the community.
One of themost overlookedparts of any community is
reaching thosemost in need, the homeless
population; however, Virtua is helping to change that
by partneringwith theCamdenCoalition of
Healthcare Providers inHousing First. This new
initiative, funded in part by Virtua, is addressing the
problems of chronic homelessness and expensive
emergency roomvisits by allowing the
homeless tomove into homes
without preconditions and
regardless of their credit
history. According to the
CamdenCoalition,
Housing First
programs in theU.S.
have a 90 percent
success rate versus
30 percent in
traditional housing
programs.
Virtua Camden has big
dreams of doing even
more, with the expansion of
its campus and a brand new
FamilyHealthCenter andCommunity
Wellness Center. Plans are also underway for new
programs to educate and empower the residents of
Camden tomake healthy choices that can prevent
chronic disease and ensure their well-being frombirth
through adulthood.
With the continued support of its generous donors,
Virtua will transformmore lives and communities,
enriching the resources it offers families today create a
healthier Camden tomorrow.