Community Archives - Healthy Minds Philly®

New Work Requirements for SNAP and Medicaid

If you have Medicaid or get help to buy food through SNAP, there are new rules that you’ll need to follow soon. The new rule is called “Work Requirements” Work Requirements for SNAP will start on October 2025. Work Requirements for Medicaid will start on December 31, 2026. What SNAP (Food Stamps) Recipients will be affected by Work Requirements? For SNAP benefits, adults ages 18 to 54 without children must also work, volunteer, or be in job training for at least 80 hours per month. Starting in October 2025, adults up to 54 years of age must [...]

Janine Monico2025-07-18T08:44:16-04:00July 18th, 2025|Community, Family & Youth|

Program Spotlight: The East Falls Community Fridge

“To be hungry and not have food, that’s just such a hurtful feeling,” Dené shared. She remembers being a child searching for food in an empty cabinet and breaking into tears. This personal history drives her commitment to ensuring others don’t face the same hardship. Dené volunteers at the East Falls Community Fridge. While she is busy managing a pediatric medical practice, she found time during the pandemic to start volunteering checking the fridge temperature twice a day. Her commitment to increasing access to food is rooted in her own [...]

Janine Monico2025-05-20T15:33:16-04:00April 11th, 2025|Awareness, Community, Eating Disorder, Lived Experience|

Community Organization Spotlight: An Insider Look at Norris Square Neighborhood Project

HealthyMindsPhilly met with Xena to learn more about Norris Square Neighborhood Project (NSNP), a local non-profit serving youth through three core pillars: youth development, land stewardship, and cultural preservation. Xena, NSNP Communications and Events Coordinator, understands that growing food and having access to green spaces are very important to individuals and community well-being. "I appreciate the pleasure of shared family meals, the preparation and enjoyment of seasonal food, and the physical work that goes into having a garden." Founded in 1973, NSNP is a vibrant cultural hub in North Philadelphia. [...]

Janine Monico2025-06-08T13:42:52-04:00March 31st, 2025|Community|

Neurodivergent, LGBTQ+, and Afro-Indigenous Path to Adulthood

"The stressors of this moment in my life are transitioning into adulthood and figuring out who I am. What is my identity? What is the career path that I plan to pursue," Rouge reflected. Rouge, a 22-year-old West Philadelphian, sat down with HMP to share their experiences navigating the stressors that come with becoming an independent adult. For them, the transition period is marked by a deep exploration of their intersecting identities as a Black and Indigenous neurodivergent LGBTQ+ Philadelphian, each aspect bringing its own unique challenges and strengths. Rouge’s [...]

Janine Monico2025-02-19T10:54:22-05:00February 19th, 2025|Community, Lived Experience|