At ServiceLink, we believe that social determinants are just as important as medicine to create livelihoods where good health is a standard. These social determinants of health, such as safe housing, nutritious food, reliable means of transportation, and more, are the foundations on which we build our community service work.

 

Established by Penn's Center for Public Health Initiatives in 2011, ServiceLink sends dedicated undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, medical, MPH, and law student volunteers from the University of Pennsylvania with diverse backgrounds to primary care and community sites in Philadelphia.

 

Volunteers link individuals to public benefits and community resources that address basic living and health needs, such as health insurance, food security, healthy food options, utility payments, prescription payments, legal support, and access to COVID-19 testing.

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Volunteers are trained with an education of both technical knowledge of how benefits systems operate in Philadelphia as well as communicative skills that enable them to serve patients better. The executive board of Service Link works year round to create more helpful and relevant educational materials for both volunteers and clients, such as housing and insurance manuals.

 

By helping underserved West Philadelphians overcome any obstacles to their holistic and deserved good health, ServiceLink continually strives to build a healthier community, to uplift the community we occupy, and to cultivate a spirit of mutual empowerment.