Jane, a resident at Sylvan Retreat Apartments in Mountville, Pa., was eager to attend the first class of Nutrition Links, a program hosted by Penn State Extension Lancaster County. While she was looking forward to the taco salad recipe and meal that would be shared during the class, she was most excited about connecting with the class’s instructor, Donna Sullivan.
Jane received her certificate in nutrition from a local extension office and later went on to work as a chef at an assisted living facility for the 34 years. She attended the day’s class with photos from her graduation ceremony and was looking forward to talking with Sullivan about the nutrition program and instructors. The two shared friendly banter as the class started and as Sullivan began to prepare the taco salad recipe, Jane was by her side cutting tomatoes and shredding lettuce. As the two women worked together to prepare the class’s meal, it was easy to see why and how food brings people of all ages and cultures together.
Sullivan has been leading the six-week Nutrition Links program throughout the summer at three HDC MidAtlantic properties in Lancaster County including Sylvan Retreat, St. Peter Apartments and Trinity House Apartments. The series, sponsored and hosted by Penn State Extension provides research-based nutrition education to help people and families with limited resources enhance their nutrition, increase their physical activity and develop life skills needed for self-sufficiency and better health.
Classes include hands-on activities and food demonstrations to educate residents on food selection, dietary intake, management of resources, portion control, nutritional values and food safety. The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and does not supply free food or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance benefits but rather provides participants with the knowledge and skills to plan and prepare a healthful diet on a limited budget.
Research shows lower-income households purchase more affordable but less healthy groceries like cereals, pasta, potatoes, and fatty meats. Produce is often overlooked or not easily accessible, and is commonly limited to iceberg lettuce, potatoes, canned corn, bananas, and frozen orange juice.
In Nutrition Links, residents are taught the nutritional value and other information about common grocery staples so consumers can make healthier decisions that fit within their budgets. For example, residents are encouraged to buy beans, which are low-cost but also a good source of protein and fiber. The program further provides residents with helpful tools like sample shopping lists, quick reference guides for nutritional values and healthy recipes.
There are plans to expand Nutrition Links to 14 other HDC MidAtlantic properties in Lancaster within the next year. Nutrition Links is also offered at three properties in Chester County through Penn State Extension Chester County
Collaboration with partners like Penn State Extension is one of the ways HDC MidAtlantic fulfills its promise to residents to build hope and opportunity by providing a safe and affordable place to call home. Our Resident Services are designed to strengthen the mental, physical, financial and emotional health of our residents and communities by connecting residents to resources. Our team does this by focusing on five key areas designed to meet the needs of residents including health and wellness. HDC MidAtlantic believes a strong Resident Services program contributes to long-term stability for our residents. Our efforts are designed to increase self-sufficiency, improve living conditions, create healthy communities, and support youth and caretakers.
Every voice matters. At HDC, we are committed to raising up resident voices and opening doors so that residents can actively participate in the democratic process, speak out on issues important to them and their communities, and communicate how policies affect their everyday lives. We believe it is important to make the time and space to listen, and to support resident leaders in effectively using their voices. We support resident advocacy opportunities through our Resident Academy of Leadership & Inspiration, Voter Registration Drives, and holding constituent meetings and tours with elected officials.
Allentown, PA
Fredericksburg, PA
Lancaster, PA
Finding a place to live that meets one’s basic needs and budget can feel like a never-ending challenge. The complexity of lower-income families and individuals extend far beyond simply finding a safe, affordable, and welcoming place to call home. At HDC, we are committed to being an ally in speaking to issues, programs, and policies that improve quality of life of our residents. Issues that we know are important to our residents include:
We know we can’t solve the affordable housing challenge alone. We need champions to help change the conversation around what home means and why it matters. We are committed to educating elected officials to understand the needs and challenges of their constituents. We are here to provide solutions that work and offer affordable housing expertise that demonstrates the impact policy decisions have on lower-income families, seniors and those with disabilities. We work closely with and participate in alliances and coalitions to educate and advance shared policy priorities. Our advocacy partners include:
Wendy Smith serves as the Vice President of Property Management, responsible for the overall strategic direction for HDC’s management portfolio and the organization’s largest staff team. Previously, Wendy served as Asset and Operations Manager for a leading real estate firm based in New York City which owned over 11,000 affordable homes. Since 2008, Wendy has held roles in regional level operations for commercial and for-profit housing agencies. Wendy holds a degree in International Studies.
