Weinberg Foundation Leads the Way in Levindale Renovation and Expansion

Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital celebrated the first phase of a $31 million construction project with a ceremony yesterday evening.

Thanks to generous donors, the expansion campaign has already taken off in a major way. The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Inc. pledged $10 million, the largest gift to a long-term care center in the foundation’s history. In appreciation of this gift, the campus is now The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg campus at Levindale.

In addition to the Weinberg Foundation gift, Willard Hackerman, president and CEO of Whiting-Turner, pledged $5 million to the project. These two leadership gifts reflect an unprecedented campaign to raise money through philanthropy.

“The leadership and support from the Weinberg Foundation will be felt for generations to come, not only in our city but around the country,” says Aric Spitulnik, president and COO of Levindale. “That gift, along with the gift provided by Willard Hackerman, will guarantee that we can continue to treat the elderly with the dignity and respect they deserve while encouraging their independence.”

“This is a perfect grant for us. It involves older adults, it involves our hometown of Baltimore, it involves the Jewish community, and it's a capital project,” says Barry Schloss, the Foundation treasurer and one of its trustees, who became involved with this project six years ago. “I'm so excited to see it get to this stage.”

The new Levindale, which will be completed in 2012, will be a cheerful, inviting, modern home for residents, while providing a comfortable, elegant and friendly atmosphere. Spacious yet intimate, the building will have small households with private bedrooms that have full, private showers and bathrooms; a country kitchen with family-style Kosher cooking and dining; a den for reading, music and watching television; and a cozy hearth area.


Click on the video below to hear more about the benefits of the new Levindale from Spitulnik.

Superheroes Arrive at Sinai Hospital

At Sinai, our pediatric patients are our superheroes. Today, those patients got to meet their superheros: Batman, Robin and Wonder Woman.

Thanks to Hope for Henry, a foundation dedicated to bringing smiles to hospitalized children, the characters arrived bearing gifts, food and general awesomeness. Pictured above is 18-month-old pediatric oncology patient Emma Miller, with her mother Jen and men who need no introduction.

The Hope for Henry Foundation first began supporting patients at Sinai in 2009, and continues to support the inpatient and outpatient pediatrics patients with gifts and other celebrations. Mary Bohlen, social worker in the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Sinai Hospital, says there have been at least six birthday celebrations courtesy of Hope for Henry. The parties are thrown when a pediatric patient has to spend his or her birthday in the hospital. The patient not only gets a personalized cake or balloon, but is allowed to choose an age-appropriate gift ranging from an iPod to a PSP player.

Today was the first Superhero Celebration at Sinai, but there are hopes for further events.

"When you are a child in the hospital, time moves very slowly," says Hope for Henry Foundation director Laurie Strongin. "A day like today, you won't even remember the medical treatment - you'll remember meeting Batman and Wonder Woman."

Children like Thomas Georgiou, pictured left, also got to have pizza, juice and cake today. Other activities including having a caricaturist draw a picture of them as a superhero, getting their photo taken in a photo booth, making their own cape, having their face painted, and receiving a variety of gifts.

"This is such an exciting time for the department of pediatrics and the Herman & Walter Samuelson Children's Hospital at Sinai," says Shannon Wollman, manager of Development at Sinai. "Working with new organizations like Hope for Henry enhances the mission of making children and their families feel like they are being well taken care of."

But don't take our word for it - below is a short video of 3-year-old Jeffrey Schwantes of New Jersey, who had surgery last month with Shawn Standard, M.D. Jeffrey and his mother came over from Hackerman Patz house to visit with the superheros. He's also pictured above left with Wonder Woman.

Hackerman-Patz House Provides Haven for Families

If you or someone you love is sick, all you want to do is concentrate your attention on recovery.

One thing that can help you put your mind at ease is not having to worry about where you and/or your loved ones will stay when you’re not at the hospital.

That’s why the Hackerman-Patz House was built.

It’s located on the Sinai/Levindale campus, and people being cared for at both hospitals have a comfortable, clean and convenient place to rest afterward.

“The Hackerman-Patz House is a save haven for people to unwind after undergoing out-patient procedures or to relax after providing comfort to a sick friend or relative,” says William “Bill” Turner, director of the Hackerman-Patz House.

“Not having to get into a car and go to a hotel - in many cases only to have to return to the hospital the next day - means less stress and more time to concentrate on what’s important…the health of the person who’s not feeling well!”

Rooms at the Hackerman-Patz House are handicap-accessible with sitting areas, microwaves, refrigerators, cable TV, wireless Internet, DVD players and too many other conveniences to name.

Patients being treated in the LifeBridge Health system, their friends and/or their families can stay at the house, whether it’s for one night or as long as a year.

“The building itself is nice,” says Amy Scholnick-Powderly, an administrative assistant at the Hackerman-Patz House. “But what makes it really special is the feeling that our guests have. There’s a sense of camaraderie and being with people who understand what each other is going through.”

Gwenn Eisenberg agrees. “I choose to volunteer my time at the Hackerman-Patz House because I love knowing that I make a difference in people’s lives, no matter how big or small. I also love meeting people from around the world, who stay there while undergoing procedures," she says.

In fact, in addition to the local patients and families at the Hackerman-Patz House, people from more than 50 countries and all 50 states have also called it their “home away from home.”

Parking is free and room rates are reasonable. For more information, you can call 410-601-5163 or log onto wturner (at) lifebridgehealth.org.

-Helene King

"Lights...Camera...Action!"

The Hackerman Patz House turned into commercial studio when a camera crew taped a public service announcement to promote hand washing. The stars? Children related to Courtland Gardens and Levindale employees.

The message of the PSA is simple and important: wash your hands to prevent the spread of germs.

You can see for yourself how the children sing "Row, Row, Row, Your Boat" and explain
that, in order to get rid of germs, hands must be cleaned for at least 20 seconds, the time it takes to sing a sing.


The stars are nine children, who range in age from three to eleven.

“My grandchildren had a ball,” says Phyllis Jones, an administrative assistant at Levindale. “They also understood what they were doing. Their schools have even taught them to sneeze into their elbows and to use hand sanitizers when necessary.”

“My son, Alex, practiced singing ahead of time,” says Jennifer Labute, administrator at Courtland Gardens. “He wasn’t nervous at all in front of the camera and had a good time.
It’s great that he’s part of something created to help other children.”

The PSA is being broadcast on local television stations and is posted on the YouTube, icyou.com and at www.washyourhandsmaryland.org

Sinai Kicks Off Supply Drive on Monday

As part of Sinai Hospital's 50th anniversary celebration, employees and community members are filling up a Sinai shuttle.

The school supply and food drive kicks off on Monday, July 20. Stop by Monday-Friday between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. and visit the shuttle, parked by the Greenspring cafe. The food donations will go to the Hackerman-Patz House at Sinai and the new school supplies will be donated to Pimlico Elementary School and Cross County Elementary/Middle School.

Requested items include:

• Non-perishable boxed or canned food
• Composition notebooks
• Glue sticks
• Large 3-ring binders
  
• Crayons
• Crayon boxes
• Tissues
• Paper towels
• Scissors
• Folders with pockets
• Liquid soap
• Rulers
• Loose-leaf paper
• Kleenex
• Hand sanitizer

Thanks in advance!

Rooms available at Hackerman-Patz House at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore

We currently have vacancies at The Hackerman-Patz House at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore. The front door of the Hackerman-Patz House is just steps from Sinai's Rubin Institute for Advanced Orthopedics, the International Center for Limb Lengthening and Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital .

For patients traveling to Sinai for procedures that require lengthy stays or rehab, the Hackerman-Patz House is a comfortable and convenient place to stay - like a home away from home. Designed with the patient and family in mind, guest suites at The Hackerman-Patz House resemble deluxe hotel rooms. They are equipped with beds, a sitting area, private bathrooms, microwaves, refrigerators, coffee post, a room safe, telephones, wireless internet and cable television with a VCR/DVD combination.

Please contact the house for eligibility requirements and current room rates. Visit the Web site for a virtual tour.

For more information about the Hackerman-Patz House or to inquire about accommodations, please call Director William Turner at 410-601-5163.