Bebashi: Transition to Hope. A team full of inspired alumni making a difference in healthcare and food security
Sebrina Tate is an alumnus of Parkway Northwest High School and Rhonda Lipshutz is an alumnus of Northeast High School.
Bebashi: Transition to Hope is a non-profit organization nestled on Spring Garden Street, just above 12th street in the North Philadelphia area now known as Spring Garden. Its mission is to empower people to enhance the quality of their health and overall well-being by providing access to culturally sensitive high-quality healthcare, HIV/AIDS services, health education, and social services. Founded in 1985, this organization continues today to provide services to the community and much of its current success is attributed to the work of the dedicated team beyond the front entrance.
It’s here we talked with Ms. Sebrina Tate, Director of Programs and Administration and a Parkway Northwest High School, class of 1990 graduate. We toured, talked and after viewing renovations to the building that would house a food pantry rivaling a small food market, we learned that 48% of the Bebashi staff are Philadelphia public school alumni! We asked Ms. Tate about her most impactful memory attending a Philly public school, and her story in a roundabout way led her to her current position. As a 10th Grade student attending private school, Ms. Tate remembers her principal as an admired school leader who one day discovered he contracted HIV and was seeking treatment. Complications due to his diagnosis lead to the school closing and her transferring to Parkway in her Jr. year. Who knew that this student would be inspired to earn 2 masters degrees, enter a career in education (Assistant Principal and Administrator) and then take her skills to a nonprofit known for helping people with HIV, Hep-C and other STIs. Ms. Tate is a proud public school graduate and even prouder of the team of alumni that supports the Bebashi mission.
Ms. Rhonda Lipshutz, Communications Specialist was introduced to the Philly Alumni team (myself- a Central High 1985 alum, and Amira Smith- a Girls' High 1999 grad) and shares that she is a Philly public school lifer, having attended Moore Elementary, Fels Middle School and Northeast High School, class of 1992. Ms. Lipshutz is new to her current position, but she always had designs on leaving the corporate sector for nonprofit to really feel good about coming to work and have a higher sense of work fulfillment. Her fondest elementary and middle school memories include old school teachers dressed up, parties for kids, friends, assemblies and plays, playing the flute in orchestra in elementary school, and let’s not forget District 8 concerts where she sang in the choir. In high school her uncle was her Physics teacher, but it was here that her 11th grade English teacher pushed her to continue with writing which led to becoming a Journalism Major in college.
The Bebashi story is inspiring to hear about the work our alumni are doing in the communities where many attended our public schools. The team combats food deserts, distributing food to students and families at Frances E. Willard Elementary, Laura W.Waring Elementary and Memphis Street Charter School and the Spring Garden Street location Monday through Friday. Students and families are welcome to receive food for the weekend at the main location. The COVID-19 virus induced school closings in Philadelphia indefinitely, and Bebashi is stepping to the plate to open their doors to families in need in all communities. For more information, visit https://www.bebashi.org/.
-article written by John Barber III