PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Bebashi Transition to Hope serves the underserved and gives compassionate care to people who need it most. The organization helps Black and brown people get quality health care and provides access to culturally sensitive care like HIV/AIDS or social services.
Sonya Carroll works with Bebashi’s Health Enterprise Zone Project as a prevention education navigator. She sees the needs of the community she serves and does her best to meet them where they are.
“Being in service has been my entire life,” she said. “It really, really grieves my heart to know that 23% of people that live in Philadelphia are living below the poverty line.”
Carroll has been addressing food insecurity in the city for years.
“It really upsets me that there are children going to bed hungry or relying on the school district to feed them.”
Her own upbringing had a big influence on her passion for service in North Philadelphia.
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“I had a mother and grandmother and aunts who would literally feed the entire neighborhood,” she recalled.
Carroll started a Bebashi community fridge to feed the homeless in the city after the pantries have closed for the day. They distribute about 100 to 150 pounds of nonperishable food, as well as some PPE items like masks and sanitizer, each week.
“Seeing that I can put a partial smile on a stranger’s face just by helping them to nourish their body is the most self-pleasing thing that you could ever think of.”
During Black History Month, KYW Newsradio’s GameChangers honors 10 individuals or organizations that have made a significant, positive impact in communities of color in the greater Philadelphia region. KYW community affairs reporter Racquel Williams will host an evening honoring this year’s awardees on Feb. 24. View a full list of 2022 honorees below.
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