Project SHINE

Launched in 1985, Project SHINE is a national immigrant integration initiative that helps college students, older adult volunteers, and immigrant elders connect and contribute to their communities.  Click here to visit projectshine.org.

Patience Lehrman
Program Director
(215) 204-3212

Hitomi Yoshida
Associate Director
(215) 204-6160

Health Literacy

With support from the Corporation for National and Community Service and The MetLife Foundation, Project SHINE has launched an AmeriCorps Health Literacy program that engages volunteers of all ages and cultures in activities designed to enhance the health of older immigrants and refugees.  The program is run by the national office of Project SHINE and is operating at Temple University in Philadelphia, The University of Texas in El Paso, and The University of North Carolina in Greensboro.


In Philadelphia, AmeriCorps members serve in multicultural teams approximately 10 hours per week for 9 months at one of SHINE's community partner sites (easily accessible by public transportation from Temple). On site, members tutor English and run health activities for small groups of immigrant/refugee elders to promote health literacy and productive aging. Members receive monthly training, a $1,500 stipend and an education award of $1,132 upon completion. Those who are bilingual, bicultural, and/or working in or towards a career in health are in high demand! For more information, please click here. Questions and application requests also may be emailed to volunteer@templecil.org.