Penny Ettinger will speak about Network of Victim Assistance (NOVA) to the adult class at the Newtown Quaker Meetinghouse, 219 Court Street, on Sunday, February 12 at 9:45 a.m. Meeting for Worship in the manner of Friends will begin at 11 a.m. The public is invited.
NOVA is a victim services agency in Bucks County, PA, providing counseling, advocacy, community education, and prevention programming.
Penny has dedicated her career to improving the lives of vulnerable populations of children and their families and primary caregivers impacted by public health, mental health, and psycho-social issues related to personal violence, pediatric HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, and urban poverty.
One of her proudest accomplishments was the design and implementation of a family-centered continuum of educational, physical and mental health services for pregnant/post-partum women and their children who live in the North Philadelphia community. Securing over $10 million dollars and partnerships with multiple providers, the program brought many needed services to families under one roof.
Penny believes strongly that education and information sharing with the public is key to advancing the work and improving the health and well-being for all members of a community. Penny was a trainer for the Mid-Atlantic Aids Education and Training Center, served as an Adjunct Instructor in the Graduate School of Education at Arcadia University, is a published author, and has been the guest/moderator for a variety of television and radio programs on public health.
She has served on the boards of Mercer County (NJ) Child SexualAbuse Prevention Task Force, the Asian Arts Initiative, and Public (formerly Philadelphia) Citizens for Children Youth, and Children’s Village.
Penny Ettinger holds an MS degree in Science in Human Services Management from Drexel University and a BS in Child Development and Family Studies from Ohio State University.
Newtown Friends Meeting, co-founded by the Quaker artist and minister, Edward Hicks, in 1815, holds services every First Day (Sunday). During the school year, First Day classes for children and adults are at 9:45 a.m. and Meeting for Worship is at 11:00 a.m. Childcare is provided. All meetings are open to the public and visitors are warmly welcomed.
Norval Reece, Community Contributor