Greater Harrisburg's Community Magazine

Long-Term Caring: From helping Civil War orphans to providing for today’s seniors, the Homeland Center celebrates 150 years.

Before the state Capitol building, before the Market Street Bridge and before Riverfront Park, a small charity house opened in Harrisburg.

It was called the “Home for the Friendless,” a blunt moniker for a building meant to house and assist Civil War widows and orphans.

This was no small problem. Millions of men had died or returned home disabled from the war, leading the Patriot-News, in 1866, to remark on “the large number of children who are daily to be seen on our streets in a ragged, forlorn condition.”

A group of churches responded and, 150 years later, the institution they formed, now called the Homeland Center, still serves a population who need special care—the elderly. Over the years, it has transitioned to a licensed, nonprofit continuing care retirement community that offers nursing care, rehabilitation and dementia care.

“We’ve lasted for 150 years because of our ability to change and our ability to be committed to our mission,” said Homeland Center President and CEO Barry Ramper II.

The center began in a small house downtown, at S. 3rd and Mulberry streets. In 1870, ground was broken on a larger facility, which still stands at the corner of N. 5th and Muench streets. Additions have transformed the original, Gothic-style Victorian building into a major regional, skilled nursing facility.

“It’s the best nursing home I’ve ever been in,” said certified nursing assistant Symira McNeely, a five-year Homeland employee. “Our residents say it’s more like a family here. We give excellent care emotionally and physically. It’s one big family here. I love it.”

Homeland’s umbrella of services also includes Homeland Hospice, which serves patients across 13 counties, Homeland HomeHealth, providing clinical care with registered nurses and Homeland HomeCare, which involves home assistance services with certified nursing aides. A satellite office on Progress Avenue in Susquehanna Township is home base for these services.

To celebrate this milestone, a 150th anniversary gala for Homeland Center is scheduled for this month with keynote speaker Charles Osgood, the recently retired host of “CBS Sunday.” About 400 community leaders and executives of major businesses, financial organizations and academic institutions are expected to attend. Proceeds will benefit Homeland’s benevolent care program, used for clients who have exhausted their own financial resources.

“We are thankful for the generosity of the many individuals in the past 150 years who have helped in creating a financial foundation which enables us to provide a large amount of charitable benevolent care,” Ramper said.

The center has primarily served the elderly since about 1920. It evolved further in mid-century as fewer senior citizens needed the type of institutional charity originally offered. Many seniors still required some type of personal care services, while others needed health care, such as managing a chronic disease or skilled aftercare.

The ensuing decades brought a period of “unprecedented growth,” according to the center’s written historical account. After much deliberation, administrators decided in 1979 that the Homeland Center would remain on 5th Street. The main building’s third floor then was renovated and the fourth floor was removed.

An addition was built in 1984 with a new main dining room and courtyard, giving the Homeland Center a total of 60 skilled care beds. In 1999, the Katherine S. Kunkel Pavilion for skilled nursing care was completed with provisions for 30 more residents. Today, Homeland has a total of 95 skilled care beds.

Homeland started the new millennium by refurbishing and officially naming the 1984 addition as the Ellenberger Unit. In 2004, 50 personal care units were completed in honor of former board member Dorothy J. Sinon. Ramper also came to Homeland with the new millennium and has served the past 17 years.

“I like the opportunity to be of service to others, respecting the individuality and uniqueness that exists for each,” Ramper said. “That’s what makes it fun. I don’t see anything as too difficult to overcome. That’s why I still enjoy working in this field after 40 years.”

The Homeland Center is located at 1901 N. 5th St., Harrisburg. It will celebrate its 150th anniversary on May 7 with a gala. For more information, visit www.homelandcenter.org.

Author: Phyllis Zimmerman

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