Funded Projects

The Apollo Project

Project Year

2026

City & State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Program Name

Planning

Topic

CSHCN/Disabilities

Program Description

THE PROBLEM Studies show time spent in nature improves cognition, mood, attention, white blood cell count and blood pressure, affecting outcomes related to obesity, depression, anxiety, ADHD, diabetes & hypertension. As a result, nature prescriptions around the country have emerged. Unfortunately, access to safe green space in cities is difficult to obtain, especially for those facing ambulatory challenges.  

THE SETTING In Philadelphia's geographic areas with the wealthiest zip codes nearly 100% of residents reported having access to safe, outdoor recreational areas. In low-income neighborhoods such as North Philadelphia less than half of residents have this access (Growing Up Philly 2020 Report). For these communities  the impacts of historic red-lining in the early-mid 1900s persist in the form of chronic health challenges, crime, and inequitable access to safe green spaces.  

NUMBER OF CHILDREN AFFECTED As one of the oldest cities in the country, Philadelphia was not designed with modern accessibility standards. And though it has been said that “nature is the great equalizer,” unpaved trails and steep inclines pose unique challenges to those with limited mobility. While there is no exact known number of children who use wheelchairs or walkers in Philadelphia, according to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s (CHOP) 2025 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), 8.8% of city residents identify as having an ambulatory disability. As doctors prescribe their patients time outdoors for the benefit of health and well-being, members of this target population face greater barriers than most.  

PROJECT GOAL We aim to co-create a new pilot program with and for children who use wheelchairs or walkers. Prescribe Outside, a pediatric nature prescription program based at Awbury Arboretum in partnership with CHOP, provides not only a doctor's recommendation to spend time outdoors, but ways to fill those scripts through free family-friendly nature programs. Prescribe Outside seeks to improve environmental justice by promoting access to safe green space; however its current offerings are limited, designed for an ambulatory audience. Prescribe Outside believes children of all abilities deserve the right to experience the healing power of nature and seeks to do so by developing new accessible programs informed by the target population.  

PROPOSED INTERVENTION First, we will conduct an environmental scan of accessible green space in Philadelphia and develop relationships with experts such as healthcare providers that work with the target population. Then, activate this network to recruit both youth with mobility needs and  family members of children who use wheelchairs or walkers to act as an incentivized Community Advisory Committee (CAC). The CAC will meet three times, providing insight and feedback on a framework for accessible programming that will inform a pilot program.  

ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES The pilot program will include a single outing. Though participation will be voluntary, an incentivized survey will follow to evaluate how well the program met participant needs. Lessons learned will be presented as a report to the Community Advisory Committee and inform future grant proposals aimed to offer a wider range of inclusive outdoor programs. 

Project Goal

We aim to co-create a pilot nature activity program with and for children who use wheelchairs or walkers. This will expand access to the health benefits of nature to children of all abilities. 

Project Objective 1

Create a Community Advisory Committee including medical professionals (volunteers),  patient families (incentivized) and community advocates (incentivized) to guide in nature programming for children who use wheelchairs and walkers.     

Project Objective 2

Develop plan for accessible nature program with one environmental program partner 

Project Objective 3

Seek funding to have ongoing nature programming for children and teens who use wheelchairs or walker 

AAP District

District III

Institutional Name

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Contact 1

Barbara Rolnick, MD