Armando - Update
Hi, My name is
Armando.
Armando has spent years at Philly House surrounded by people who became his family. Today, even as his needs change, that same love and sense of belonging continue to shape his life.
Always Family
Armando is a wonderful storyteller.
From his days in Cuba as a well-known singer to his favorite memories here in Philadelphia, he has always had a gift for sharing stories. These days, his words sometimes come a little more slowly. But when he begins talking about Philly House, about the people, the work and the good times, his face lights up.
“I am thankful for Philly House,” he often says. “They welcomed me with open arms.”
Armando came to Philly House because he had nowhere else to go. His family was gone, and he arrived alone. But he was never treated that way. From the very beginning, staff and volunteers embraced him not as someone passing through, but as family. Over time, he became like everyone’s grandfather—steady, kind and deeply loved.
For years, Armando stayed busy. He cleaned the block around Philly House, sometimes two full blocks by himself. He helped in the kitchen, washing dishes and carrying plates. He took pride in working hard and giving back.
“I like helping,” he says. “I like staying busy.”
Those days still live clearly in his heart.
“I am thankful for Philly House. They welcomed me with open arms.”
He especially loves remembering rides in the truck with staff, traveling all over the city, stopping for coffee and warm bread.
“We went everywhere,” he says with a smile. “I was happy to share treats with our friends.”
Even now, those moments of companionship remain.
Today, Armando’s needs look different, and his pace is a little slower. He now lives in a senior care residence less than a mile from Philly House, where nurses and staff can care for him around the clock. But the bond has not been broken. Philly House staff visit often, answer late-night calls when he’s restless and listen patiently as he tells his stories. Because those stories still matter.
Recently, Armando celebrated his 85th birthday. Staff brought cake. Friends gathered and sang to him. “I was very happy,” Armando remembers.
He may no longer walk the block or work in the kitchen, but he still knows this much: “Philly House is my family.”
And that sense of belonging, the kind that stays through every season of life, is at the heart of Philly House.
Because everyone deserves a place where they are known, loved and never forgotten.
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Refuge and Hope
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