The Kensington neighborhood in Philadelphia’s Slate Belt region has been significantly impacted by the state’s drug crisis. Now a local woman is leading the charge for Kensington addiction recovery, using her brother’s legacy to bring hope and healing to residents in the area.
Lisa Lipyanic of nearby Wind Gap is a nurse at St. Luke’s University Health Network. She’s also a grieving and motivated sister. Her brother Randy Lipyanic died in May of 2024 after struggling for two decades with homelessness and drug addiction.
Upon his passing Lisa saw a unique opportunity to use her gifts and abilities outside the traditional realm. Now she regularly visits Kensington to bring food, medical supplies and clothing to the individuals living in the neighborhood’s homeless encampments and strolling the open-air drug markets. She also provides on-site wound care and other nursing services.
In addition to being one of the city’s most prominent areas for drug activity Kensington also has personal meaning to Lisa. It’s where Randy lived for the past several years. Before he died her brother confessed that he’d been molested repeatedly as a child which drove him to spend 20 years in the grip of addiction.
Now Lisa is making it her mission to save others from a similar fate. In addition to offering basic supplies and medical services, she also helps locals connect with community resources and find treatment programs nearby. Sometimes, being there simply means lending an ear. Lisa often just sits and listens as people share the difficulties they’ve faced, offering empathy and understanding.
Moving forward she hopes to expand her Kensington addiction recovery work to reach the greater Lehigh Valley area. She’s started an Amazon gift list that people can browse to donate supplies and hopes to start a nonprofit in her brother’s memory. Lisa’s story shows that even in the darkest moments, real change can happen when one person steps forward and offers light.