Infant Car Seat Project making a difference The following note was received on February 23rd, the day after delivering two more infant car seats to the UVA Social Work Office. IHS has delivered eight (8) infant car seats since beginning the "Baby Program" in December. Social Worker EB wrote, "I gave out two car seats this week to women with very difficult situations. They were both very appreciative. One was brought to tears. She had been so worried about not having a way to get some of the things they need. I am very judicious about car seats, as I want patients to be responsible for their own as much as possible. I had two situations in this one week in which it felt really good to have car seats to offer. Thanks so much. EB"
Daniel Dias, with the DJG Institutional Sales Team in Foxboro, MA sent IHS six(6) FREE Cosco Scenera infant car seats, which arrived by Federal Express on February 20th. DJG does not have an official grant program, and mostly only donates to a local Safe Kids Coalition; however, Daniel said he would ship 6 seats to help our efforts. NOW we have those six seats in storage just as we gave out the first seats donated by friends of IHS. Thusfar, thanks to the DJG donation, we have now obtained 14 seats. Thanks to Daniel for his quick response! Infant Clothing Receipt last week for Baby Program Another objective is to keep enough infant clothing on hand for these same infants when they leave the hospital. Dawn Cleveland of Ivy, Virginia provided three boxes containing over 140 baby clothing items. Thanks Dawn for this sizable contribution. Service Project at Western Albemarle High School Notes from Margaret Gorman
This service project was organized by Key Club member Angela Li. We are very grateful to the students in the club and to the other Western Albemarle High School students who came to the club meeting to help assemble the packets. Your concern and actions mean a lot to the people at the University of Virginia Medical Center who received your support. Thank you. Louisa Cub Scouts Gearing up for March Food Assembly Session Notes from Louisa, VA by Tina Schweikart On March 27th Louisa Cub Scout Pack 183 and Louisa Boy Scout Troop 3 will combine their efforts to assemble full-day meal packets for the Interfaith Humanitarian Sanctum (IHS) Food Program for caregivers and families who come to the UVA Medical Center with patients from long distances without adequate funds for eating. Twice yearly in March and October, Pack 183 hosts an "assembly line" production to collect and assemble meal packets for IHS. Each time, one local Boy Scout Troop joins the effort. Cub Scout Pack 183 is lead by Pack Master Jim Snider which currently has 59 boys registered. Troop 3 is lead by Troop Master Harry Quarles, and is a long standing troop in Louisa. The boys and their families meet at the Louisa Baptist Church in Louisa, Virginia at 6:30PM. Meal Packets consist of healthy options for breakfast, lunch & dinner, as well as snacks and side dishes. Each item is "ready to eat" or requires only hot water or a microwave to prepare. For a detailed list for review and download, visit the IHS website Food Program page. Then after reading about the program, click on the link for the handout. If you wish to contribute to meal collections, or for more information on our combined scout efforts in Louisa, please contact Tina Schweikart, Bear Cub Leader with Pack 183 at jtschweikart@aol.com or 540-894-9854. Thanks so much!
Sincerely ... T. Wade |
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
February Assistance Noted - March Planning Active!
Monday, February 13, 2012
Some Points of Clarification ... Well Worth Repeating
UVA Medical Center is one of two Virginia Hospitals offering state-supported opportunities to those often referred to as Pay Grade One (indigent category). This institution is also a major center for a vast number of specialists in every medical discipline who can offer diagnosis and treatment not possible in vast numbers of towns and communities in the State of Virginia. Vikki Bravo, a Clinical Social Worker in the UVA Emily Couric Clinical Cancer Center (ECCCC), offered this comment last year, and it is still relevant today: "We work with many indigent patients, who even if they receive discounted or free care, cannot afford the expenses of lodging, food, gas." She added, "Sometimes they can stay at our Hospitality House, but if there are no openings, or they have children under 18, they need to stay in hotels. We are fortunate that the University of Virginia has a state-supported discount system, but if a person can't afford to get here or stay (and eat) overnight, then all the other benefits don't help."How far are patients traveling to secure this lifeline at UVA Medical Center?
We reviewed just the last 45 days for a partial list of those hometowns of patients, with the majority being served in the UVA Hospital's Emily Couric Clinical Cancer Center. This sampling of distances included Danville, VA (138 miles); Freis, VA (197 miles); Jewell Ridge, VA (266 miles); Ransom, WV (157 miles); Springfield, VA (105 miles); Coal City, WV (200 miles); Alexandria, VA (112 miles), etc. The average distance was 176 miles one way for fifteen (15) patients and families which IHS assisted with lodging in this 6 week period. Most of these patients, already experiencing very real limitations, are driven by a caregiver. Others arrive alone via a Medicaid vehicle or commercial bus. A few long term cases actually must bring a child with them when no one is in their life to assist. Appointments are critical to their well-being, and many do repeat visits. Almost three years dedicated to 24/7 contact for UVA Medical Center Social Workers IHS activated an open line for the UVA Social Staff in April 2009. The objective was to have one dependable charity which would respond with temporary assistance for lodging, food, and overnight emergency co-pay and prescriptions. It is an understatement to say that this can be a challenge for a few people available solely as volunteers every day and night of the year. However, we have managed to balance personal lives to stay at the task. The Full-day Meal Packet Program Assures that No Caregiver Goes Hungry Thanks to Margaret Gorman's wonderful involvement with IHS in late 2008, beginning with the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Unitarian Universalist Church Sunday School classes, she engaged other churches, Boy and Girl Scout Troops, and even neighborhood groups to make full-day meal packets. These meals are placed in the UVA Medical Center Social Office every two weeks to serve those caregivers without proper nourishment stranded with patients. Food Program is on-going in 2012 ... and always in need of active participation
A belated mention goes out to Boy Scout Troop 36, which meets at Charlottesville's First Methodist Church. Back in late December, Troop Leader Don Kimpel, delivered 50 meal packets which were collected for use in January. As a Final Reminder ... Where to Find Details for Participating and Making Meal Packets! The menu options are expanding on the website Home Page by clicking onto http://www.interfaithhumanitariansanctum.org, which says "Welcome." Across the top of the Welcome page is the designation: Food Program. This offers a full description of the Meal Packet Program and the food program for the UVA Hospitality House. There is now a link in the Meal Packet Program on one page for down-load which describes the program, how one can be involved and a complete list of potential items to include in making a gallon size zip lock package. Whether a family, class, club or scout troop ... the objective is still 250 meal packets monthly to meet present needs. We would truly appreciate your involvement.
Sincerely ... T. Wade |
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Please Read What the Doctor said, and More ...
February is off to an active start, especially for lodging assistance for indigent patients staying for up to 30 days at UVA Auxiliary Hospitality House (HH). Chemotherapy treatment can take many days, and although an exceptional room rate is allowed for these distance patients, their personal funds simply can't sustain them. Also, you will be pleased to know that our every other week food delivery to HH is so appreciated. I know it is, since Mary Jackson, Manager, tells us weekly. Response from Dr. Douglas Willson, UVA Children's Hospital Following the last e-mail and blog entry regarding the support of children in the UVA Hospital, Teresa Bevins, Clinical social worker in PICU and 7 Central at the UVA Hospital (and the Social Work coordinator with IHS for our patient and caregiver programs), received the following letter. It is a delight to share it with you. From Douglas F. Willson, MD, Professor of Pediatrics and Anesthesiology UVA Children's Hospital, Division of Pediatric Critical Care UVA Health Services System, Charlottesville, Virginia Re: Car seats for children Dear Teresa, I couldn't be more supportive of your project to get car seats for children. I've been practicing Pediatric Critical Care now for 30 years and over that time I have seen a steady decrease in the numbers and severity of infants injured in motor vehicle accidents. While some of this comes undoubtedly from safer cars, much of it is attributable to effective car seats. Even with safer cars, an infant not secured in an effective car seat becomes a projectile. Because of their relatively heavier heads and lack of muscle strength the most common injuries we see are severe brain trauma and spine injuries. These are tragic. It is the old adage about, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." I've often thought that for the cost of providing care - often long term care - for one infant injured because he/she was not securely fastened in a car seat we could supply every infant in Charlottesville and surrounding counties with a car seat for the next decade. This, of course, ignores the human tragedy. I believe that the ability to provide care to injured and other critically ill children is very important to society. However, if the choice were between preventive efforts such as car seats and support for critical care, preventive efforts would be my priority. No child should ever be in a moving automobile without being securely and safely restrained. For infants this means a quality car seat appropriately installed. I would ask that along with providing the car seat the parent(s) be instructed how to install the seat. My kids are older now (and always wear their seatbelts), but they were ALWAYS in a car seat while in the car when they were little. I remember one time pulling out of the driveway and my daughter had not yet buckled herself in. She became hysterical, crying, "I'm not in my car seat!" That should tell you how much I stressed to my kids that this was important. They got the message. Please let me know if there is anything more I can do to support you in this endeavor. This is a great thing you are trying to do and I commend you for your efforts. Sincerely, Quick Update on Baby Program As of January 30, 2012, this past Monday, IHS has delivered four (4) new infant car seats. As of February 3, 2012 (Thursday) we purchased four(4) additional seats to be delivered as needed for Teresa Bevins to keep in the Social Work Office for use by all Pediatric Clinics for indigent families in need at the time of their infant's release. ![]() Our objective for 2012 is still thirty (30) seats, and of course infant clothing (new or not so new for ages 3 -36 months); therefore, any individual, business, church, school, class or club, etc. can donate $35.00 and dedicate that donation for the Baby Program. IHS will purchase a new infant car seat and deliver to the UVA Hospital as the calls dictate the need. We will always deliver two seats at a time in order to have an extra seat readily available. Remember - for more details on the program, refer to the blog entry of January 20, 2012. If this present article is already on the blog by the time you are reading Dr. Willson's letter, then click on the blog site and scroll on down to that introduction to the IHS Baby Program. The charity blog site is http://www.interfaithsanctum.blogspot.com. Sincerely ... T. Wade |
Friday, January 20, 2012
Have you been waiting for the right time to participate? That time is NOW!
It's So Easy to Make a Difference in an Infant's Life
Infant patients cannot be released from the UVA Medical Center without an infant car seat. It's the law. There has been no designated program for this indigent need; however, many families simply cannot afford this absolute requirement of a safety restraint system or a minimum amount of clothing when it's time to take their babies home. IHS is seeking to meet this "unmet" need.
These quality infant car seats generally sell from $50-$60 each; however, Tammy Lee, Customer Service Manager at the Gordonsville's Walmart Super Center, volunteered the reduced price of $35.00, immediately upon learning of the charity's objective and if bought by IHS. Believe me, this is the best price available and we appreciate the discount.
IHS P.O. Box 163 Palmyra, VA 22963
For UPS or Federal Express boxes, send to
Rev. T. Wade Clegg c/o #37 Brougham Road Lake Monticello, VA 22963
For local Albemarle and Fluvanna County pickup, e-mail us at info@interfaithhumanitariansanctum.org. We'll work out a time for meeting. OK?
Sincerely ... T. Wade |
Thursday, December 22, 2011
First Grant could not be more timely!
On December 14th the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation (CACF) announced $337,300 in grants to 43 local nonprofits through the Bama Works Fund of Dave Matthews Band in CACF. One of those 43 grateful recipients is Interfaith Humanitarian Sanctum (IHS).
IHS received a letter on December 13th from John Redick, President of CACF, with a check for $10,000.00 to be used for assistance with programs providing food for patients and families at the University of Virginia (UVA) hospital.
In his press release Mr. Redick had these comments: "The Dave Matthews Band's continued generosity to the people of this community is remarkable. Through the Bama Works Fund in CACF, established in 1998, the Band touched and improved the lives of many in our local area. The Community Foundation is deeply grateful for their support and for the good work of the deserving organizations which will benefit from the gifts being announced today."
For those not familiar with the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation, CACF is a permanent endowment dedicated to improving the quality of life in Charlottesville and the surrounding counties of Albemarle, Greene, Orange, Louisa, Fluvanna, Buckingham, and Nelson. Since its inception in 1967, the CACF has provided over $43 million in grants.
For a complete list of the happily surprised 43 charities, please access the CACF website at www.cacfonline.org.
What the Grant means for the IHS Food Program
This grant will support the IHS full-day Meal Packet Program for the Social Office workers within the main Hospital, and for the first time, allow for a consistent monthly food delivery for the UVA Hospitality House (HH). It is anticipated that the grant will assist with about 60% of our food purchases for both food projects for 2012.
The full-day Meal Packet Program, under the guidance of Margaret Gorman, is based on community assembly sessions by church classes, scout troops, schools and even neighborhood work parties. The cumulative collection monthly from various groups allows for this charity to maintain the 100-150 meal packets delivered every two weeks. The grant will allow us to secure production of meal packets, especially during summer breaks when most groups are on vacation.
UVA Hospitality House (HH) Food assistance is now secure for 2012
We learned of the potential loss of the Hospitality House's only consistent food grant of $400 monthly several months ago. Anticipating this loss, we appealed in our grant request for funds to instigate a consistent monthly food program. This grant arrived just in time to pick up a significant food load at HH. We will actually purchase food and deliver to HH every two weeks. First delivery was last week. With the grant we were also able to secure the Christmas meal for those guests at the House during this holiday period.
Thanks to the Dave Matthews Band for the music ... and their exceptional generosity!
On behalf of all of us who seek to make a difference for those long distance patients and caregivers with limited income who come to this community for treatment at the UVA Medical Center, this fantastic contribution could not have arrived at a more opportune time. We do not operate on the basis of seasonal needs ... the need for lodging, food, co-pay, prescription and travel assistance is never-ending; however, this particular food grant is that unexpected boost which has lifted our spirits even higher.
To All of those faithful donors to this charity and this new friend of the charity, we wish you and yours the very best of holidays with family and friends.
Blessings .... The Volunteers of Interfaith Humanitarian Sanctum
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Thursday, December 15, 2011
Santa Came to Town and Did NOT Let Us Down!
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Some siblings can't be separated and really enjoy sharing. |
Marjorie wrote this short note below and provided the following photos to share with readers of this blog. It was a lovely opportunity for Marjorie, her guests and their children, and Santa said he really likes coming to Virginia.
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This kid is fixated, but not on Santa |
"December is the time of year when our team reflects upon the past year and how fortunate we have been, and we look to continue to give back to our community. My favorite part of giving back is combining fun and family with giving. We truly value and appreciate our past clients, friends and business partners and we enjoy spending time with them. This year, we decided to have Santa come to our house to take photos with our friends and clients, saving them a trip to the mall. We of course did not charge for this, but we asked our clients to make a charitable contribution to IHS. It was a win-win. Our clients got a wonderful visit and photo with Santa, we got to spend fun time with them and IHS received some much needed and much deserved help. We highly encourage people to combine a fun get together with giving, and we thank Santa and his IHS helpers .
www.marjorieadamteam.com"
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When a girl needs time to think ... Santa can just wait |
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar plums danc'd in their heads,
And Mama in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap -
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When it's really cozy curled up in Santa's lap,why say anything? |
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters, and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow,
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below;
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny rein-deer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
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Sisters bring a lot of joy and smiles when meeting Santa |
"Now! Dasher, now! Dancer, now! Prancer and Vixen,
"On! Comet, on! Cupid, on! Donder and Blitzen;
"To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!
"Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"
As dry leaves before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys - and St. Nicholas too:
And then in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
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This was no little girl; she's one of the Adam Team members! |
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound:
He was dress'd all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnish'd with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys was flung on his back,
And he look'd like a peddler just opening his pack:
His eyes - how they twinkled! His dimples: how merry,
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry;
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
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This little guy never stopped smiling and said very little. |
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face, and a little round belly
That shook when he laugh'd, like a bowl full of jelly:
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laugh'd when I saw him in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
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Happy Holidays from the Adam Team family |
And fill'd all the stockings; then turn'd with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose
He sprung to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew, like the down of a thistle:
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight -
Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night.
-Clement Clark Moore
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
It's All About a Cummulative Collection of Giving
We have many people to thank for food donations recently, and it's a pleasure to continue to recognize groups, families and individuals in this never-ending challenge. It is our hope that readers of this very intimate blog entry will recognize what "cumulative" really means. J.T. Henley Middle School Concludes "Make a Difference Day" Project Our friends at J. T. Henley Middle School in Crozet, VA recently sent over 21 meals. This concludes their remarkable "Make a Difference Day" project, coordinated by Amy Effland. This was an ambitious project, and Amy had to organize it quickly. It called for a lot of communication and flexibility and involved many people from different parts of the school. In all we received 322 meals from Henley. Local Family Helps Out We also want to thank Amy Effland and her family, John, Ryan and Connor, for the 25 additional meal packets that they assembled at home. That's a very nice surprise to come home from work and find three large boxes of meals sitting on the porch. They are much appreciated and will be go over to the Medical Center soon.Monticello District, Boy Scouts of America
This year, 2011, my husband Mike arrived at the December Roundtable to find a meal packet assembly line set up. Scout leaders told the group about how their youth had helped over the past year and talked about their goal of continued assistance. Everyone had the opportunity to fill bags with food and Mike came home with 50 meals and extras items that I combined with supplies from my stash to come up with a total of 53 meal packets. Thank you so much to the Monticello District of the Stonewall Jackson Area Council, Boy Scouts of America. Special thanks to Peggy Ives, Roundtable Commissioner, and the other people who shopped for and laid out the meal packet supplies. Over the past year the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts from several counties have been our greatest supporters. They have given us hundreds of meals, and we are very appreciative. And finally ...It's nice when your friends and family support your hobby I want to thank my colleagues, Linda and Andrea, for thinking of IHS when they were shopping at Sam's Club. I found cases of breakfast bars, peanut butter crackers, applesauce cups, etc. sitting at my desk at work one morning before Thanksgiving. I bought microwave entrees at the store and we had everything else to assemble meal packets in my stash of extras at home. My family put together 24 meal packets after dinner on Thanksgiving Day. The above people produced 123 full-day meal packets. This represents our minimum need every two weeks at the UVA Medical Center to make sure that no caregiver or outpatient from out of town for many days goes without food. It is estimated that this quantity of very deliberately assembled nutritious items is valued at no less than $615.00. These packets are meant to sustain for the day! The need for meal packets will not go away soon. We so appreciate your assistance in helping people. I hope this cumulative review will allow others to consider how it comes together, and join in this most worthy of projects. Thanks to all of you. Blessings, Margaret Gorman, IHS Meal Packet Program Coordinator |