Just Sharing ... Some Personal Thoughts from T. Wade Clegg III

This past week I  met for lunch with three vibrant women who provided such a heightened measure of joy that I wanted to take a minute and share with all of you.  These ladies are involved as  leaders of two of the latest nonprofit charities,  namely Yellow Door Foundation and Lilypads Housing, both dedicated to the University of Virginia Children's Hospital Housing Collaborative. The collaborative is a collection of local non-profit organizations all working together to help provide different lodging options for UVA Pediatric families in need.  The collection  also includes the following:  Ronald McDonald House (RMH), The Alyssa House, and Open Arms. The Yellow Door Foundation has been active in Charlottesville for several years and Lilypads will activate placement of families this month. It was a delight to listen to these passionate professionals who have added to the lodging opportunities for families in need of family lodging for extended periods in settings which allow isolation for critical situations, such as recovery time for a transplant. Although the initial contact for many families will be through Ronald McDonald House for discussion; the House has only 19 bedrooms and is constantly fully occupied. As most of you who are familiar with Interfaith Humanitarian Sanctum (IHS) know, we are not in direct contact with hospital patients and families, and our objective is for immediate short-term assistance, when a Social Worker calls. This is why IHS knew from the outset that 24/7 openness for contact with UVA Hospital Social Workers was needed. A need for lodging for the least able and unscheduled arrivals dictates a response to immediacy, even for late night Ronald McDonald House arrivals. It is such a delight to share this expanded opportunity for those patients and families so desperately in need of extended lodging by dedicated and deeply caring individuals. Please read their websites and learn of the diversity and goals of each charity.  Perhaps this will provide a stimulus to assist in one of the members lodging needs, and if you are located far away from Virginia, think of how you might participate in your own community, just as the collection of non-profits are helping in Charlottesville. Much love to you all, as we start another year of devotion to the least able among us. And, as always, please remember that all of us at IHS are non-paid volunteers, and we are all donating what we can to IHS personally. Also remember - for transparency we hold the "Gold Seal of Approval" from the Guidestar.org national clearing house. Please do what you can. And, if you would like to donate now to our cause, please click the button below to go to our encrypted secure on-line donation form.         Thank you for your support & much love  ...   T. Wade Clegg III & Sam McLawhorn  Founding Members IHS