A Special Request for One-Time Assistance from a UVA Social Worker

IHS has been given permission to acquaint its friends of a vital one-time opportunity to assist a patient.  IHS has very specific categories of on-going temporary assistance for the underfunded long-distance patients who must come to UVA Medical Center. This type request for a dedicated piece of equipment is an exception; therefore, this appeal is projected for your thoughtful consideration through your contacts as a family, a church, a club, a business, a school, etc.  With certainty the necessary funds to purchase this needed medical monitor can be obtained by casting a very broad net. Cast your net freely and with vigor! Please see my summary after reading the Social Worker request below: Please read the two notes below from Social Worker KC received in the last two days. First Note from KC: "I'm looking for info and resources regarding a patient I'm working with who is in great need for a Dex-Com 64 Platinum glucose continuous monitor.  Long story short, my patient has no income (her disabled kids have SSI), no health insurance.  Comes to UVA for diabetes management and education.  Her diabetes specialist very much wants the patient to have this device.   The company does not have an assistance charity program for this device. Any ideas or recommendations will be most useful. My patient has an older model but it is not working, parts cannot be replaced.  The company who makes this device tells me it comes in 3 parts:  2 parts are $599 each and third part which are the sensors are $399.  That's about $1,600 ...so, it's a chunk of change. I don't think shipping and tax is included. And trying to purchase this used, say on e-bay or Craig's List is too risky; it's also not good health care practice." Second Note from KC: "Patient has been trained on her old device and can master the new, upgraded one.  Physician sent me a clarifying e-mail this AM stating it's pretty essential the patient have this. She can monitor her glucose very very carefully with this device; she had it going 24/7.  She is the caregiver for 2 adult disabled children and she needs to be as sharp as she can be at all times.  Nighttime is very worrisome because she has had night-time difficulty with her sugars.  This device has sensors and has a transmitter and receiver built into it. Disability:  Patient did apply once, but was denied.  She wants to work.  She is trying to get approved by her children's Medicaid to be their Medicaid funded aide; therefore, she would get paid.  So far, she has been denied this, but she is still working this out.  She HAS to drive her two kids daily to Lynchburg (area of residence) for their jobs/workshops; no one else can do this.  So, even IF she could get some local job (and she has looked), she needs to be available to her kids and that is her priority in life. " Final Comments from IHS: When a UVA Social Worker calls, this charity will always reach out.  Equipment requests of this nature are unusual, and not within our budget. We supply infant car seats annually to UVA Pediatrics, and over the years we have rented electric breast pumps for uninsured mothers, bought specialized cribs, etc., however, unexpected expensive items require us to offer friends of the hospital an opportunity to reach a little deeper to assist a very difficult situation. This request can be secured with a group effort: The objective is $1,600.  All donations will receive a tax deductible letter. A group appeal among your contacts can achieve this objective rather quickly.  Sometimes a group can appeal for $100, singular donors perhaps $25-$50, and before you know it ... less than 50 people can make this gift a reality.  Social Worker KC will provide details for IHS to make a direct purchase for shipment to the patient. Final Note:  Please make payment to IHS P.O. Box 163 Palmyra, VA 22963 and indicate that your one-time gift is for "Patient Monitor."  Should this request draw more than the needed amount, your gift will be placed in the IHS Emergency Prescription, Co-Pay and Transportation Fund for indigent and underfunded patients.  Just sharing. If you should feel strongly and want to help NOW in this unique situation please take advantage of the automatic payment link below to be taken to a secure and encrypted website. From there you can specify that your donation is to "Patient Monitor". As you know, we do not ask lightly for support unless it is truly needed. 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.     Thank you so much for this consideration.   Sincerely ...T. Wade & Elisheva Clegg and Sam McLawhorn -   Founding Members IHS

CVC Kickoff Is This Month!

IHS was invited to speak at UVA Advancement Office   Spring Damron, the Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign (CVC) Co-Chair for the University of Virginia Advancement Office at 400 Ray C. Hunt Drive in the Fontaine Research Parks, invited IHS to join one other presenter (Legal Aid Society) on October 1st to introduce what this charity does and how the money received is used. For those friends who are not located in Virginia, or not familiar with CVC, it is the payroll deduction contribution program for state employees. The University of Virginia and Medical Center is a state university. Terrific Turnout and Reception for Guest Speakers IHS was introduced to a sizable gathering by Ms. Damron with a showing of the charity's 6-minute promotional video, with follow-up comments from Elisheva Clegg. Ms. Damron said, "I'm sure my organization isn't aware that you exist, so this will be the perfect opportunity to tell them all about you." This was the first time in four (4) years as a CVC charity that an Office at the University has invited IHS to introduce itself, and it was indeed an important turning point. Perhaps more offices throughout the campus will extend a similar opportunity in the weeks ahead. The Campaign sign-up runs through December 2014. This charity is not known by those it serves, but it MUST be  known by more contributors IHS works to assist underfunded patients and caregivers with temporary immediate needs who must come to UVA Medical Center for treatment. The charity in essence functions as a "silent" charity for those who are being served, since needs are screened and approved and requested by the UVA Medical Center Social Work Office. Therefore, when a patient or caregiver is provided lodging, food, and other assistance in an immediate manner, the recipient only knows that their social worker has reached out to its resources to help with their stay at the Hospital. Remember -  a charity can function in a silent mode with its services, but cannot exist if it is so silent that there are no donors to support its mission. Special Attention to the CVC kickoff was provided by the Advancement Office Leader Robert Sweeney, Senior Vice President, for University Advancement, closed the October 1st meeting with some inspirational thoughts for attendees. His remarks on generosity for the least able among us gave added emphasis to the funds which state employees contribute annually.  IHS is a totally Volunteer charity, on call 24/7 to all UVA Social Worker staff; therefore, contributions from the CVC drive annually are a vital part of our funding. Thanks to Mr. Sweeney and Ms. Damron for providing this much needed exposure. On a final note ...  IHS will attend its first CVC Fair Opportunity later this week IHS will attend a tabletop display and provide handouts to extend exposure in the offices of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ) in Glen Allen, Virginia this Thursday from 9:30 - 12 AM.  This will be the third straight year that IHS has been invited to meet and greet office personnel. Sincerely ...  T. Wade Clegg III, President, IHS

Fluvanna County Virginia Support Is Growing!

Multiple meetings with churches has been encouraging Summer contacts with a diversity of religious groups has been very productive. Congregation support generally comes through Mission and Outreach Committees, who are briefed on IHS's efforts to support the underfunded and indigent patients and caregivers who must come to UVA Medical Center from great distances for treatment. Once a Committee or Pastoral staff has details, then the full congregation is exposed for discussions which can lead to both funding assistance and participation in  IHS meal packet program. An Important Reminder Effort Baptist Church, Palmyra UVA Medical Center is a vital provider for residents of Fluvanna County.  There are so many personal ties to the main hospital or UVA satellite clinics.  In fact during every visit to a church or community group someone who is employed by the Medical Center has approached us with a warm greeting. This silent charity's very deliberate exposure is slowly finding enthused participants. A very large contingent of medical professionals reside at Lake Monticello. The IHS storage and meeting office is located at 105 Crofton Place, just outside the Lake community for ease of placement for physical donations such as meal packets. An early call for a meeting or drop-off can be secured with a phone call to (434) 589-4864 or by e-mail to  ihsanctum@gmail.com. A Special Note of Thanks to New Fluvanna Friends ... churches, businesses and individuals Grace & Glory Lutheran, Palmyra Effort Baptist Church at Highway 53 & Lake Monticello Road. Lisa Himes has served as the prime contact. The church donated $1,000 in June and followed up with a delivery of 50 full-day meal packets in July by medical professional Laurie Brock. Grace and Glory Lutheran Church along Highway 53 in Palmyra.  Jan Crowther has served as the prime contact. Jan delivered at total of 95 full-day meal packets during July and August. Donations also arrived from: The Cagle Family, owners of MAKCO INC. The Justin Wade Family, Accounting firm in Crofton Place Michael & Terry Hocevar  at Lake Monticello A Final Note As always, the summer months are among the slowest periods for receipt of meal packet production and donations. Help us get into a surge of activity for the final months of 2014. Access and download the revised Guide for introducing your church, school, club, scout troop, or family to this very valuable program for the least able visitors who must come to our community for medical support. Being hungry must not be an added burden upon arrival. For your convenience, the direct secure donation website link is provided below. Please feel free to use it for a secure connection to the IHS Donation Fund site for comfortable, private, safe and easy on-line donations.   T. Wade, Elisheva & Sam    IHS Founding Officers

IHS Email to Friends - July 27, 2014 (Correction)

I will make this short, but we do need your help. Most certainly this note is not for those who are already doing what you can. I know it sounds like a cliché or the same old thing as usual; however, we don't make direct requests with any frequency. Most newsletters are for reporting unmet needs and who is lending a hand. Staying ahead these days is truly challenging. We have a very real need for advance purchase of infant car seats. We've made more purchases this year versus last year at this time. The need to remain ahead when a Pediatric request is called is vital. We must seek to increase quantity purchases, versus a few at a time. Of even more concern has been the steady increase in costs for each unit. For those of you who have babies, you know well what the least expensive car seat can cost, and we do receive significant discounting with quantity purchases. As to lodging, we informed you that the UVA Hospitality House (HH) had to increase their fees from $1.00 to $10.00/night. It does not take a mathematical wizard to understand that those who did not have one dollar most assuredly do not have $10.00. HH is only a 30 room (60 bed) guest facility for a very large institution. When HH fills (which is frequently), the only alternative which is our responsibility is commercial. Hotel rooms before IHS began were not even a consideration for those we serve. When a social worker cannot establish lodging, the least able among us CAN NOT COME FOR TREATMENT. That is the stark reality, and why this note has such meaning. As to the food packages, we are still delivering between 250-300 full-day meal packages per month to the UVA Hospital Social Workers. We are one of the major suppliers of the UVA Hospitality House (HH) with their food needs and other items (laundry powder, paper products, etc.). The difference here is that food prices have increased steadily as well and the amount of people with unmet needs coming to UVA Medical Center has increased. By the way, another unmet need, because of reduced nonprofits who were dedicated to long distant travel, will mean more bus or train or gas cards to serve those who must come to Charlottesville for treatment. What has NOT increased is availability of grants and donations. We count ourselves so fortunate that Bama Works in CACF and J & E Berkley Foundation have been so consistent. According to the news media, donations to nonprofit organizations are down by at least 35% this year. Even the state payroll deduction program (Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign) for charitable contributions has decreased every year for three straight years. Our sustained growth depends on individuals, groups and church participation and sustained grants from present supporters. Whether once or twice annually, consistency is so important for a never ending need. Again, we do not ask lightly for support unless it is truly needed. 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.   A Sincere Appeal ...T. Wade, Elisheva & Sam                                  IHS Founding Officers

Amazon Shopping Can Benefit This Charity ...

A few minutes of your time to read and sign up will do a lot of good in due course Many large retail firms allow a percent of a sale to be dedicated to a charity or school. It may seem like so little, since we are talking about a half a penny for every dollar, but over the course of a year and a sizable number of purchases, it might mean a commercial hotel room for an indigent family. Normal Amazon shopping and it costs you nothing! Earlier this year Amazon introduced a new program called AmazonSmile, which will automatically donate 0.5% of your purchases to the Interfaith Humanitarian Sanctum, Inc. if you register and select our charity for consideration. It costs you nothing, and it's just like shopping on Amazon normally, but you get to do a world of good to help with the unmet needs in the area for patients and families at UVA Medical Center. Make it easy: add a bookmark to AmazonSmile,  return and start your shopping at AmazonSmile Please be aware of the items that are eligible for the donations. These will always be marked as such on each of their product pages. There is a special URL that it is necessary to use in order to be part of the donation program.  You may also want to add a bookmark to AmazonSmile to make it even easier to return and start your shopping at AmazonSmile. This is the only real catch ... you must start your shopping at http://smile.amazon.com (and do not forget you have to update your automatic bookmark if you want to participate in this). Once you are successfully logged into the Smile Program, you will notice the logo, "Amazon Smile" will be located in the upper left corner of your home page on the http://smile.amazon.com site. Note: It is not necessary to have created an annual paid subscription to "Amazon Prime" membership in order to participate. There are no restrictions to anyone making part of their purchase on Amazon.com to go to IHS. That first visit to AmazonSmile is important to secure the automatic donations On your first visit to AmazonSmile website, you need to manually enter Interfaith Humanitarian Sanctum, Inc. in the selection box to receive donations from eligible purchases before you begin shopping. The Amazon system will remember your selection of IHS from now on, and then every eligible purchase you make on AmazonSmile will result in a donation of 0.5%. There are always some limitations, but they are few. READ ON... Unfortunately, Subscribe-and-Save purchases and renewals don't count. In addition, shopping from the Amazon apps, Kindle, or through affiliate links won't count either. Purchases made using an Amazon Shopping App are not currently eligible for donations. Purchases made from any Kindle E-reader device through the Kindle Store are not eligible for donations. Otherwise, it's just like shopping on Amazon only you get to support IHS without doing anything extra. Lots of options for shopping and a little time to change a bookmark makes a difference So, you can now shop on http://smile.amazon.com using an internet browser on your desktop or laptop computer, your mobile phone, or your tablet (including any Kindle Fire device), then your AmazonSmile purchases will be eligible for donations. Your shopping cart, Wish List, wedding or baby registry, and other account settings are also the same. Just a little time to change a bookmark can make such a big difference to so many with so little that really need help with unmet needs. For other questions that might arise or information on the program, please consult the FAQ page at: http://smile.amazon.com/about. At some point many will turn to Amazon for saving on a particular item, especially for holiday gifts, or anytime for a newly released book. Make sure you are into AmazonSmile so your purchases are adding to opportunities for others.  Finally, if you run into technical problems or challenges setting up your account, please provide a phone number in an email to ihsanctum@gmail.com ATTENTION: Sam McLawhorn. Sam will help you to solve your issues if at all possible via phone. We want this to be a pleasurable experience for everyone who wishes to help. Blessings ...  ALL of us at IHS

J & E Berkley Foundation's Continued Support in 2014!

The J &E Berkley Grant for Spring 2014 so vital to IHS Programs We received the announcement from Chris Pasmore, Executive Director, J & E Berkley Foundation, that IHS had been selected for a grant of $10,000 at the Foundation meeting on May 7, 2014. This specific grant will allow for about fifty percent of projected annual funding support for IHS lodging, emergency prescriptions and co-pays, and pediatric needs (such as infant car seats). The grant is not used to support the IHS Food Program. Third Consecutive Year that IHS has received the J&E Berkley Spring Grant IHS has now received from the Foundation a total of $23,000 over the last three years. This third year assistance comes at a time when commercial lodging and UVA Hospitality House fees have increased, while IHS's obligation to the least able to afford overnight accommodations remains firm. The Application for the Foundation Grant for 2014 offered this Brief Description "IHS is the "go to" 24/7 public charity accessed by UVA Medical Center Social Workers for underfunded long distance patients and family members who meet Social Worker criteria for assistance after being screened and approved as eligible. The project for which funds are being sought is for this charity to continue to respond for immediate temporary assistance for lodging, emergency prescriptions, and pediatric assistance by a Social Worker. This on-going work has been and continues to be the reason that people are not sleeping in cars with their children and with nothing to eat when waiting for a next day medical appointment, or monitoring the critical condition of a loved one in the UVA Medical Center. It is also the answer to underfunded patients leaving for a trip home to have a prescribed medication after hours to maintain their well-being, as well as for an indigent parent to have an infant car seat made available so they can legally leave the hospital with an infant child." IHS is one among many non-profits who benefits from this generous Foundation The J & E Berkley Foundation awards grants to nonprofit organizations for programs in Charlottesville and its contiguous central Virginia counties. The foundation, which focuses its funding on the whole community, supports programs that address the prevention of social and environmental problems and improvement of the quality of life. Thank you Director Chris Pasmore and the Members of the Foundation ... from ALL of US at IHS and the Staff at UVA Medical Center.

UVA Medical Center Department of Surgery Staff produces a full-month's supply of meal packets!

The following article regarding the meal-making project by the Department of Surgery on May 14th was written by Brian Murphy, Lead Editor, Internal Communications, UVA Health Systems Marketing,  and was published internally at UVA Medical Center.  It is being shared for further exposure for all IHS friends. Surgery Meal-Packet Team: Assembled!  by Brian Murphy Dr. Irving Kron, MD, and Dean Nancy Dunlap, MD, PhD, MBA Many of our patients and families travel great distances to receive their care from us. And some of them need more than medical assistance when they arrive. The Meal Packet Program, from the Interfaith Humanitarian Sanctum, is one tool available to these individuals where they can be provided with a packet containing enough nutritious food to feed one person for one day. The packets are kept and distributed by social workers here at UVA. The Department of Surgery recently organized a "meal packet" assembly day as a team-building volunteer effort across their department. Together, the team assembled a total of 304 meals for patients in need. "The leadership at the Interfaith Humanitarian Sanctum told us that the summertime often brings a shortage of donations for the meal packet program," says Sandra Burks, RN, Associate Director, Surgical Therapeutic Advancement Center, "so we are excited that we can help to provide meals for families at UVA who may be in need during this time." Burks adds: "One of our goals in Surgery has been to build on our sense of community, and being a part of this meal packing program has been a really great way for folks in different areas to get to know other people whom they might not otherwise encounter every day. The primary goal has been to serve our mutual patients and families - but the bonus of working alongside new friends has been great!" Marianne Capone, MSW, LCSW, Social Work Manager, says: "Think of the expense of feeding a family of three or four people over several days while they are here supporting a loved one during a medical crisis. The Meal Packet program is one of the things that we can make available to families and caregivers to ease that burden." The Interfaith Humanitarian Sanctum (IHS) is an independent, non-religious, all volunteer public charity working to support patients and families who travel to UVA seeking care and who need assistance with basic needs. To learn more about the Meal Packet program or IHS, please visit: www.interfaithhumanitariansanctum.org.