May 2015 Support Provided Big Boost!

Special thanks again to J&E Berkley Foundation of Crozet, Virginia On May 5 at a meeting of the Foundation, Interfaith Humanitarian Sanctum (IHS) was awarded a grant of $5,000.  The grant is dedicated to the following categories of indigent and underfunded patient and caregiver support by the charity, namely for lodging, prescriptions and pediatric items, such as infant car seats. IHS is indeed appreciative of the consistent support shown by J&E Berkley Foundation and its Executive Director, Chris Pasmore.  Thank you! Special Offering from Martin Luther King Day Celebration arrived in May IHS was invited to receive the 2015 offering which was collected by the congregation at the 30th Annual ML King Day Celebration at the Mt. Zion First African Baptist Church in Charlottesville, Virginia back on January 18, 2015.  A check for $1,750 arrived on May 11th . IHS was recognized for exceptional community service, and Rev. Elisheva Clegg, Vice President of the charity, addressed the gathering.   Distribution from Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign (CVC) began in April The CVC is not known to all friends of the charity, especially beyond the UVA Medical Center; however, CVC is the payroll deduction program for the Commonwealth of Virginia employees. The University of Virginia Medical Center is a state hospital, and state worker support is vital to the future for funding this totally independent nonprofit 501(c)3 public charity, which is devoted to the indigent and underfunded patients and caregivers for immediate temporary needs when no other resource is available to UVA Social Worker staff. Although all identified contributors to the program received direct thank you notes in May, a general description has not been provided to other friends to date. Please know that a total of fifty (50) donors have pledged $3,537.52 to be distributed to this charity over the next eight months for the 2014/2015 campaign.  The initial check deposited in May was $1,273.78. For those who did not wish to be identified as a contributor, this charity is gratified by all hospital employee support for 2015.   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

Attention University of Virginia Health System Employees ... It's National Volunteer Week!

IHS will be present for the Employee Volunteer Fair on Tuesday, April 14,, 2015 from 11 AM - 1 PM.   Location:   UVA Hospital Dining Conference Rooms, found on the first floor behind the Information Desk and beside the West Elevators.  Share this with friends throughout the Hospital. Exposure of this silent public charity's role in support of the underfunded and indigent patients and caregivers through the UVA Medical Center's Office of Social Work is vital for meeting unmet needs. A Note from Robert C. Larsen Strategic Relations and Marketing, UVA Health System "We are inviting five charities/associations/foundations in the community that depend upon volunteers to deliver their mission. The focus is on volunteer of time and talent. National Volunteer Week April 12 - 18th and the UVA Health System will be featuring several employees as examples by what they do for our community and beyond our four walls.  Given the caring nature of the employees, a volunteer exhibit on Tuesday, April 14th and I5th will have 16 local non-profits who can use additional volunteers in meeting their mission.  Each will be attending for a two hour time period over the two days and a schedule of which charity and their hours will be posted on the UVA Connect intranet for employees as well as noted in a Helpdesk message leading up to and the two days of the exhibits.  A table for literature for volunteering from each non-profit will be available both days in case you're unable to attend. Since you're the first charity to secure a time slot on April 14th, please know that the 11 AM - 1 PM covers the lunch time and second, if we don't fill the next time slot and you wish to stay we could accommodate that quite well.  We are doing the advance publicity and signage at the door. This space is used very heavily for events of this type so that's in our favor. This is the first time we've done a volunteer opportunity fair so attendance is questionable. It could take two or three times for this to be successful.  Part of the success will be employees commenting on how they would like to see this repeated. Nothing says it has to be only this one week a year so we could perhaps look at another round in September prior to the Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign (CVC) kick-off in early October.   Bob" ;

Four Straight Years of Grant Support has secured food needs for thousands of underfunded UVA Hospital Guests and Out-patients

As we entered 2015, the Bama Works Fund of Dave Matthews Band in the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation (CACF) provided a Grant of $6,000.00. This grant is solely dedicated to our Food Program. With this grant the Fund has contributed a total of $34,000.00 in the last four years.  Interfaith Humanitarian Sanctum (IHS) is just one of fifty-four (54) Organizations in Central Virginia area receiving $354,300.00 in grant awards as this New Year begins.  This Grant is impacting on two distinctive IHS food programs The UVA Hospitality House (HH).  The thirty(30) room facility which can lodge about sixty(60) people is the only affordable opportunity for lodging for indigent and unfunded long distance out-patients and caregivers who must come for treatment at the UVA Medical Center in Charlottesville. UVA Hospitality House does not have a budget for food and kitchen related items, and is supported through donations. Although HH receives a small grant from the Emergency Food Bank, the most consistent supplier is IHS. And this specific grant has been the main reason for this charity's ability to secure a monthly fulfillment of needs for HH guests. The Full-day Meal Packet Program.  IHS stocks a large cabinet in the Office of Social Work in the main hospital, which allows UVA Social Workers 24/7 access to provide underfunded guests with proper nourishment. Presently, from 250-300 full-day meal packets are delivered monthly. This translates in an active use year to 3,000 packets, or approximately $19,500.00. The program is mostly a community effort, whereby churches, schools, clubs, scouts, day-care centers, businesses, hospital clinics and families buy and assemble packets and deliver to IHS volunteers to keep the cabinet full year-round.  When participation is reduced in summer and holidays, the Bama Works Fund is accessed to purchase supplies for maintaining consistent delivery to the Office of Social Work. A Special Letter from Mary Jackson, Supervisor, UVA Hospitality House "IHS support is crucial to Hospitality House. The other sources of food for our guests do not come close to meeting our needs. Your supplies are in such contrast to the contents of other donations, especially food like fresh fruit, vegetables, dairy products, cereals, and eggs - the kinds of foods that really help a high percentage of our indigent guests. Your personal attention to purchasing food as needed, and with delivery of items this past year from Whole Foods and Hot Cakes Restaurant was an added bonus for guests. The absence of budgeted funds for food leaves us totally reliant on contributions to help the increasing number of guests, more and more of whom stay in excess of six weeks. I could go on with proof of your importance, but let me repeat that what you do is absolutely vital to the well-being of our guests." To the Bama Works Fund of Dave Matthews Band in CACF Committee ... Thank you for allowing this group of volunteers the needed funds to assist in the feeding of the least able visitors to our community. Sincerely ... ALL of IHS, the UVA Social Staff and UVA Hospitality House Staff

IHS to Receive The Martin Luther King Jr. Community Celebration Beneficiary Award

Martin Luther King Jr., 30th Annual Community Celebration will be held this Sunday, January 18, 2015 at 5:00pm at Mt. Zion African Baptist Church 105 Lankford Avenue, Charlottesville, VA   The 30th Community Celebration of Charlottesville has announced that its 2015 annual community beneficiary award recipient is the Interfaith Humanitarian Sanctum. The celebration beneficiary committee selects and awards a local non-profit community service group or organization the proceeds from the celebration offering. The size of the award depends upon the size of the offering.                                 IHS is a totally independent, non-profit, non-religious, ALL volunteer, no stock, 501(c)3, public charity which was formed initially to serve indigent and underfunded long distance patients who must come to UVA Medical Center for treatment. The charity works closely with the Hospital Social Work staff which determines eligibility for assistance, especially for temporary lodging and food and has maintained a silent role as a 24/7 provider for meeting immediate physical needs as requested by a Social Worker at all hours every day since June 2009. Rev. Elisheva Clegg, Vice President and a Founding Member of Interfaith Humanitarian Sanctum will speak to the gathering this Sunday, and express appreciation for the committee's expression of faith in the charity's efforts on behalf of serving the least able among us. The IHS slogan from day one of its formulation reflects the outreach which was in Dr. King's message. That message is "You don't have to know someone to be a friend." The Celebration committee will also announce at the gathering the 2015 recipient for The Martin Luther King Jr. Community Award which goes to a resident of the greater Charlottesville area who has demonstrated Dr. King's commitment to civil rights and to improving understanding between peoples of different races and ethnic backgrounds. The keynote speakers for this 30th anniversary will be two pastors who have been very active in the community for many years. Rev. LaVert Taylor, previously of First Baptist Church - Main Street, and Rev. Wayne Arneson, previously of Thomas Jefferson Unitarian Universalist Church - both of Charlottesville. The Community Welcome will be provided by Rabbi Daniel Alexander, Senior Rabbi at Congregation Beth Israel. The Statement of Purpose will be offered by Dr. Teresa Sullivan, President, The University of Virginia.  The MLK Community Choir will provide spirited music for the occasion under the direction of Mr. Jonathan Spivey.

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Still a Productive Year for this Silent Charity

Today is December 31, 2014 ... and I received 138 e-mails reminding me that the deadline for providing a donation for tax deductible contributions is tonight.  I would so like to have the personal funds to contribute to so many worthy causes, but just as you, I have limitations. But - I am reminded by the quantity of requests of the devotion of so many who are seeking to make a difference for the least able among us. My suggestion is to read about the efforts of these charities, do your research, and feel confident that your dimes or dollars are making an impact. We are not going anywhere after Midnight We will be on standby 24/7 for Social Workers at UVA Medical Center for the underfunded and indigent patients and caregivers for some very specific needs when no other resource is available.  This morning at 3 AM I received a call from ER  that a patient was released and sitting in the lobby, very tired, nowhere to lie down, and her ride home to the Virginia coast would not arrive until early afternoon. The ER Social Worker, having explored possible placement into UVA Hospitality House without luck, simply asked, "Can you allow her a place to rest for the remainder of the morning until she can leave town. It's been a long day for her. She simply can't afford a room." Within 5 minutes, she had a room and access to a meal packet. A taxi took her to the hotel. The ability to react so quickly and positively is because of donors who read these e-mails. So - on behalf of the volunteers who have supported this non-paid ALL volunteer charity, THANK YOU so much for allowing this patient a place to rest, and a full day meal packet to sustain her until her arrival back at home. THANK YOU for allowing us to go to a most helpful Walmart and pick up eleven (11) infant car seats just yesterday for re-stocking the UVA Pediatric Clinics when called.  Oh... they did JUST call and say that "We have babies from  underfunded families who  need a car seat  to get home this week. Can you assist us?" The answer will continue to be ...  YES! In the weeks ahead I will seek to summarize those generous groups who have responded in the last two months to our calls for support with the food program.  Most individual donors who sent  funds for lodging, food, prescriptions, travel and pediatric needs do not wish to have their names mentioned, but we are so appreciative of  your generosity.  So much good was accomplished because of ALL of you in 2014.  NOW  (as we used to say in the 60's), THE  BEAT GOES ON! You can make your end of year contribution which is tax deductible until midnight tonight by clicking our DONATE BUTTON below, and remember your information to PayPal is completely secure, confidential and encrypted using all the newest technologies available: Sincerely ...T. Wade & Elisheva Clegg and Sam McLawhorn -   Founding Members IHS

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