Sarah Ford | February 7, 2014
How Shepherd’s Hope is Helping Thousands of Medically Underserved Central Florida Families
Joey is your typical little boy鈥 energetic, challenging and inquisitive.
But now he鈥檚 afraid and worried. His mom has been coughing for a long time and he wonders why she won鈥檛 come out and throw the baseball with him like she used to.
Sofia is a single mom and Joey is her pride and joy. 鈥淚 just want him to have the best,鈥 she says. To do that, she works two part-time jobs in the hospitality industry and adds on shifts when she can.
鈥淚 was feeling very run down and it just kept getting worse.听 Sometimes I felt that Joey was mothering me and not the other way around,鈥 she adds sadly, with tears in her eyes.
After months of looking for help and just about giving up, Sofia heard about Shepherd鈥檚 Hope from a colleague at work.听 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 really believe it. There had to be a catch, I thought. But my co-worker insisted, so I decided to check it out.
鈥淛oey and I waited in line. I must admit I did want to give up and go home, but he kept saying, 鈥楶lease, Momma. Let鈥檚 stay, let鈥檚 stay.鈥 I stayed for him.鈥
After the nursing assessment, Sofia saw a physician who ordered diagnostic tests that revealed a lung tumor. It had progressed because of lack of treatment, but with surgery and chemotherapy behind her, Sofia is feeling much better.
Joey doesn鈥檛 realize how serious things were. But he鈥檚 happy because his mom threw the baseball with him yesterday. 鈥淪hepherd鈥檚 Hope made my Momma all better,鈥 he smiles.
Sofia relates, 鈥淚 had no idea a place like Shepherd鈥檚 Hope existed. What a gift from God! All those wonderful volunteers waiting to help you 鈥 Shepherd鈥檚 Hope saved my life.鈥
How Does Shepherd鈥檚 Hope Help People?听
With more than 2,000 volunteer doctors, nurses and general assistants, and partner organizations, Shepherd鈥檚 Hope provides care to uninsured and underinsured individuals and families who otherwise would be filling already crowded emergency rooms, or worse yet, going without care altogether.听
As a faith-based organization, Shepherd鈥檚 Hope encompass all faiths and only requires that the patients they serve be at or below 200% of the poverty level, are uninsured and are not eligible for any government assisted healthcare programs.听 Their goal is to turn away as few individuals as possible and serve as many as they can that come to their doors for help. 听
How Can Individual Donors or Organizations Make an Impact?
The Need is Strong:
In 2013 alone, the number of patient visits and medical services provided by Shepherd鈥檚 Hope approached 20,000. Although the Affordable Care Act was hoped to reduce this number, in actuality, the need for Shepherd鈥檚 Hope services is anticipated to increase because so many will fall into the 鈥済ap,鈥 unable to afford coverage options being offered. In fact, the Congressional Budget Office estimates 1 in 10 will still be without health insurance; in Central Florida, that number tabulates to 448,226 residents who are medically underserved.
Resources and Talent Donated by the Community:
Shepherd鈥檚 Hope is located in a caring community where many people and organizations are partnering with them to bring medical care to those in need. Their inter-faith community is the primary resource for volunteer doctors, nurses and general office volunteers. Area hospitals generously donate laboratory and radiology services to patients referred from Shepherd鈥檚 Hope, and many public and private schools and organizations provide health care facilities free of charge.
Costs Associated With Delivering Free Care:
Shepherd鈥檚 Hope needs financial support from individuals and companies so that patients can receive the medical care they need and deserve. 听Although all medical care is provided completely by volunteers, there are still costs associated with delivering free care that include:
- Medical supplies,
- Pharmacy medicines,
- Volunteer training and recruitment,
- Bio-hazardous waste removal and
- Evening security services.
Value of a Dollar:
- Every $70 donation to Shepherd鈥檚 Hope provides a free medical visit for a man, woman or child, including diagnostic tests and medicines.
- $250 enables Shepherd鈥檚 Hope鈥檚 case management team to work one-on-one with patients to secure help for their pressing needs.
- $500 allows Shepherd鈥檚 Hope to coordinate medical testing through their community partners.
Connect with Shepherd’s Hope!
Website:
CFC# 204573
贵补肠别产辞辞办:听
罢飞颈迟迟别谤:听
听驰辞耻罢耻产别:听
听
听
Get Resources and Insights Straight To Your Inbox
Explore More Articles
Get Resources and Insights Straight To Your Inbox
Receive our monthly/bi-monthly newsletter filled with information about causes, nonprofit impact, and topics important for corporate social responsibility and employee engagement professionals, including disaster response, workplace giving, matching gifts, employee assistance funds, volunteering, scholarship award program management, grantmaking, and other philanthropic initiatives.