Health and Fitness ? Lebanon free clinic plans fundraising ...

Volunteers In Medicine Free Health Clinic has some fundraisers in the works next year to help support its growing list of patients.

The clinic, which will celebrate its second anniversary on Dec. 1, now serves 1,600 patients, up from 600 last December, according to Laura Wittman, director of clinical operations.

The free clinic at 711 S. Eighth St. in Lebanon sees people who are working at jobs that don?t offer health-care benefits, or who can?t afford the health-care plans their employer offers.

?There are over 10,000 people in Lebanon County who are uninsured and growing each day,? she said, attributing the increasing number of patients primarily to the poor economy.

?I think it?s a combination of everything. We?re seeing more unemployed. And insurance is so high for some people who have full-time jobs, it takes too much out of their paychecks. They need us,? she said.

While the clinic receives about $60,000 in grants, mostly from the state, and smaller amounts from local foundations and organizations, the clinic does not receive enough money to cover its $300,000 operating budget, according to director of development Stephanie Hoover.

To help support that budget, Hoover said the clinic?s board of directors is planning fundraisers, such as an event to celebrate the clinic?s anniversary each December and a golf tournament, as well as some small community events, such as yard sales.

?We?re hoping to attract school students, perhaps those

students in classes who are being asked to do some type of community service or some type of fundraising for those in need in their community,? Hoover said.

The group also is considering a formal dance and silent auction affair to raise money for the clinic, she said.

There have been some small fundraising events over the past year, but nothing like the events being proposed, said Wittman, who joined the clinic staff last December.

?We rely on grants, but we are a free health clinic, so we take no monies at all from our patients. Everything we rely on is from donations or grants,? she said. ?But a lot of the grants don?t cover operational costs. They?ll cover medications. They?ll cover medical supplies.?

Hoover said she doesn?t expect to raise $300,000 through one or two fundraisers.

?It doesn?t have to come in large numbers. Even if we made an appeal to the general public and got three bucks for each adult or family in Lebanon County, we would acquire a substantial number of donations that would help run the clinic,? she said.

Hoover said she hopes to have a fundraising calendar ready for 2012 but may plan something for the end of this year.

?There is a chance we can do something for our second anniversary in December. It might be a small-scale thing,? she said.

In addition, Hoover said, they are redesigning the clinic?s website so that it is more proactive in terms of asking for contributions.

?We?re hoping to add a PayPal button, for instance, so that folks can easily contribute by credit card, and being a little more active about asking for volunteers and monetary donations,? she said.

PayPal is an Internet-based business that allows people to make payments or transfer money online through an online debit from their bank account or their credit card.

The new website will be unveiled soon, she added.

Local philanthropist Frank Dixon provided the seed money for the clinic in 2008. The clinic opened its doors on Dec. 1, 2009.

The clinic, modeled after the national Volunteers in Medicine organization, provides free medical and dental services by appointment to uninsured adults in Lebanon County. With volunteers, the clinic offers primary health services, chronic-disease management, physical examinations, vaccinations and basic dental care.

To be eligible for services, patients must be residents of Lebanon County and have gross annual incomes at or below the poverty level. For a one-person household, that is $21,660; for two people, $29,140; for three people, $36,620; and for four people, $44,100.

In addition to fundraising, the clinic needs more volunteers.

The clinic is run mostly by volunteers, Wittman said, but there is a need for more to meet the increasing demand. Currently, the clinic has between 20 and 30 active volunteers and does employ a nurse practitioner part-time.

?We?re growing as our numbers have indicated. We definitely need more doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, dentists because of our growth, and since they all volunteer, we let them pick when they can come,? she said.

Student nurses attending HACC have signed up to do a rotation at the clinic, which ?is exciting,? said Wittman. ?We have retired teachers, retired nurses who come in to help. We need dentists and dental hygienists.?

Other volunteers needed include lab techs, phlebotomists, greeters, clerical staff, medical transcriptionist, bilingual receptionists, facility maintenance workers and a volunteer coordinator, she said.

chrissholly@ldnews.com; 272-5611, ext. 151

Article source: http://www.ldnews.com/lebanonnews/ci_18829797

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Source: http://medicaltips.biz/2011/09/06/lebanon-free-clinic-plans-fundraising-campaign/

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