$1,572.

111 hygiene kits.

128 bags containing hats, scarves, gloves, socks, and underwear.

Thanks to the Revenue Cycle Services team at IU Health, HIP had resources to make it a better holiday season for Indianapolis’ homeless.  The hygiene kits arrived just in time to be gifted to 58 men and women living in HIP’s permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless individuals.  The other items are being used by our street outreach team to help those who are homeless get through any cold nights that are in the future (and we know there will be some — it’s Indiana).

The generous cash donation is being used directly for client needs.  An all-day bus pass in downtown Indianapolis costs $4.00.  However, without them clients would not be able to attend counseling appointments or take advantage of employment training or job search opportunities.  Once a client finds a job, bus passes are still needed to get to and from work until they receive their first paycheck.  For families that are fortunate to find employment but are still struggling to move from emergency shelter to an apartment, $450 can be used to help pay one month’s rent or $300 can eliminate a nagging electric bill.

Thank you to everyone who gave during the IU Health team’s fundraiser!

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Helpings drives don’t have to take place during the holidays. Click here to see how you can help today!
Interested in the Open Doors campaign? Find out more.

We’d like for you to meet them too:

Left to Right: Sammie, Tonya, Jason, Rachel

• Sammie was 14 years old and expecting her first child. Scared. Overwhelmed. She knew she had a lot to learn. Now, thanks to a little mentoring, she’s been able to give little Isabelle a great start in life. Check out how.
  
• Tonya went from no house and no job to “Employee of the Month.” Learn how.
• Like many, Jason started smoking as a teenager. It wasn’t until the birth of his first grandchild that he finally made the decision to quit once and for all. Jason gave up smoking to get more time with his grandson. Read how he kicked a lifelong habit.
• Rachel grew up in a neighborhood where alcohol abuse, drug abuse and violence were the norm. She wanted a better environment for herself and her son. But it was a long road to a healthier life. Rachel’s home visitor never gave up. Neither did Rachel. Read their story.

It was great getting to know Sammie, Tonya, Jason and Rachel. We hope you enjoy reading their stories, and other encouraging ones, in our online 2010-2011 Annual Report.

The theme of the report — “Open Doors With Care”—has remained at the heart of HealthNet’s work since our beginnings in 1968 in Fountain Square. And, it’s how and why HealthNet has become what it is today—the largest Federally Qualified Health Center in Indiana, with more than 500 staff members, serving more than 50,000 patients and clients through 20 sites across Marion County and beyond.

We know that staying healthy encompasses so much more than a doctor’s visit for many of our neighbors.  From bus passes to get to a new job until that first paycheck comes; to mentoring a single mother learning to care for her newborn; to coaching a homeless veteran to self-sufficiency; to helping a retiree obtain prescriptions he can’t afford, HealthNet plays a vital role in opening doors for people who need care.

So we invite you to click, flip and read all about what HealthNet has been up to this past year! And share it with your friends. It’s all because YOU opened doors and gave a care. Thank you for your continued support. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of thousands of families in Indianapolis.

“The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live.” Flora Whittemore

If you’re just learning about us, you can open doors with care too. Support one of our programs or services you’ve just read about!

“Giving a Care” and “Opening Doors” represent the mindset of HealthNet as an organization and our outreach programs in particular. In this video, Benita and Toscha talk about the impact of donation on our clients and patients. Becoming a support person for HealthNet, especially for our Better Indy Babies, Healthy Families, and Homeless Initiative Programs, shows that you give a care about the Indianapolis community and the residents who need one person to help open a door for them.

You can access our Holiday Wish List at – http://blog.indyhealthnet.org/HOLIDAYWISHLIST.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGjNFrn5fD8?hd=1]

Benita and Toscha take us through their favorite memories of when a donor came through for HealthNet clients in need during the holiday season.
Clients show responsibility with gifts, gratitude in receiving, and overwhelming joy when the stress of the season is relieved!