COVID-19 Sheds Light On Importance of Community Service Grants
As COVID-19 continues to impact every aspect of our daily lives, the importance of our community service work has become more apparent than ever before.
While the media has cast a spotlight on the world’s “high-risk” populations, those who are considered “at-risk” but noninfected have been left to suffer in silence. Patients with COPD, ILD, severe asthma, lung disease, and compromised lungs are plagued on a daily basis with concerns for their health. More than that, they are plagued with complete isolation.
Knowing that so many people – our people – are feeling alone and scared made us ask ourselves, “How can we help these patients maintain a solid quality of life and feel less alone while ensuring their safety?”
“How can we help these patients maintain a solid quality of life and feel less alone while ensuring their safety?”
That’s when we decided to start providing urgent community service microgrants for clinicians who want to help at-risk populations. These grants provide $1,000 to $2,500 to get their ideas up and running across the country.
Many of our grants have gone toward programs that deliver food and extra supplies to patients who either can’t afford them or do not know how to purchase them via the internet. Other grants have gone toward the procurement of health-care quality masks and oximeters. In addition, the Foundation has placed a special focus on patients who use nebulizers, creating videos on how to clean disposable respiratory equipment in an emergency when replacement disposable units may be in short supply.
Lastly, we’ve created materials to help patients understand when they should call their doctor. Many people feel like a burden, especially in light of a pandemic, and don’t want to trouble anyone with their concerns. By the time they need help, the situation has grown much worse. Giving people the tools to know what to do, whether that’s a telemedicine call or tips and tricks for their caregiver, is helping patients get connected and feel better.
You probably never thought that your support would make a difference during a global pandemic, but we’re here to show you that it has. At-risk patients who are secluded and scared now have the help and information they need. For that, we’d like to say “thank you.”
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The Donor Spotlight June 2020 issue is also available as a PDF Download the PDF»