Kids Cafe is a program that provides after school meals for children from low-income families. It’s a partnership between local food banks and area partners. Feeding America, the organization that helps many local/regional food banks, provides the basic framework for locals to start their own Kids Cafes. Here’s a great video from Austin via Texans Against Hunger.
Blogging for the uninsured: getting health care access for everyone
March 16, 2009 By View Comments
One of the causes that I follow and blog about occasionally is the issue of health care access. Recently on my personal blog I posted my four reasons for healthcare reform.
Zane Safrit is a fellow blogger that often writes about health care. (Here’s a link to many of his healthcare posts.)
Via Zane’s Twitter stream I found this link to a New York Times article. It reports that Millions With Chronic Disease Get Little to No Treatment because they are among the nation’s growing ranks of uninsured.
I also recently discovered another passionate blogger who’s right in the heart of helping the uninsured. Brenda Hook works at Good Samaritan Clinic in Fort Smith, Arkansas and writes about providing health care for the uninsured on The Samaritan’s Blog.
I’m really excited about learning more from Brenda. While I know about the health care problem and have had some limited experience with it, she has a lot of direct experience. Take yesterday’s post for example. She explains why most unemployed people do not have COBRA. I have gone through a layoff where the COBRA was totally unaffordable. Thankfully it was a short period of unemployment and I didn’t get sick. But I imagine the thousands of families, especially those with chronic conditions, who go unemployed for months, what a stress that would be.
Positive Thoughts for the Week: Success through balance
March 16, 2009 By View Comments
Each Monday I’m greeted in my email box to a great newsletter from John Chappelear. He always includes positive affirmations. This one about balance really speaks to me today.
Positive Thought of the Week
I will take time each day to keep myself in balance. I will use Quiet Time to create a positive daily path. I will use Love & Forgiveness to keep me balanced and Gratitude to keep me living in the now and allowing me to see the good that always surrounds me.
Business Thought of the Week
I never let pressure at work effect the quality of the relationships I have with my people. I will be ruled by my positive values and not negative emotions. I will use Service to keep my focus on others. I will focus on helping my people become more successful and then my own success is assured.
Four reasons for healthcare reform
March 10, 2009 By View Comments
Late last night I got a message from Congress.org regarding the issue of health care reform. I’m not 100% sure why they framed the question this way, but at least it’s attention getting: SHOULD AMERICANS PAY MORE FOR HEALTH CARE REFORM?
Although final Congressional action is still many months away, several House and Senate committees this week are holding hearings on health care reform – and the costs associated with it. The nation spent $2.4 trillion on health care in 2008, and yet 46 million Americans have no health coverage at all.
This is the short and sweet message I sent along with my vote:
America needs health care reform and universal access because:
1. Many of those who are already covered are already paying HIGH premiums, deductibles and copays.
2. There are many self employed, small businesses, retirees, underemployed and unemployed who cannot get affordable healthcare.
3. Uninsured care cases are already driving up the costs of insurance and provider fees.
4. Access to health care is a right not a privilege.Sincerely,
Sandra Sims
Vote at Congress.org and send a message to your senators, congressional representatives and President Obama
Legislative Timeline: Health Care a look back at this issue over the years
I've never been to North Carolina, but am proud to support these schools
March 6, 2009 By View Comments
Last fall my company (Step by Step Fundraising) offered a grant program to fund educational projects at K-12 schools. Over 300 schools applied and with the help of Liz, Jim and my friend Meredith we narrowed it down to finalists then 3 winners and 5 honorable mentions. You can see the whole list here.
Coincidentally two of the schools that were awarded come from North Carolina. Four of the honorable mentions come from California. I didn’t even realize this until typing up the list on the final winners announcement. With the state of the California economy I don’t suppose it’s surprising. But we got applications from just about very state in the union.
In North Carolina, “Oklahoma or Arizona, what does it matter” all children should get access to a quality education!
