Dear Friends,
What a difference a month makes. Now, with a few heavenly spring-like days under our belts and COVID case counts down, maybe you too feel like you can breathe a small sigh of relief.
Your support lets us deliver care "the Health Center way" - by always putting our patients first. Thank you!
You also support our broader goal of evolving systems and perceptions so that everyone can live their healthiest lives.
In June 2020, we published a Board Resolution that declared racism is a public health crisis, and committed to 7 specific actions our Health Center would take to address that crisis.
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Our initial Board Resolution focused on 7 main pillars: Community/Patient Involvement, Data Transparency, Workforce Diversity, Policies & Practices, Training, Funding/Purchasing, and Advocacy & Policy.
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I'm proud to share that, despite the continued constraints of the pandemic, we have made important gains in each and every one. And since accountability is the only way to ensure progress, we created a detailed report that I share with you here.
Thank you for making progress like this possible. Together, we ARE advancing health justice in Greater Lowell.
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Clare Gunther
Chief of Advancement & Communications
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Meet Socheat: Patient, Donor... Movie Star? |
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Socheat Chan reflects on her experiences as a Lowell CHC patient and donor, and being featured in an award-winning documentary.
When Socheat was approached about sharing details of her family’s inspiring refugee story on camera, she barely hesitated.
“I wanted to share with other people, with the community, this experience,” she says with conviction.
Socheat is one of the thousands of Cambodian refugees who now call Lowell home. Several years ago, she was approached about being part of the documentary A Place to Breathe. The film prominently features our Metta Health Center, which is designed to meet the unique needs of refugees and immigrants in the region. She enthusiastically agreed.
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Socheat (center) was very candid about her experiences as a refugee in the documentary A Place to Breathe.
Her commitment to representing and caring for her community motivated her to become a monthly donor.
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For the last 4 years, Socheat has also been an equally enthusiastic monthly donor to the Health Center. She was happy to find a way to give back.
“Lowell Community Health Center is very important for my town, my family, for everyone. I always share what I can.”
Socheat's openness and generosity reflect the care she's received at Metta.
“Everything they do, they have a warm heart.
At Metta, it’s not just work. It’s all family.”
Will you be able to watch Socheat and her co-stars on the big screen anytime soon? So far, the film has aired on a number of public television stations across the country. We're hoping to bring it to Lowell soon!
Are you interested in joining Socheat as a monthly donor so that you can have a big impact on our programs year-round? Our online form makes it easy. Give now
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REACHing Goals, One Year at a Time |
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Lowell CHC's REACH LoWELL has had a busy year. Learn how their work is having a big impact.
You may remember that a little over a year ago the Health Center received funding from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention) to launch a special initiative aimed at improving the health of our South East Asian and Latin X communities.
Working in partnership with a number of other local organizations, REACH LoWELL was born.
Beginning such an ambitious project during a pandemic might have held back other teams. Not this one.
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One Year. Thousands of community members impacted. Way to go team REACH LoWELL!
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"We are a small but mighty group. Everyone believes so strongly in this work, and the pandemic has only highlighted the disparities we are working to overcome." - Linda Chan-Flynn, Program Director
From education on healthy eating, to Flu and COVID vaccination outreach, and a virtual BIPOC leadership series, this team has certainly made the most of the program's first 12 months.
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Annual Partner Spotlight: Thank you, Eastern Bank! |
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“Lowell CHC really embodies the ideals of this community: inclusion, empathy, and compassion."
Thomas "Doc" Daugherty, Eastern Bank
Eastern Bank has played a key role in the Health Center's progress over the last 10 years and our transformation from small, scattered sites to state-of-the-art center for health and wellness.
Behind the scenes, the Bank helped finance both capital projects. And, once the walls were built, Eastern has continued its generosity through its Charitable Foundation. Its support for our ArtUp program has brought beauty and warmth that reflects our city's cultural heritage.
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Thanks to partners like Eastern Bank, we can deliver programs like ArtUp and Dance4Peace. Both embrace the people and cultures that define our community and acknowledge that wellness goes well beyond the exam room. |
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Eastern Bank's annual partnership also helps make possible a range of programs to promote community wellbeing -- including promoting language access and supporting Dance4Peace, an evening of performance art developed and executed by our Teen BLOCK youth. Fingers crossed we'll be back to hosting a live crowd of 1,000+ in 2022!
Eastern is also an outspoken supporter of equity, anti-racism, and inclusion. In the words of Eastern Bank's Chair & CEO, Bob Rivers, "Good does not stay silent." Thank you, Eastern Bank, for standing up for health, justice, and hope.
Interested in learning about the benefits of Annual Partnership? Send us an email.
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Ways to Give: Your Support Creates a Ripple Effect in our Community!
You can have a significant impact on someone's health and well-being -- and we're making it even easier than ever for you to make a gift. Here's how:
Online Donations
The fastest way to put your gift to work is with a debit or credit card payment. We also update our fund options periodically so you can direct your gift in a way that aligns with your values - and our areas of greatest need.
NEW DAF Tool
Leave a Legacy
Getting married? Having a baby? Or is another significant life event causing you to create or update your will? It's a great time to consider including a bequest to Lowell CHC in your estate planning.
Matching Gifts
Did you know that an estimated $4-$7 billion in corporate matching gifts go unclaimed each year?* Check with your Human Resources department to see if your company will match your gift to Lowell CHC, and we'll work with you on any paperwork.
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We know technology doesn't always cooperate. Trust us, we've been there. As always, contact Clare Gunther or Carley Monell at development@lchealth.org if you need help.
You can also mail a check to:
Advancement Department, 161 Jackson Street, Lowell, MA 01852
*Source: Double the Donation
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Thank you to our Annual Sponsors!
These generous businesses and organizations are standing up for healthcare access and equity by supporting our Language Access Fund. Are you interested in supporting the power of understanding? Email development@lchealth.org to learn more.
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ABOUT US
Lowell Community Health Center began in 1970 to make sure that everyone in
Greater Lowell has access to quality, compassionate, and culturally responsive
health care, regardless of ability to pay.
In continuing to honor the values of equity and inclusion that our health center was founded on, we recognize racism as a public health crisis. We are committed to acknowledging and eliminating racism - in all of its forms.
As we look to the future, we will continue to honor the transformative power of
kindness and understanding so that everyone in our community receives
exactly the care that they need and deserve.
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