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Welcome to the February issue of The Wellness Corner - the e-newsletter for our community of advocates and enthusiasts - from Big Bend Cares and Care Point Health & Wellness Center.
In this issue, we wrap up Holiday Angels; thank everyone for an amazing holiday event; announce how you can get involved with Artopia; highlight some important info about flu season; acknowledge some upcoming awareness days; and share other ways you can support our mission.
Every day, Big Bend Cares and Care Point continue to provide essential assistance and quality health care to those we serve in the Tallahassee and Big Bend area (Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Taylor and Wakulla counties). Our services include free HIV and STD testing, primary health care, dental care, lab work, sexual health education, courtesy transportation services, home-delivered meals, co-pay assistance for medications, and case management services.
These services wouldn't be possible without your generous donations, support, and contributions. To you reading this newsletter- thank you for helping us provide health care and much more to those in need - we appreciate you!
Thank you for reading!
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Amy Thorn
Board President
Big Bend Cares
Care Point Health & Wellness Center
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We are so proud to be part of such a giving community, and to spotlight the great success of this year's Holiday Angels program! These photos highlight the cumulative giving spirit of our sponsors - individuals, businesses, faith groups and more. | | |
As you know, we had 105 families with a total of 333 children enrolled in the program this year, and through the generosity of our village, we were able to find sponsors for them all before Thanksgiving! | |
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With the logistics of managing all of those gifts, we cannot thank our volunteers and donors enough for their contributions to making Holiday Angels run so smoothly and successfully. Your impact on the program means the world! | |
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Thanks so much to our staff, volunteers, and Board Members that came out to help serve at the Client Holiday Party on December 5th!
We were so happy to welcome in dozens of clients for a festive evening of food, community, and giveaways once more! Thanks to the Annual Sheriff Larry Campbell Thanksgiving Drive for providing boxes with a whole frozen turkey and all the fixings that we were able to raffle, alongside poinsettias generously donated by Tallahassee Nurseries. They always add the extra festive flair to the party!
We are grateful that our supporters allow us to put on these festivities for clients every year, and Big Bend Cares hopes to continue investing in the quality of life for our clients in these small ways for years to come.
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We are now accepting art donations for Artopia 2025!
If you're an artist, or own any art you were seeking to rehome, Artopia is a great opportunity to help our community in need. Artopia is our largest fundraiser of the year, our charity auction which celebrates the fine arts, while raising funds for our clients' resources.
Save the Date: Saturday, June 28th at 6:30pm in the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center
Artwork donated to Artopia will be auctioned to raise funds for our Client Services Department, and will become food, transportation, housing, and health care for those we serve. In addition to a tax benefit, you will receive a complimentary General Admission ticket to the event for each piece donated, up to three. Original works will also be juried for cash prizes! Click the button below to donate or learn more:
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Care Point Health Update: Is It Flu, COVID-19, Allergies, or a Cold?
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Staying Healthy This Winter
Feeling sick can be especially concerning these days. Could your sniffles be caused by COVID-19? Or the flu? A cold? Or maybe allergies?
Determining the cause of an illness can be tricky because many share some symptoms. They can leave you sniffling, coughing, and feeling tired. But there are important differences.
Figuring out what’s making you sick can help you recover and prevent spreading sickness to others.
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National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day & HIV Is Not a Crime Awareness Day | | |
February 7 is National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Black people account for 37% of estimated HIV infections, even though they make up only 12% of the U.S. population. NBHAAD helps to raise awareness of HIV testing, prevention, and treatment in communities of color. |
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February 28 is HIV Is Not a Crime Awareness Day. HIV-specific laws are outdated, they punish people living with HIV and they disproportionately impact Black, Latino, and LGBTQ people and individuals who engage in sex work. This awareness day aims to educate people about HIV criminalization laws in the country and amplify the work of those trying to reform them. |
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National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day & National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day |
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March 10 is National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. Women are less likely to be screened for HIV, in part because of the perception that they are not at risk. This awareness day emphasizes the need for further prevention efforts aimed at women and girls and promotes equity in HIV care and treatment. |
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March 20 is National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. Celebrated at the beginning of spring, this day aims to combat HIV-related stigma in Indigenous communities. It also encourages American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians to get tested and promote awareness of HIV in their communities. |
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Givers Every Month (GEM) Club | |
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Last year, over 3,730 no cost food bags were given to our clients in Tallahassee and the Big Bend facing food insecurity because of our GEM Club members.
And GEM Club members make it possible for us to provide FREE comprehensive health care to our uninsured patients, with no sliding fee scale.
What is a GEM Club member?
It’s you and me - neighbors helping neighbors. GEM (Givers Every Month) Club members donate monthly and 100% of their gifts go towards food and health care for our neighbors in need. Want to become a GEM Club member and help us serve others? Click the button below:
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Take a Tour of Care Point Today! | |
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Ever wonder what happens beyond the closed doors of Care Point?
Sign up for a guided tour today and witness a behind-the-scenes view of “the 27,000 square feet of awesomeness!” including the 10 patient exam rooms, lab, x-ray facility, and dental wing.
For details and to reserve a space on the next tour, please email development@bigbendcares.org
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We hope you enjoyed the February 2025 issue of The Wellness Corner. If you have questions or want more information about any of the topics covered, please email development@bigbendcares.org or call (850) 656-2437 ext. 224. |
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Big Bend Cares, Inc. / Care Point Health & Wellness Center is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3), federal tax-exempt organization. All donations are deemed tax-deductible.
FEIN: 59-2816580
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