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20/21 Year In Review: Women’s Health Services Maternal Infant Health Program
CHERRY HEALTH | COMMUNITY REPORT 20/21
FOUNDATION ESSENTIAL SUPPORT
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Cherry Health Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Cherry Health. Its purpose is to cultivate community awareness, trust, and financial investment, and to share the Cherry Health story to inspire appreciation, engagement, and support in its mission. With preventative care costing far less than emergency care, studies have shown that Federally Qualified Health Centers save the national health system approximately $24 billion each year. Unfortunately, the care that achieves the best outcomes is not always reimbursed. Therefore, Cherry Health runs an operating deficit in order to provide excellent care rather than “better than nothing” care. Through Cherry Health Foundation, our community comes together to provide essential financial support for health care solutions that work. With these partnerships, we are able to: • Fill the gap between actual costs and reimbursements. • Finance the startup of new programs that are designed to improve patient and community health. • Raise capital funds to make necessary investments in our facilities and systems. Donations impact the lives of over 56,000 Cherry Health patients throughout Michigan. Ninety-six percent of our health center patients, for whom income data was obtained, are impoverished or below minimum wage.
An Example of Philanthropy: The Blue Butterfly Fund
“We wanted to find ways to support the families of people serving communities in need. The challenges that face Cherry Health patient families do not spare the nurses, billers, screeners, hygienists and the many others who work to heal them. Our gift launched the Blue Butterfly Fund (BBF), anonymously established with Cherry Health Foundation, to aid Cherry Health staff in times of financial hardship. To ‘help the people who are helping people.’ We give because good mental and physical health creates an intensely positive ripple effect. By recognizing the humanity of the staff in this gift, we toss in our stone of hope. Good health outcomes for patients will ensue, from caring for the care team. We want to honor the journey we are all walking, together.” – Anonymous Donors
HIGHLIGHT
Support and compassion are the foundation of Cherry Health.
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Dr. & Mrs. Michael & Elizabeth Joy Fossel Donors and Cherry Health Foundation Trustee.
CHERRY HEALTH | COMMUNITY REPORT 20/21
FOUNDATION A BIG THANK YOU
“We are honored to support Cherry Health for so many reasons. Not only is Cherry Health an effective, compassionate provider of comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and so many other services throughout Michigan, it is also on the cutting edge of much needed research and development. Grand Rapids led the way with the pertussis vaccine 90 years ago; now we are contributing to the development of an effective COVID-19 vaccine thanks to the participation of Cherry Health in the Johnson & Johnson study. Cherry Health, we applaud your efforts. Thank you for letting us be
a part of them.” – Dr. & Mrs. Michael & Elizabeth Joy Fossel
Cherry Health Foundation Board of Trustees
India Manns, Chair Patti Griswold, Vice Chair Robert L. Tolbert, Jr., Treasurer Elizabeth Joy Fossel, Secretary Richard Gaffin, Immediate Past Chair Jonathan Barrera Mikulich Vanessa Flores Giles Max Grover Armando Herrera Shelley Irwin Carlos Kulas-Dominguez Ann Liefer Lisa M. Lowery, MD Jessica Payne Elizabeth Triezenberg Carroll Velie
Visit cherryhealth.org/donate or call 616.965.8217.
More than 860 households and organizations donated to Cherry Health Foundation, funding more Cherry Health programs and services than ever before!
The community increased its financial support of Cherry Health’s mission by 53%.
A record-setting 500 guests attended a virtual Cherry Health Celebration that raised $177,000 for health care without barriers.
CHERRY HEALTH | COMMUNITY REPORT 20/21
CONCLUDING NOTE ALWAYS HERE FOR YOU
Whether you are sick or seeking preventative care, your health is important. Cherry Health provides medical, dental, and behavioral health services whether or not you have insurance coverage. It is vitally important to take care of yourself, and we aim to help you do just that with a comprehensive care team and personalized attention. Cherry Health is proud of its accomplishments this past year. We look forward to innovating, expanding, changing, and serving for many years to come.
HIGHLIGHT
Left: Patricia Wolcott wears a surgical mask made available through generous donations of more than 40,000 masks. Right: Dr. Schut with patient Sophia Nan and her mother, Paulu Nan.
