Health Department Staff Extend Holiday Kindness to Community
Created on Wednesday, 13 January 2010 13:57
Contact: Collette DuValle, 317-373-2391
Marion County Public Health Department and Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County employees, connected to the community through the work they do each day, are participating in a number of activities to further assist needy individuals and families during the holiday season.
At Legacy House, a resource center for victims of violence, staff members are coordinating an effort that will provide more than 18 families with food and presents. This is the first year for the outreach effort, but continues the agency’s decade-long commitment to supporting those who have been impacted by traumatic events.
The Women Infants and Children (WIC) program will be collecting clothing for men, women and children, jackets, coats, blankets, towels, hats, gloves and personal hygiene supplies that will be donated to the Wheeler Mission Shelter for Men and the Center for Women and Children. This effort was initiated by Paul Morrow of the Grassy Creek WIC office and quickly supported by members of the WIC staff. The donations will be collected for one month, with the collected items being distributed in mid-December.
The health department’s dental services program collected clothing and food to be given to the Gennesaret Health and Recovery Program for homeless men.
A group of health department employees working in the Lead Safe and Healthy Homes program will sponsor a family for Christmas. Last year the group sang holiday songs for residents of an Indianapolis nursing home.
The housing program’s social workers continue to offer assistance to clients for food during the holidays; the housing department is also collecting gloves, scarves, hats and socks for needy Indianapolis children.
More than 100 adults and children will share food and presents during the Indianapolis Birthing Project 2011 holiday celebration. The event has is observing its 10th anniversary bringing families together to share a mean and create a craft. During the last five years, the event has been supported by Eli Lilly.
Other Health and Hospital and health department employees will be volunteering at schools, churches and other community organizations throughout the holiday season.
