In order to honor my New Year's resolution to "Give More" each month this year, I plan on selecting a different organization and giving them a $30 donation. This month, I will donate to the Charlottesville Free Clinic which provides health care to the "working uninsured." You can read their most recent (at least from what's online) newsletter here.
When I was a teenager, my family moved to the U.K. While we were house hunting, I fell down a flight of stair, bouncing the whole way down on my tail-bone. It was really embarrassing to take that fall in front of my family, the home owner, and two relators, but even more embarrassing when I passed out trying to get out the front door so I could cry from the pain in privacy. After I passed out a second time, trying to get up from my prone position, an ambulance was called and I was carted off to the emergency room. By the time I saw a doctor I had completely recovered. One of the main things I remember from the whole thing (besides the embarrassment and being offered a plastic donut to cushion my bruised butt), was that my parents were really surprised when it turned out that we didn't owe the hospital anything because the UK has the NHS.
I believe in the Charlottesville Free Clinic mission to provide “high-quality health care to the working uninsured,” because I believe that every human being deserves access to adequate healthcare. I also believe that it is our government's job to ensure that every citizen, but especially every child, has access to adequate healthcare. However, until the government steps up into this role, there's a desperate need for free clinics in our country. I hope you will join me in giving what you can this month to the Charlottesville Free Clinic or your own local free clinic.
Check out this interesting article by Laurence J. Kotlikoff, author of The Healthcare Fix, Universal Insurance for All Americans, on a voucher system for health insurance.
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3 comments:
Excellent choice! I've not very often been able to fit charitable donations into my budget, but the Free Clinic always gets my support whenever it asks. Which isn't often enough.
One thing to remember is to always double check your charities before you make a donation. Charity Navigator is a great site because it rates charities and allows you to see where your money will actually go, so you can make sure that you're supporting their programs and not their administration or fundraising. Just a note from a nonprofit "professional"
Great idea! and GREAT cause.
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