Tis the Season – Give with Your Heart

Before working in healthcare, I didn’t fully grasp the needs of our most vulnerable community members beyond food, shelter, and clothing. That’s where my donations went: I gave food to pantries, donated used clothing to various organizations, and found ways to help people experiencing homelessness. It was simply what I knew and understood.

As I’ve worked in healthcare, I’ve come to understand why this way of thinking is so common. These physical needs are understood as those necessary for survival. For many of our struggling neighbors, food, shelter, and clothing are their primary focus, and their health often suffers. It’s not that health isn’t important—it’s that it feels impossible to prioritize when basic survival is at stake. By the time these basic needs are met, health issues have often compounded into dire conditions.

Many don’t realize the extent of their health problems until they feel it’s too late. For some, getting ahead of their health challenges feels like an unattainable goal. How does a single mom choose medicine over a meal for her child? How does a homeless man pay for medication when he’s just trying to find shelter from the bitter cold? How does a dad who just lost his job afford new coats for his growing children—and still care for them when they’re sick?

And yet, without good health, everything else in life can be a struggle.

At All Care, I’ve learned that community health is about so much more than just healthcare. Our team works tirelessly to address a wide range of needs—many that most people wouldn’t even realize impact an individual’s health. Yes, we team up with our partners to ensure that our patients have access to basic necessities like clothing, food, and shelter. (My team members at All Care are some of the most giving people I’ve ever met!) But we also work to break down other barriers.

We provide free healthcare transportation when none exists. Through translation services and bilingual staff, we speak our patients’ languages. We help patients acquire affordable insurance and use our sliding fee scale to make healthcare accessible. Our Patient Navigators work alongside patients to tackle individual obstacles standing in the way of good health—and a good life.

The operations of a community health center are vast, and they come from the heart.

This season of giving, I encourage you to consider a gift to All Care’s Endow Iowa Fund. This fund ensures a strong future for community health in our area, allowing us to create new programs and meet future patient needs. This fund ensures that All Care can continue to provide a healthcare solution for all, now and in the years ahead. Through December 13, the Community Foundation for Western Iowa will provide a 20% match to all gifts to our Endowment.

You can also give to All Care’s Health Equity Assurance Pharmacy Fund, which enables our team to ensure patients have access to life-saving medications—without having to sacrifice other essential needs.

This Giving Tuesday and throughout this Giving Season, I ask you to give with your heart. Please continue supporting organizations that meet basic needs, including food, shelter, and clothing, but also remember this: healthcare is truly a basic need.