Problem
•
Even in
times of national prosperity, too many Americans do not have easy access to
quality healthcare and other basic services. When the economy slows, this
becomes even more of a problem
•
Everyone
sees the problem, but nobody seems to know what to do about it.
Solution
•
The Cents to Care Foundation, Inc. (CTC) is a
private, non-profit organization, funded perpetually by a secure endowment,
designed to operate a nationwide network of state-of-the-art clinics providing
services to those who could not otherwise afford them.
“I
thought the government took care of this …”
• While there are assistance
programs such as Medicare and Medicaid to help some people, there are many
working American families who can neither afford health insurance nor “qualify”
for these assistance programs.
•
An estimated 12 million of these patients
are children.
How
will Cents to Care help?
Cents to
Care can help by
...
• Providing services to anyone
presenting to our clinics in need
• Providing a mechanism for
communities to “help those in our own back yard” through volunteerism and
financial support
•
And by providing services without the bureaucratic red tape
and regulations imposed by some government programs
“What
kind of services are you talking about?”
• Outpatient medical services
• Outpatient dental services
• Social services and
counseling
• On-going educational programs
related to medical and lifestyle issues such as diabetes, hypertension,
smoking, and behavioral problems
•
Additional services will be added as needed.
Tell
me more …
•
Cents to Care Foundation will be supervised by local and
national leaders selected for their expertise and dedication to service. Cents
to Care exists only to serve the community. There is no profit motive.
•
Cents to Care will be supervised by local and national
leaders selected for their expertise and dedication to service. Cents to Care
exists only to serve the community. There is no profit motive.
•
Programs, administrative costs, staff salaries, and other
expenses will be funded by interest earned from the endowment and by donations.
What
else?
• Any “profit” will be used to
enhance the services provided by the clinics to the community or to expand the
endowment.
• The endowment will be
invested and never spent, thus assuring perpetual funding.
•
Administrative costs will be 10% or less - 90 cents of every
dollar will reach the patients.
Where
will the money come from?
•
The
most important source will be community participation. If every working
American donated 2 cents per day (a mere $7.30 per year) for 3-6 years, then an
endowment of several billion dollars would be created. Interest on
this money would be used to fund the programs.
How
will this money be collected?
•
Current
ideas include declaring a “Cents to Care” day and collecting donations in local
malls or post offices, having fund raisers, mail solicitation, seeking
corporate sponsors and partners to assist in collections via their current
billing systems, and more. We are open to any creative suggestions.
So,
this is just another charity, right?
•
Absolutely
not! Our goal is to provide services to those in need, but to preserve their
dignity by allowing them to earn the services provided, by improving
their quality of life, and by helping others in turn.
Sounds
good, but what do you mean “earn?”
•
Patients
may “earn” credits to pay for their care by doing volunteer work in Cents to Care clinics or other
participating organizations, by completing approved educational classes (GED,
skills training, etc.), by staffing daycare programs (allowing someone else to
go to school or work), and by participating in other similar activities.
What
if the patients do not want to “earn” their services?
•
Anyone
wishing to receive special assistance will be expected to contribute to others
in need, based upon their ability and skills. Cents to Care aspires to help those willing to help themselves and to
help others in turn. Others may still receive quality care and services by paying
full price for services as in any conventional office.
Who
will staff these clinics?
• Cents to Care is designed to employ only
the most qualified professional staff. This will include physicians, dentists,
social workers, and others.
•
Cents to Care is designed to participate in medical training and research
programs so that physicians and dentists in training will be an integral part
of providing care.
What
about volunteers?
• Volunteer help will always be
needed and welcome. A permanent staff will be in place to assure supervision
and assistance for volunteer staff.
•
This is designed to be a grass-roots, community effort. We
want everyone to have “ownership” in the program.
Won’t
this compete with other charitable causes?
•
No.
Cents
to Care wishes
to work in concert with other existing compatible charitable causes. For
instance, one way that a patient might “earn” care might be to volunteer to
work for a few hours in another organization’s kitchen providing food for the
hungry.
Sign
me up! What can I do?
• Pray for us. Cents to Care is first and foremost
dedicated to demonstrating care and compassion to the “least of these” as an
expression of Christ’s love.
• Tell your friends, neighbors,
church, social clubs, and civic organizations about us. This is a community
project.
•
Tell us about special skills, talents, and resources you may
have to contribute.
How do I contact Cents to Care?
E-mail us at centstocare@aol.com
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