A significant portion of the proceeds from Barnert Temple Casino Night will benefit two community support organizations:
BERGEN VOLUNTEER MEDICAL INITIATIVE (BVMI) and the
FAMILY REACH FOUNDATION. These organizations are part of the critical social safety net that helps people in our community who can’t afford insurance or access to the health care and family support services so many of us take for granted. We selected BVMI and Family Reach because they share our core values for Derech Eretz (Mutual Respect for One Another) and Tikkun Olam (Repair of our World). Learn more about them below, and share our commitment to support their important work.
BERGEN VOLUNTEER MEDICAL INITIATIVE
With a population of more than 900,000 and a high median household income of $65,600, Bergen County, NJ, ranks among the ten most prosperous counties in the United States. Yet 13% of Bergen residents live below 200% of the federal poverty level, which for a family of four is $44,100.
Many of our neighbors are hard-working individuals and families who do not have and cannot afford health insurance or healthcare. In fact, more than 85,000 have neither Medicare, Medicaid, Veterans’ nor private insurance.
Approximately 40% of the uninsured are unable to obtain any routine healthcare and more than two thirds do not have a family doctor. As a result, many medical conditions are not treated until a crisis arises. The only recourse becomes a visit to the emergency room of a local hospital - a costly and inefficient use of resources.
The BVMI, founded by Barnert Temple member Dr. Sam Cassell, is a group of local physicians, other healthcare practitioners and concerned citizens who have established a free Healthcare Center in Bergen County. Our volunteers are dedicated to helping our neighbors and improving the overall health of the community.
Thank you to the Barnert Temple community for selecting BVMI as one of its Casino Night beneficiaries.
For information, contact BVMI at 201-342-2478 or
http://www.bvmi.org
FAMILY REACH FOUNDATION
The Family Reach Foundation’s mission is to provide financial relief and heartfelt support to families fighting cancer.
The majority of our funds are dedicated to families with a child or young adult who is being treated for a pediatric or other type of cancer. However, we have also designated a portion of funds for other special cases, including other adult cancers and catastrophic illnesses.
The common element is that children are involved and impacted, either directly as patients, or indirectly within the family. The focus of our current efforts is to raise funds to help eligible families pay for a variety of significant expenses that mount during the patient's treatment, including:
· Everyday home bills that accumulate due to lost wages
of parents (e.g., mortgage, utilities, insurance, etc.)
· Transportation to care centers and lodging for family members
· Child Care
· Palliative Care
· Other special patient needs (medical or non-medical)
Our goal is to help more than 1,000 families in the next 3-5 years.
Premise of our CauseA Menacing Storm: Each year, there are over a million new cases of cancer, 20,000 afflicting patients under the age of 30 and their families. The disease does not discriminate - it affects people of all backgrounds and financial means.
Facing the Tornado: The surprise and trauma of the disease can resemble the sudden devastation of a tornado: One moment, life is safe and normal, and the next it is has been turned upside down with no time to hide or recover.
Attending to Love Ones: Quickly, the only thing that matters to the family is bringing a loved-one back to good health and restoring calm to the family - make the pain go away, get rid of the cancer, return to normalcy, do whatever it takes.
The Ongoing Aftermath: At the same time, life continues to move - the world does not wait. The often-overlooked consequence of the cancer tornado is that thousands of families hit financial and emotional breaking points.
Staying Afloat: Many families struggle tirelessly to keep the calm, stay on top of difficult financial conditions, and help bring health back to their loved one fighting cancer. The drain can be catastrophic, and lasting.
Family Reach exists to help families get through this unimaginable storm.
Thank you to the Barnert Temple community for selecting Family Reach Foundation as one of its Casino Night beneficiaries.
For more information, contact the Family Reach Foundation at (973) 394-1411 or
www.familyreach.org.