Dear Community Members,
During a time of uncertainty and confusion about healthcare policy, Greater Portland Health’s mission has never been more relevant and necessary. We are committed to serving everyone who seeks care, regardless of their ability to pay. Please help us to continue to serve our mission of providing high quality patient-centered healthcare that is accessible, affordable, and culturally sensitive.
Every patient sitting in our waiting rooms has a story to tell: a man living outside all year long who visits our Health Care for the Homeless site daily for medications; a woman newly arrived in the United States with her young children who walks to the health center to get her kids vaccinated and ready for school; a young woman newly in recovery at the health center for counseling, peer support and medication; a child at school getting routine dental cleanings, and another with a sore throat needing strep testing; an elderly man with poor mobility who receives services right in the building where he lives. Patients of all ages, backgrounds, beliefs, and experiences come to us, bound only by their need for healthcare. Most patients come to Greater Portland Health because they have nowhere else to turn and, because of your support, they know that we will be here.
We are grateful for the generosity of all of our donors and supporters! Because of your kindness, we have been able to continue to grow over the past year. We currently serve more than 9,000 people across nine sites, and we see new patients every day. Most of our patients have very few other options for healthcare and they rely on us for their care. 56% of our patients live in poverty, 38% are homeless, and over half of our patients have come to greater Portland from other countries, often seeking refuge from war, persecution, and famine.
The need for healthcare continues to grow, and we need your help to meet it. Greater Portland Health continues to evolve in order to better meet our community’s needs. We offer care for all ages, and our care model addresses the complicated needs of our patients. We provide a full range of medical and behavioral health services to all of our patients, with mental health providers working alongside doctors, nurse practitioners and physician assistants as members of care teams that serve the whole person. In addition, we offer psychiatry, dental, infectious disease and substance use treatment services.
Ultimately, your donation to Greater Portland Health supports people in the most fundamental ways. Access to primary care allows an unemployed individual to seek and maintain a job; it improves a child’s chances of succeeding in school; and it helps prevent the kind of catastrophes that land people in the hospital unnecessarily, which can result in devastating medical bills. By contributing to Greater Portland Health you are supporting the well-being of our entire community.
Thank you for supporting Greater Portland Health in providing exceptional care to our community members. Every dollar donated is used to provide high quality medical, behavioral health, and dental care. Donations can be sent using the enclosed postage paid envelope or on our website at http://www.greaterportlandhealth.org/donate.
Please join our board, staff and community members this holiday season in assuring healthcare access to everyone regardless of their ability to pay by donating to Greater Portland Health.
Thank you!
Sincerely,
Ann F. Tucker, Interim CEO & CFO
Victoria Foley, Board President
Greater Portland Health is a 501c3 non-profit charitable organization governed by a patient-majority community-based Board of Directors
Download a copy of the letter here.