To Your Health: October 2019
Whitney Young Health Awarded Health Center Quality Leader Award by HRSA
Whitney Young Health has been recognized by the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) with a 2019 Health Center Quality Leader Award for improvements in quality outcomes and access for new patients. We are one of 18 out of 70 Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) in New York State to receive this award.

This distinction ranks Whitney Young Health's quality scores in the top 30% of all FQHCs nationally, and recognizes we reduced the level of disparity in clinical outcomes over the last year when comparing our racial and ethnic minority patients to the rest of our patient population.
Legacy Event Honors Dr. Alice Green and Vera Michelson
The Legacy Event, Whitney Young Health’s annual fundraiser, was held on Thursday, September 19 at Brown’s Revolution Hall in Troy. 

The Living The Legacy Award is given each year to individuals whose life and work resemble those of our namesake, Whitney M. Young, Jr.

This year's Living the Legacy Award honorees were Dr. Alice Green, Executive Director of the Center for Law & Justice, and Vera “Mike” Michelson (posthumously), a Founding Member of Whitney Young Health and Lifetime Activist for Racial and Social Justice. David Michelson accepted the award on his late sister Mike's behalf.

This event not only honors individuals in the community who support our mission, it also raises funds that help our patients access care they otherwise cannot afford. 

Congratulations to our honorees, and thank you to our guests, sponsors and volunteers who helped to make the Legacy Event such a success - we couldn't have done it without you!

To see more photos from the 2019 Legacy Event, click here.
It's Sock-Tober! Donations of New Socks Needed
Whitney Young Health's Community-Based Programs team brings health education, including lessons on hygiene, to our School-Based Health Centers in Albany and Watervliet. These important lessons include hand-washing, toothpaste-making stations and a talk from our providers on keeping clean and healthy.

Our providers have noticed that many kids lack an adequate number of socks that are clean and in good condition, which can impact personal hygiene. Throughout October, we are holding a "Sock-tober" campaign, collecting donations of new socks to be given to the kids and teens as part of the lesson.

If you would like to make a donation of new socks, or host a collection drive at your workplace, please contact Heather Burdo at [email protected] or (518) 591-4471 to arrange pick-up of the socks you collect.

Please note that we are in need of socks in sizes for school-aged children, as well as adult sizes for older kids.
Volunteers Brighten School-Based Health Centers
Medical offices are often drab and sterile, but thanks to the efforts of volunteers, the Whitney Young Health's School-Based Health Center (SBHC) exam rooms at Schuyler, Sheridan, and Giffen Elementary schools in the City School District of Albany just got a bit brighter.

After the enthusiastic response to murals painted in pediatric exam rooms at Whitney Young Health's Albany Health Center last year, Community-Based Programs Director Amanda Duff set in motion efforts to similarly decorate the exam rooms at the three Albany elementary schools served by Whitney Young Health’s SBHC program.

Just in time for the kids to return to school, colorful artwork was added to the exam rooms: Schuyler has a Jungle Book theme, planets and stars shine at Sheridan, and Giffen is decorated with a landscape including a rainbow.

Special thanks to Volunteer Program Manager Keith Pickett, and to the talented volunteers he coordinated and supervised at each site.
Volunteer Program Manager Keith Pickett stands with volunteers Maddie (on ladder) and Heera in the Giffen Elementary exam room.
Donate to Whitney Young Health's Book Wish List
Did you know the that over 45% of the patients served at Whitney Young Health are children 18 years and younger? Our goal is to promote literacy with our youngest patients and we need your help to stock our bookshelves with a diverse selection of books! 
 
Help encourage a child's love for reading by purchasing books on our  Amazon Wish List  that are written by authors of color. These books will be given to our Pediatric patients at their well-child appointments. You can access the list  here .

Please note; however, we are not told who the gift is from unless you choose to include a ‘gift note.’ Please include your name as well as an email address and/or mailing address. If you do, we can send you a thank you and donation receipt. We are VERY appreciative!
Whitney Young Health in the Community
Balanced and Healthy
Lunch Ideas for Kids

Molly Ward, Whitney Young Health's Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator, stopped by News Channel 13 (WNYT) in September with some great healthy lunch ideas for kids, just in time for back-to-school season.
College Parkside Pharmacy
Gets a New Home
Dr. Theodore Zeltner, Chief Medical Officer at Whitney Young Health and Dr. T. Gregory Dewey, President of the Albany College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences sit down with Asa Stackel of WNYT to discuss the College Parkside Pharmacy collaboration on the September 16th edition of Forum 13.
Our Community-Based Programs team wrapped up a summer of providing health education and fun activities for the children at Hope 7 Community Center in Troy.

The kids in the program created a garland made up of colorful tags decorated with positive messages to encourage each other.
Whitney Young Health