CRC is masterful at connecting people to something or someone they need. Typical case management requests are for food assistance, utility payments, medical help, legal services, and much more. But we also receive requests that don’t fit in any kind of box.
“Angela,” a Collier resident in her mid-50’s on a fixed income, is a Healthcare Network patient. While receiving treatment for gastrointestinal and dental difficulties, Angela’s doctor suggested she only eat soft foods. The problem: a reliable Instant Pot costs over $100.
“Our goal is to get a resolution within the first 24 to 48 hours,” said Jean Paul Roggiero of the Healthcare Network. “You have to think out of the box and consider other agencies as partners. CRC immediately came to mind.”
One of CRC’s donated spaces is located in Healthcare Network’s Nichols Community Health Center. CRC receives referrals from more than 80 different agencies, churches and non-profits each year, because we are known as the ones who fill gaps.
It had been a few years since CRC created an Angel Fund for unusual and unexpected requests. But at the December Volunteer In-Service Meeting, CEO Kari Lefort asked volunteers to bring gift cards to help fill such needs. “Little did I know that they would come in handy the very next week,” said Lefort.
Angela was delighted. Not only did she receive a brand new instant pot, she was given an additional gift card to purchase soft foods. Lefort said, “This feels like angelic timing. You never know when a specific need is going to come up. It’s not something you can prepare for. But it was amazing for us to be able to respond to Angela’s out-of-the-box request within hours.”
