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Do you have a favorite childhood book? Mine is The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton, the story of a much-loved home in the country.
Over the years, the city encroaches, and the little house winds up abandoned under the tracks of an elevated train. One day, the great, great grandchildren of the original owner walk by. Recognizing the good bones beneath the peeling paint and broken windows, they move the house back to the countryside, to be cherished once again.
The story reminds me a bit of the Health Center, where our community recognized the good bones of the forgotten mill building in which we’re now housed. Ten years ago this year, we moved into our own lovingly restored piece of history. Just 5 years ago, we added dental and eye care right next door. Neither would have been possible without the generosity of so many of you. Thank you!
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When's the last time you got lost in a story? Our Pediatrics team is helping families share the love of reading. | |
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Below, you’ll read about our amazing program with the nonprofit Reach Out and Read to bring the joy of reading to our youngest patients and their families. If you have a suggestion of books we might want to share – in any language – email us!
Thank you for making a difference in the lives of our patients! You are an important part of our story.
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Clare Gunther
Chief Advancement & Communications Officer
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Meet Paola Daza Nunez: Doctor, Linguist, Reading Champion | |
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Did you know Lowell CHC distributes brand new books during well-child visits? All possible thanks to Dr. Daza Nunez and our partnership with the nonprofit, Reach Out and Read.
If you meet Dr. Daza Nunez, you'll know right away that she is a woman of action and commitment. Since joining the Health Center's Pediatric Department last Spring, she has certainly made her mark. And when long-time reading program manager Dr. Patricia Dykstra retired last year, Dr. Daza Nunez dove right in.
Combining her passion for linguistics (Dr. Daza Nunez speaks English and Spanish, and is perfecting her Portuguese!) and Community Health, she heads up our partnership with Reach Out and Read, which, along with supplying new books for readers ages 0 to 5, coaches the care team to talk with parents about the importance of reading for bonding and skill building.
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Dr. Paola Daza Nunez is leading the charge for early literacy here at the Health Center. "There is so much joy in this work!" | |
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We are also grateful to On the Move, Inc., a local nonprofit that funds book purchases for the program.
Each year, these programs enable us to distribute thousands of brand new books to families during well-child visits. It's part of our whole-child approach to care.
“I love absolutely everything about this reading program. It goes beyond just promoting literacy. It’s about a connection between parents, their children, and our providers. It creates such benefits for families. When they see and interact with these beautiful books, especially in their own language, it means so much.”
- Dr. Daza Nunez
You can read more about Dr. Daza Nunez...
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A thank you from School-Based Health | |
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Thanks to you, there is plenty to cheer about at our School-Based Health Centers!
Back in the fall, many of you stepped up big time to welcome students back to school - and back into our School-Based Health Centers at Stoklosa Middle School and Lowell High School. Your donations helped provide essentials for the students. Thank you!
With additional help from the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved, we also added comprehensive, on-site vision services at Lowell High.
As you can imagine, this adds up to big impact for patients. Even the Lowell Sun took notice!
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"I can see!" Senior Alice Mwangi exclaimed after getting a new pair of glasses courtesy of our enhanced vision services at Lowell High School. “To be honest, if this hadn’t been accessible to me, I don’t think I would have followed up on my eye issues.”
photo credit: Melanie Gilbert, Lowell Sun
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“We’re primary care and eye care, and counseling and all of that. But we’re also simply a space that students know is safe. We’re here so that they can stay in school.”
-Lowell CHC Nurse Practitioner & School-Based Health Director, Cindy Slaga
Hear from some our our School-Based Health team members and enjoy a 30-second virtual tour! Watch now.
Read more in the Lowell Sun...
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Community Conversations: Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union | |
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#Thankyou to our friends at Jeanne D’Arc for supporting a just and healthy community as an Annual Sponsor!
Did you know that in 2022 alone, JDCU supported more than 400 nonprofit partners by donating over $550,000? Employees also volunteered over 4,000 hours. Now that’s walking the walk!
The conductor keeping all of this running smoothly is none other than Alison Hughes, JDCU’s Community Engagement Officer. Recently, we had breakfast with Alison (at the Owl Diner, of course!) to learn more about their approach to community building.
Wondering what motivates her to keep going year after year? For Alison, and the rest of the team at JDCU, it’s simple:
“We are all connected in the community and when we help our members, nonprofit partners, and neighbors, we all benefit.”
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We share a common thread, indeed... Alison Hughes (right; next to Lowell CHC Development Manager, Carley Monell) is a true community champion. We sure are lucky to have her in our corner.
"Lowell CHC is the perfect partner to help us highlight healthcare to our members because you provide education, programming, and services to help reduce health disparities and enhance the health of the Greater Lowell community.” – Alison Hughes, JDCU
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Ways to Give: Your Support Builds a Just and Healthy Community
You can have a significant impact on someone's health and well-being -- and we're making it even easier than ever for you to make a gift. Here's how:
Online Donations
The fastest way to put your gift to work is with a debit or credit card payment. We also update our fund options periodically so you can direct your gift in a way that aligns with your values - and our areas of greatest need.
DAF Tool
Do you have a Donor Advised Fund (DAF)? You can now give electronically right on our website!
Leave a Legacy
Are you getting married? Having a baby? Or is another significant life event causing you to create or update your will? It's a great time to consider including a bequest to Lowell CHC in your estate planning.
Matching Gifts
Did you know that an estimated $4-$7 billion in corporate matching gifts go unclaimed each year?* Check with your Human Resources department to see if your company will match your gift to Lowell CHC, and we'll work with you on any paperwork.
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We know technology doesn't always cooperate. Trust us, we've been there. As always, contact Clare Gunther or Carley Monell at development@lchealth.org if you need help.
You can also mail a check to:
Advancement Department, 161 Jackson Street, Lowell, MA 01852
*Source: Double the Donation
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Thank you to our Annual Sponsors!
These generous businesses and organizations are standing up for healthcare access and equity by supporting our Language Access Fund. Are you interested in supporting the power of understanding? Email development@lchealth.org to learn more.
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ABOUT US
Lowell Community Health Center began in 1970 to make sure that everyone in
Greater Lowell has access to quality, compassionate, and culturally responsive
health care, regardless of ability to pay.
In continuing to honor the values of equity and inclusion that our health center was founded on, we recognize racism as a public health crisis. We are committed to acknowledging and eliminating racism - in all of its forms.
As we look to the future, we will continue to honor the transformative power of
kindness and understanding so that everyone in our community receives
exactly the care that they need and deserve.
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