Kathy Haas (center) and Barb Ostrum (right) accept a $2,500 grant from McCook Community Foundation Fund Advisory Committee member Dennis Berry toward the new Patient Assistance Program. The funds will be used alleviate the financial burden as patients address medical issues through the new program.
The staff at Community Hospital has long recognized that people experiencing a major medical crisis should just be able to focus on their health. But the outside world can get in the way in the form of bills and financial needs.
That is where the Patient Assistance Program, created by the staff at Community Hospital and located within the Family Resource Center, stepped into help, The program provides additional support for patients and families going through a catastrophic health issue.
McCook Community Foundation Fund recently showed its support for the program with a $2,500 grant to help with funding.
Last year, hospital staff approached Kathy Haas at the Family Resource Center to start the program, knowing that a local response was a necessity for patients with serious medical issues along with day-to-day stresses.
To establish the program, funds were granted by Community Hospital to create the Patient Assistance Program earlier this year with the program located at the Family Resource Center.
Funds are paid directly to a provider such as gas money for medical trips, utility or rent assistance if other mainstream resources are not available. An additional benefit to the program is that families are referred to other services in the community which may be available to them if needed.
As assessment is done by the project coordinator, Barb Ostrum, a well-recognized face in the community. Ostrum has years of experience connecting people in need to resources and came out of retirement to help with the program.
The Patient Assistance Program officially launched in February 2020 and has since served 18 different households. Through the program, needs of the patient and the family are assessed to determine what program best fits the situation.
Ostrum said the program’s ultimate goal is to help connect people dealing with health issues to the resources and services they need to help ease other burdens so they can focus on treatments and their healing process.
“These funds from the donations and grants will be used to to assist with financial issues when mainstream services are not available,” Ostrum said.
For more information on the Patient Assistance Program or to make an appointment with Barb, call the Family Resource Center at (308) 345-2609, Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. and Friday, from 9 a.m. until noon.
McCook Community Foundation Fund is an affiliated fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation. A complete list of grants from MCFF can be found at mccookfoundation.org
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Building Connections in McCook Matters June in McCook will be abuzz with fun events including a Youth Summit, hosted by McCook Community Foundation Fund. Our young people in Youth Change Reaction will host the first Nebraska Community Foundation gathering for youth, which will bring youth from across Nebraska to McCook. While still in the planning stages, our students identified that McCook is great because of connections . Our young people easily recognize how critical this factor is to people attraction, to people retention, and to improve their futures. What I miss most about my high school classroom is connections with students and colleagues. In education, I taught first, second, and sometimes third generations in families. My husband, Greg, and I are not McCook natives, but I eventually knew who was related to whom and usually where the parent(s) were employed. Going to the grocery store meant greetings from students and sometimes their family members. I officially retired from my high school classroom nine years ago in May. When you retire, the most-asked question becomes “What do you do with your time?” I try to maintain those connections and make new ones by belonging. For the past seven years, Sharon Bohling and I have volunteered to help plan and organize Bison Days for our high school students, which took place February 10 and 11. It would not happen without the financial support of McCook Community Foundation Fund, plus the McCook High School, local businesses, and the talented people of Southwest Nebraska who say “yes” when one of us reaches out to ask for the donation of time and talent. I would venture that they allow us to be on the Bison Days’ committee because we both have connections within our community—it’s certainly not our computer savvy. Connections can also solve a problem. Recently, I signed up to help a local family in crisis. My morning plan revolved around delivering my donation at a designated drop-off place. That didn’t work out. Fortunately, I still work with youth in various capacities, so I know that Keri Wilkinson works for Camy Bradley. Keri was an organizer for the family fundraiser, so I walked in Camy’s office hoping to find Keri. She was not there, so Camy and I visited briefly. She knew someone (who I did not know) who could possibly give me further direction. Only in a town with connections are you able to interrupt someone’s business, have her reach out for you using her connections , and offer to keep the donations for me until Keri’s return. Another great example of connecting can be found over coffee. Dee Friehe and I are longtime teacher friends. During a chance meeting at the grocery store a few weeks ago, she shared how she was there following a funeral service and was gathering supplies to deliver supper to the grieving family that night. She also updated me on her group of adults who meet for coffee on Thursdays at Ember’s, which varies from 8-28 depending on the day. She recognized the need for adults moving to McCook or folks just wanting to get out to make connections . Dee’s husband, Mark, also hosts his own group of men who are new(er) to McCook. She regaled me with stories of their Christmas party and other special gatherings. Wanting to call McCook your home is solidified by building connections . Ronda Graff has written about McCook Connects which matches a McCook person with someone new to the community of similar interests. I earned my McCook Connects’ T-shirt welcoming a young family with children. We have since spent many hot summer days sitting on bleachers together cheering on our 4-H horse kids while they show their horses. Warning: I connected them with a “free” new-to-them horse. Be careful connecting with me or you’ll probably own a horse. You do not have to be retired to connect in this community. Volunteering is a surefire way to meet people. McCook has many civic groups looking for new faces. Attend a church here; we have many welcoming congregations. Go to ball games or school concerts, attend concerts in the park, learn a new skill through the college, show up at a Third Thursday event or invite the neighbors for a BBQ. Take your youngsters to story hour or Move and Groove at the library. Go watch an event at the Kiplinger Arena. You can even take it a step further: Make a friend or call a friend and invite him/her to go with you. It is human connection that keeps us healthy and happy. If McCook Community Foundation Fund can help you connect in some meaningful way, please reach out for advice or support. *** While Pam Wolford may be retired, she is just as busy serving on the McCook Community Foundation Fund committee and started a new Learn and Return Scholarship with MCFF, while stepping up to grandparent whenever the call comes in.
