December 16, 2009

National Jewish Health Collects Food and Money For Local Charities

National Jewish Health employees donated more than 1,200 pounds of food and nearly $700 in donations to benefit local families. National Jewish Health used the occasion of its 110th anniversary and holiday celebration to host the food drive for the Food Bank of the Rockies and Volunteers of America.

The food and cash donations will be split among the Food Bank of the Rockies and Volunteers of America organizations. The organizations estimate that the donations will feed approximately 1,860 families this holiday season. Mesa Systems, Inc donated staff and trucks to assist in the effort.

"National Jewish Health opened its doors 110 years ago to serve indigent tuberculosis patients who had nowhere else to turn for help," said Michael Salem, MD, President and CEO of National Jewish Health. "During this extreme time of need for so many Colorado families we are pleased to continue our tradition of helping those in need."

National Jewish was founded as a charity hospital to provide care at no cost to patients. For almost 70 years, not a single patient paid for treatment at National Jewish. Today, the tradition of caring for needy patients continues at National Jewish, where all patients are treated regardless of their ability to pay. In 2009 the recession left more National Jewish patients unable to pay than ever before. The amount of charity care provided by National Jewish jumped by 70 percent, from $6.7 million to $11.4 million.

To show our appreciation for donations, every donor received a copy of "To Help and To Heal," the recently published history of National Jewish.