News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Cookeville Regional Charitable Foundation is doubling your donations Tuesday to help low-income and under-insured patients.
Director John Bell said financial requests from patients have grown while the organization’s funds have declined from lack of fundraising this year.
“We have not had that typical fund raising revenue coming in for specific patient assistance funds or programs,” Bell said. “So, several of our funds are getting low, and we have literally hundreds of patients every month that depend on us for charitable need.”
Bell said donations will remain local to cover patient’s basic needs or fund programs such as free mammograms or pet therapy. Donations up to $25,000 will be matched dollar for dollar. People can donate either online or send a check to Cookeville Regional Hospital.
“It could be some complex medicine or medical equipment, that type of thing,” Bell said. “But, it could be something as simple as groceries or utilities at home. It is just for patients, who literally have their back against the wall and do not know what they are doing to do to make ends meet.”
The double donations day will only run on Tuesday. Mailed in checks must be dated November 10th to be matched by the foundation. Bell said a lot of these patients do not have a support system and can not make ends meet.
“We have a hospice patient with not family coming to visit during the last weeks of their life, and the only visitor they have is that hospice worker,” Bell said. “They call us frantic saying their lights are going to be turned off tomorrow. Can you pay their electric bill? Or, we have a heart patient that is about to get sent home, and the medication they really need are $60 a month and that is an out of pocket expense not covered by insurance, and they can not afford it.”
Donations go to established patient assistance funds and programs including: Heart, Hospice, Pediatric, Cancer, Diabetes, Mental Health, General Fund-Caring Hands, Pink Ribbon, Lung Fund, Pet Therapy, Art for Healing, Community Health, Carmen’s Fund, Angel Garden, Donated Medical Equipment Closet and others.
Gifts may be made online at www.CookevilleRegionalCharity.org, by calling (931)783-2003 or by sending a check to CRMC Foundation, 1 Medical Center Blvd, Cookeville TN 38501.
