From the desk of
Mark Foraker
President and CEO
Dear Mercy Supporter,
Last year at this time when I asked for your help by participating in a virtual Mercy Health Clinic gala, I did so in the belief we would be back to the Galas of pre-COVID days with a sit-down dinner, lively auction, and music and dancing . . . an opportunity to be together again to celebrate and support the work of the clinic.
Regrettably the pandemic still seems to be with us. We reached out to many of you and there was a range of opinions and comfort levels with an in-person event. Factoring in that range we decided the 2022 Heart of Mercy Gala will be virtual to be held on Wednesday, June 1 with the program starting at 7 pm. We hope there will be aspects of this event for everyone to enjoy.
Since the pandemic began more than two years ago, Mercy Health Clinic has stayed open to provide much needed healthcare, free of charge, to more than 2,200 low-income patients. There have been tremendous challenges. I am proud of everyone involved with the clinic and applaud their persistence. As all have done many times during the past two years, we focused on mission, thought about patients who rely on the clinic for care, and found a way to make it work!
In 2021 we launched a new initiative to provide healthcare support to adolescents ages 13 to 17 from low-income families. That included students who primarily received care at local schools, a gap in access which became readily apparent when schools were closed during the pandemic. Throughout this past year we have been fortunate to be able to grow and improve care while simultaneously demonstrating near constant resilience in carrying out core mission.
We need your continued support. The annual Heart of Mercy Gala nets $100,000 from donors like you to sustain the clinic’s work of providing healthcare our community depends on.
Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to “seeing” you at the virtual Gala.
