Hundreds of your neighbors don’t have access to adequate health care. You can help.
United Way of the Capital Region is answering the call for access with its Contact to Care pilot program. Launched in 2017, it connects low-income uninsured and underinsured residents with health care and dental services, insurance coverage and a medical home.
Penn State Health and Penn State College of Medicine launched their 2019 United Way campaign last week, and it runs through Friday, Oct. 25. So far, the campaign has raised $55,187, or 14.5% of its goal of $380,000, to fund programs like Contact to Care.
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Watch a video of Contact to Care in action
Tomas has lived and worked in his Harrisburg community for 20 years. He doesn’t have dental insurance, so when he developed a toothache, he waited for it to go away. After about a year, the pain became so intense, Tomas couldn’t sleep or go to work.
His options were grim. One dentist offered to pull the tooth for $400 — and without anesthesia.
A United Way community health worker connected Tomas with a free dental clinic. That same day, a dentist extracted his tooth with painkillers, and Tomas was able to return to work.
“I want to say thank you very much United Way for helping me out,” he said. “Now I feel so great. My tooth doesn’t hurt any more. Now I can go back to work and do everything. No pain.”
Tomas is just one Contact to Care success story. Since the program began, 1,324 people have been referred to support organizations, and 359 gained insurance. The program also provides access to free clinics, food banks, information and referrals, plus translation and transportation assistance. Contact to Care is meeting its goals and hoping to expand its services, thanks to the generosity of United Way donors.
Give and Receive
Any Penn State Health or Penn State College of Medicine employee who contributes at least $182 ($7 per pay or $3.50 per week) to the Penn State Health United Way campaign will be eligible to win one of the following prizes:
- Preferred parking on the Hershey campus
- Hershey Medical Center suite at Giant Center events
- Hershey Bears Hockey tickets
- Hersheypark tickets for 2020 season
- York Revolution baseball tickets
Employees also will be eligible for United Way of the Capital Region’s raffle prizes:
- A new 2020 Kia Soul S donated by Turner Automotive. Approximate value: $22,000.
- $1,500 AAA Travel giveaway for a cruise or tour of your choice.
- $1,500 in groceries from Giant Food Stores
- $1,000 Visa gift card from Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospitals
Penn State Health employees can access the United Way system and make a pledge or donation at inspired2give.org. College of Medicine employees were sent pledge materials, including the 2019 Green Pledge Cards, through interoffice mail.