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Article Category: Highlights

2023 Team Member Giving Campaign

Employee Assistance Fund Testimonial – Donnel Solomon

Published on February 08, 2023

Last updated 03:46 PM February 08, 2023

Illustration of people putting hearts in a jar

No one can anticipate an unforeseen crisis, tragedy or loss. But when the unexpected happens, donations to the Wellstar Foundation provide critical relief to team members in need through the Team Member Emergency Assistance Fund (EAF). The EAF offers financial assistance to team members following an unexpected crisis, such as extended medical leave, the loss of a loved one or – in Donnel Solomon’s case, a house fire.
 
Donnel, who goes by Solomon, works in security and has served at several Wellstar medical centers over the years. While Solomon is often the go-to guy for strength and security, his own safety was at risk on one normal October day in 2021. Solomon and his son were making dinner when they stepped away briefly and returned to the entire room engulfed in flames. By the time the fire department arrived, the damage was severe and the kitchen was unsalvageable. Thankfully, both Solomon and his son were not harmed.
 
As Solomon looked around his kitchen, the fear of the cost of rebuilding began to creep in. He started to worry that he wouldn’t be able to pay his insurance deductible on top of his regular expenses.
 
But Solomon knew he did not have to face these uncertainties alone.
 
As a longtime supporter of the Wellstar Foundation, Solomon was familiar with the EAF, created to help team members facing situations like this, and reached out to the Center for Family Resources, who administers the EAF. As long as funds are available and the team member is benefit-eligible with an evaluated need, no one is turned away.
 
The support Solomon received provided him financial peace and emotional relief during this difficult time. Amazingly, the repair was completed in time for him to enjoy a priceless memory – Thanksgiving with his family in his restored kitchen.
 
“I have always believed that you should give what you can to help others. That’s why I started donating to the Wellstar Foundation the first day I joined Wellstar – I just never thought I would be the one benefiting from the generosity of those who also give. I am grateful to Wellstar and all the team members and community supporters who make the Emergency Assistance Fund possible. This support truly helped my family when we didn’t know where else to turn, so I know firsthand how meaningful it is to everyone who receives this relief when it is needed most.”
 
Solomon joins thousands of team members in giving to the Foundation through Team Member Giving, the Foundation’s easy donation option for team members wishing to give back through automatic payroll deduction. Last year, the Foundation assisted 422 team members – 33% more than the previous year – for a total of more than $644,000 in EAF support.
 
You can help make a difference for team members like Solomon by contributing to the EAF and participating in Team Member Giving. Donations are tax-deductible and enrollment is easy when you stop by one of the Foundation’s Appreciation Events this February or enroll online. Simply visit wellstar.org/teammembergiving for the event schedule or for more information.
 
Want to learn more about the EAF? Watch the video below or contact the Center for Family Resources to schedule a confidential interview with a trained service worker at (770) 428-2601.

Wellstar Team Member Emergency Assistance Fund

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Highlights

Wellstar Foundation Receives Additional Funding to Support Child Literacy and Address Social Determinants of Health Through the Small TALK Program
Thanks to generous donations from the Joseph B. Whitehead Foundation and United Way, the Small TALKTM literacy development initiative will complete implementation in the Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center market and create a model to expand the literacy ecosystem system throughout Wellstar Health System and beyond.

With more than 80% of brain growth occurring in the first three years of life, early language development is vital for literacy proficiency. Third grade is a critical milestone – by this time, children switch from learning to read to reading to learn. In the Greater Atlanta area, only 1 in 5 third graders are strong readers. Those who are not reading proficiently by this time are four times more likely to drop out of high school, and Black children and children who speak English as a second language are disproportionately impacted, according to the Cox Campus - Literacy and Justice for All initiative.

The Literacy and Justice for All initiative, a coalition of leading organizations such as the Joseph B. Whitehead Foundation, United Way of Greater Atlanta, Atlanta Speech School Rollins Center, Marietta City Schools and Wellstar Health System, is committed to creating a literacy ecosystem in Georgia and ensuring that youth have the literacy skills needed to succeed in life.

Through an initial grant from the Joseph B. Whitehead Foundation, Wellstar Kennestone and its affiliated pediatric offices have implemented Small TALK and their OB/GYN offices will complete rollout of the program this fall. Leveraging learnings from Grady Health System’s Talk With Me Baby initiative, Wellstar’s expanded program supports children of all ages as they continue to learn and grow. Small TALK is designed to help families understand the ongoing importance of early language nutrition for healthy brain development and engage in meaningful, quality interactions that expand vocabulary, literacy skills and cognitive development. Wellstar is the only health system in Georgia to provide this level of literacy support throughout the entire spectrum of pediatric care, from pre-birth through third grade and beyond.

Dr. Susan Staviss, a pediatrician with Wellstar, is one of the first physicians to integrate the Small TALK program into patient appointments. “The literacy ecosystem starts with parents and families even before a baby is born, and it continues throughout childhood,” said Dr. Staviss. “Starting with our tiniest patients, we make a point of talking to the child just as much as we talk to the parent or caregiver. Through our interactions and with resources and coaching, we help the whole family see how easy and natural it is to begin building literacy skills early.”

Small TALK teaches parents and caregivers to tune in to their child’s interests and what they’re doing as well as regularly ask open-ended questions to encourage responses with more than one word. By using complete sentences and complex vocabulary when speaking to children, the child begins to learn how to lift their own language and grow cognitive understanding. Talking, reading, playing and singing together help even the youngest children establish these skills.

Recently, Wellstar Foundation received nearly $1 million in additional funding from the Whitehead Foundation to finish implementing Small TALK across its broad service area and expand the program into neonatal intensive care units, prenatal and mother/baby care appointments and throughout Wellstar women’s health services. This support will also help Wellstar begin to share the Small TALK program and resources with other communities and health systems as a national model for early childhood development and literacy.

“Literacy is a key social determinant of health, and a healthier future begins with the health and well-being of our young people,” said Julie Teer, president of the Wellstar Foundation. “Ensuring our kids have access to the care they need has never been more critical than it is today. At Wellstar, we care for the whole family, and we’re there for every life milestone. The Small TALK program is just one of many ways philanthropy and partnership is helping us meet families where they’re at with innovative, personalized care close to home. We’re grateful to have partners like the Whitehead Foundation who are helping accelerate this important work.”

Through philanthropy and community partnerships like the Literacy and Justice for All initiative, the Wellstar Foundation is helping transform healthcare and fueling innovation and action to address the vital needs of Georgia’s diverse urban, suburban and rural communities.

To learn more about the Wellstar Foundation or to make a tax-deductible donation, visit wellstar.org/give. If you’re preparing for the arrival of a new family member, you can learn more about prenatal care at wellstar.org/womenshealth. To find a pediatrician to keep your child healthy, visit wellstar.org/kidcare.

Wellstar CEO Candice Saunders visits Small TALK program

Wellstar CEO Candice Saunders visits Small TALK program

Wellstar CEO Candice Saunders visits Small TALK program

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Illustration of families

Highlights

Families Learn About Healthy Grief at Camp Tranquility

We all cope with grief differently, but its weight can impact us mentally and physically. Seeing the need for grief support among families, especially children, inspired Wellstar Hospice Care to host Camp Tranquility, a one-day community workshop for families who have experienced the loss of a loved one.

“The child campers are accompanied by their adult caregivers and through breakout sessions they learn healthy mechanisms for understanding and experiencing grief in a fun and supportive environment,” said Natalie McNeal, executive director of Wellstar Hospice Care. “This year, activities will include healthy ways to grieve through exercise, reflection, arts and crafts, and new friendships.”

This year’s Camp Tranquility, funded by donations to the Wellstar Foundation, will be held Monday, July 17 from 9 AM - 5 PM at Truist Park.

Watch the video below to see activities from last year’s Camp Tranquility, held at the Georgia Aquarium.

Keep reading
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Newsroom

Lown Institute Recognizes Wellstar Among Most Charitable in the Country

A report by the Lown Institute ranking the value of nonprofit hospitals’ community investment found that Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center and Wellstar Cobb Medical Center are among the top 25 hospitals in the nation providing significantly more community benefit than they are receiving in tax exemption. 

Wellstar Kennestone ranked No. 1 in Georgia, while Wellstar Cobb was No. 2. Wellstar is the only health system with two hospitals included on the national top 25 list.

As the top provider of charity care in the state and one of the top 10 providers nationwide, Wellstar is committed to bringing expert, compassionate health services to those who need them. Last year alone, uncompensated and charity care at Wellstar exceeded $1.2 billion, providing care for at-risk and underserved communities across Georgia.

In addition to Wellstar Kennestone and Wellstar Cobb, Wellstar Douglas Medical Center, Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center, Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center, Wellstar Paulding Medical Center and Wellstar Spalding Medical Center were recognized for spending more on financial assistance and community investment than the estimated value of their tax exemptions.

Read the full report from the Lown Institute. 

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