Jeans Day Funds Support Community Health Programs

Every month employees at North Country HealthCare make donations to our community health programs by giving to the Jeans Day fund. Employees who contribute get to wear jeans on Fridays! Plus they enjoy the satisfaction of supporting those programs that are making a difference in the communities where they work and live.

Jeans Days contributions support the following North Country Programs:

• January: Hepatitis C Prevention – This month’s funds support North Country’s Hep C community screening programs by funding tests and medical supplies. Patients can be linked with care if reactive to Hep C antibodies.
• February: Maternal and Child Health – Money generated from jeans this month contributes to a fund for Healthy Steps and Health Start to purchase car seats for families that need them.
• March: Colorectal Cancer Screening – This program provides free colorectal cancer screening and diagnostics to uninsured individuals at clinics throughout our system. Money generated helps fund Fecal Immunochemical Tests for patients that would not otherwise get screened.
• April: NACASA – April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Funds generated this month will support the Sexual Assault Survivor’s Support Group and/or providing follow-up care (medications, counseling, office visits not covered by program or Victim Compensation funds) to victims who cannot afford it.
• May: Behavioral Health – May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Each year millions of Americans face the reality of living with a mental illness. Roughly 45% of people who die by suicide were seen by their PCP within a month of their death, through screening and referral to a behaviorist we can support our patients in managing suicide ideation with evidence-based treatment.  This month’s funds go to support mental health awareness and suicide prevention efforts.
• June: Girls on the Run – Girls on the Run is gearing up for another season and looking for running coaches and buddies. Funds generated this month will go to the Girls on the Run scholarship fund which helps cover the registration fees for girls that might not otherwise be able to participate in our program.
• July: Angel Fund – Proceeds from the John H. Caskey Endowment are used to support the uninsured and underinsured in our community who need healthcare. Ways that this fund may assist patients include medication assistance, medical equipment, living condition modifications, transportation, medical items not covered by insurance, basic needs and other financial assistance as needed.
• August: Radiation Exposure Screening and Education Program (RESEP) – funds generated this month provides travel assistance to cancer patients who must travel a long distance to access their cancer treatment. The funds provide gas cards and hotel assistance.
• September: Retinal Eye Scans – September jeans day funds cover the cost of eye scans provided by our Diabetes Self-Management Program.
• October: Well Woman HealthCheck Program (WWHP) – This program provides free breast and cervical cancer screening, diagnostics and treatment assistance for uninsured women.  Money generated funds uncovered expenses including pre-operative lab-work and client transportation. A portion of funds raised may also be directed to the Treatment Link Program to assist patients with cancer treatments.
• November: Diabetes Self-Management Program – November is Diabetes Awareness Month. Funds from jeans this month will go to prescription assistance and diabetes education.
• December: HIV/AIDS – December 1^st is World AIDS Day, a day designed to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS and to remember those who have passed. It is also a time to encourage people to get tested and know their status. Funds from jeans days this month will help support uncovered client needs and staff education.

An added bonus of these contributions is that they qualify for the AZ State Qualifing Charitable Tax Credit. To those of you who support healthier communities by giving to the Jeans Day fund, THANK YOU!