I want to express a big thank you to the club regarding the project. I started the project in July and distributed all of the items the beginning of September. The project consisted of a collection of items to help the homeless population in the Flagstaff area ahead of the cooler winter months. Items collected and distributed included all types of warm clothing and hygiene items such as sweaters, jackets, underwear, socks, hats, toothbrushes, shirts, sweatpants (much needed larger sizes), and even a few wheelchairs. I received some cash donations as well which were used to purchase more items in bulk. I would estimate the value of all items donated to be around $5,000 including my company match.
I initiated this project after experiencing a clinical rotation on the North Country Healthcare mobile medical unit at a local shelter over the summer. I enjoyed it so much that I chose to expand my clinical experiences and continue to provide healthcare services at a handful of shelters in Flagstaff as part of my family nurse practitioner program at Northern Arizona University. I saw a definite need but wasn't sure where my time, energy, and money would be best spent. I asked my FNP preceptor which items were most needed and got to work. I honestly did not expect the results we all achieved!
I recently worked a shift on the mobile medical unit last week and found that there were so many recipients wearing the clothes and hats that we donated. It made my heart happy knowing that may of the homeless in Flagstaff will at least have some warmth this Winter. I know that we can't solve everyone's problems that contribute to homelessness, but it's comforting to know that we can make a small difference a little bit at a time.
Thank you again to everyone that helped make this project come to fruition!
Cheers,
Frank