Volunteers in Medicine-Jacksonville

We are currently experiencing some technical difficulties with the website so that all the functions are not really working properly. We have contacted our web host provider and hope to have all the various functions such as the contact page, picture viewing, secure log-in, etc fixed very soon.

We really appreciate your patients and hope you will keep checking back.

For the next several weeks we will be getting ready for the holiday season. With Thanksgiving behind us and Christmas and New Years ahead we should try to prepare as much as possible for the upcoming changes as well as the holidays themselves. We often put pressure on ourselves to make every holiday season a special one for our family and friends but we should also take a little time out for ourselves as well. Stress is one of the major factors affecting our health during the upcoming holidays. Finding ways to reduce that stress should be one of the top things you try to do now before the actual holidays arrives. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa get into the spirit of things by making lists before you go to the store and stick to your budget; don’t wait until the last minute to do everything (a little bit each day will see you through); take time out to ride around your neighborhood and look at the lights and decorations; listen to your favorite holiday music while you are wrapping presents, cooking meals or decorating your home; and finally allow yourself time to de-stress by curling up on the couch with your favorite beverage and an old holiday movie.

Just a note for those patients who are under 26 years of age: Be sure to check with your parents to see if you can obtain health coverage through one or both of them. With the new changes in the Affordable Healthcare Law most insurances through employers have already allowed their subscribers to add their children to their policies who previously did not qualify. According to the law that includes children between the ages of 18 and 26 who may or may not be in school, may or may not have a job AND who may or may not be married! Most require that the children (and step-children) be added during the “Open Enrollment Period” and for most companies that is generally now through the end of the year so check it out.

Time is quickly passing and the 2010 Human Race Event benefiting Jacksonville’s Volunteers in Medicine Clinic is fast approaching. There is still time for you and your team to join in on all the fun! Collect your sponsors and fill out the application at: 1st Place Sports. Here is some of the information available on the site. For more info click on the link above which includes the course map.

The Human Race
October 9, 2010

* 5K • 8:00 AM
* 1 Mile Fun Run • 8:30 AM
* St. John’s Town Center

Come run one of Jacksonville’s most fun filled 5K of the year. The race will feature a course that will start and finish right in the middle of the St. John’s Town Center. This is a 5K Walk/Run followed by a 1 Mile Fun Run to benefit local non profit agency/organizations.

Registration Information

Entry Fees

Until October 2nd $20.00
October 3rd – 8th $25.00
Day of Race $30.00

* There is a $2.00 discount if you own your own chip, but chip number must be entered on entry form.
* 1 Mile Fun Run is $12.00 at all times
* Make your checks payable to: HandsOn Jacksonville and mail to: 3931 Baymeadows Road Jacksonville, FL 32217
* Sorry, No Refunds!

» Register Online
» Download a Registration Form

Packet Pickup

Packets will be available at your selected 1st Place Sports location on Thursday, October 7th and Friday, October 8th from 10 AM until 6 PM and at the Race Site at 7:00 AM on Race Day.

* 3931 Baymeadows Road, Jacksonville, (904) 731-3676
* 2016 San Marco Blvd., Jacksonville, (904) 399-8880
* 424 South 3rd Street, Jacksonville Beach, (904) 270-2221
* 2186 Park Avenue, Orange Park, (904) 264-3767

Be sure and check the box on the entry form where you plan to pick up your packet. If you do not check a location, your packet will automatically be at the Baymeadows store.

For those who are subscribers, volunteers to VIM-Jax or people looking for Other Healthcare Resources this posting is for you. If you or your family, friends, or patients do not qualify for care at the VIM-Jax clinic then there are some alternatives to explore here in the Jacksonville, Florida area.

Florida Medicaid has coverage for those who qualify but there are stricter requirements such as being unemployed, not on unemployment benefits, women who are pregnant, children without healthcare coverage and a few other things. These programs are FREE OF CHARGE if you qualify. You can find out more by applying online here at: http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/programs/access/Medicaid.shtml.

The other place you might find coverage is through the Cover Florida website. The state of Florida is offering limited coverage for individuals over 19 but under 64 years of age. The monthly premium as well as the types of coverages that are offered can be reviewed at this website: http://www.coverfloridahealthcare.com/. In Duval county there are only two plans offered through United Healthcare and Blue Cross of Florida. Remember it is limited coverage and you must pay the premiums each month.

For parents looking for insurance for your children or healthcare providers wanting to offer alternatives to their patients that do not qualify for Florida Medicaid you might want to try the Florida Kidcare Program. There is a monthly premium required but it is based on the family income. Go to their website to get more information: http://www.doh.state.fl.us/AlternateSites/KidCare/

But if you qualify for treatment here then by all means give us a try. Call ahead and speak to one of our intake people at (904) 399-2766. If you want to help us to continue our work here for those who are working and need healthcare then please give what you can. Go to our Donations page. We accept all donations through the secure servers at PAYPAL!

You only have a few more days to call the Volunteer Coordinator to let her know if you will be attending the VIM-Jax Volunteer Appreciation Event. If you haven’t received your invitation yet that is okay, just call the Volunteer Coordinator and RSVP!

Volunteers in Medicine -Jacksonville invites you and your guest to attend an “International Cruise” themed
Spring Volunteer Appreciation Event Tuesday, April 27, 2010 – 6:00 p.m.

The Haskell Building
111 Riverside Avenue
Please RSVP by April 20, 2010
Volunteer Coordinator 399-2766 Ext. 103
Email: mail@vim-jax.org

VIM-Jax Volunteer Appreciation Event 2010

HandsOn Network and University of Phoenix Offer Scholarships

Serve it Forward program will offer 20 full scholarships to volunteers

Individual volunteers have an unprecedented opportunity to complete an undergraduate or Master’s degree program on full scholarship, thanks to an educational partnership between HandsOn Network and University of Phoenix.

The university’s Serve It Forward program will provide 20 scholarships, covering full tuition and fees. Recipients may attend any University of Phoenix local campus or the University of Phoenix online. The scholarships are part of the university’s commitment to help develop leaders in local communities.

The competitive scholarships are open to volunteers of HandsOn Action Centers across the country. Applicants must have performed at least 36 hours of verifiable volunteer work in 2009 and must continue to do so during their scholarship years. They must meet all University of Phoenix admission requirements. The program is not open to students currently enrolled or in the process of enrolling at any University of Phoenix campus or online prior to the scholarship award date.

As the local HandsOn Network affiliate for the First Coast, HandsOn Jacksonville will be receiving and evaluating scholarship applications locally. A committee of volunteers and senior staff will select two local applications to forward to our national partner, the HandsOn Network, where a committee of staff and network representatives will select 20 of the most outstanding applications submitted through HandsOn centers. Please visit our website for complete details and application form.

Please do not call our office for information. All pertinent information including criteria and terms and conditions is contained in the application.

HandsOn Jacksonville, Inc.
6817 – 1902 Southpoint Parkway
Jacksonville, Florida 32216
904-332-6767

Volunteers in Medicine-Jacksonville is looking for team captains for the 2010 Human Race 5K on October 9, 2010. The race also includes a 1-mile fun run option.

Team captains will be responsible for recruiting co-workers and friends to participate in the race and fundraise. We’d like to see each participant commit to raising $50, which would go directly to support VIM-Jax.

Last year’s race raised $14,000 for VIM-Jax and we’d like to at least double that this year.

Contact me if you would like to lead the effort to recruit a team.

Thanks,

Abel Harding
Business Columnist
The Florida Times-Union
1 Riverside Ave
Jacksonville, FL 32202
(904) 359-4184 Office
(904) 535-4781 Cell
My weekday blog:  http://jacksonville.com/abel

Follow me on Twitter:  http://twitter.com/abelharding

His e-mail is: abel.harding@jacksonville.com

Welcome to the new Volunteers in Medicine-Jacksonville website.  We are in the process of created an interactive tool for the volunteers, sponsors and patients to use and to be kept informed of upcoming events, changes in policy, and whatever else we think our people should know about.  Please be patient with the changes as things may not look the same from week to week but we are trying to provide an up-to-date resource for our subscribers!