November 3, 2006

United Way and MGH team up to help patients

The generosity of MGH employees during the hospital's annual United Way campaign goes a long way. Just as the 2006 campaign is reaching its halfway mark, MGH Social Services has received a substantial donation from funds raised during last year's campaign. Each year, a portion of the money raised beyond the campaign's fundraising goal goes directly back to the hospital in the form of a donation to Social Services. This gift includes funds raised from the formal campaign, additional donations throughout the year and from the annual MGH/Boston Bruins hockey game held this past April.

Despite the many social service programs offered by the MGH, not all patient needs are always met. Money raised from the United Way campaign helps fill in these gaps and is used for emergency, one-time costs. In the past, United Way funds have assisted MGH patients with such needs as temporary housing or hotel costs, emergency childcare, affordable transportation and other immediate, short-term daily expenses.

"Everyone in Social Services is grateful to the United Way for its generous donation of a portion of the pledges collected at the MGH," says Ann Daniels, LICSW, PhD, executive director of Social Services. "The funds help pay for a variety of necessities — such as paying for a haircut for a homeless patient, providing meal tickets or food vouchers to families in need or assisting patients and their families with rent, utility bills or temporary lodging. Without generous employee donations to the United Way, our department would not be able to help many of our patients and families in these ways."

The United Way campaign kicked off Oct. 27 and will last through Nov. 10. The 2006 campaign goal is $350,000. All employees who donate automatically are eligible for weekly raffle prizes, and those who turn in their pledge cards before noon Nov. 3 will qualify for the Nov. 6 grand prize drawing with the chance to win prizes including a New England Patriots jersey autographed by Richard Seymour or a 50-inch plasma HDTV.

For more information about the campaign or to make a pledge online, visit www.massgeneral.org/unitedway.