Mission of Mercy
To better acquaint our members and the greater community with our grantees, we will be highlighting some of the nonprofit organizations that we support. This quarter, we talked to Linda Ryan, Executive Director at the Mission of Mercy MD/PA.
Tell us a little bit about the populations that Mission of Mercy serves, and the needs of our community.
Mission of Mercy is now in its 25th year of restoring dignity and healing through Love. We accomplish our mission through the provision of free healthcare, dental care and prescription medications for those who are sick and suffering and who do not receive insurance from their employers, if they have one. Or, they cannot afford their out-of-pocket costs, including meeting very high deductibles. These men and women are also not eligible for other free or sliding scale clinics. Approximately 70% of our patients suffer from one or more life-threatening chronic conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. Our patients may also have medication needs of hundreds of dollars per month, which they cannot fit into already tight budgets.
What are some of your goals for your organization for 2019?
To launch our new mobile dental unit with two operatories thereby doubling the number of dental patients that we serve.
To provide integrated care (blood pressure screenings with each dental visit).
To increase the number of clinic days in Frederick
You have received grants in the past from the Women’s Giving Circle, share with us some of the success you have had by receiving grants from us?
Mission of Mercy received $12,900 in 2018 that included the following:
$2,300 for medical care for Frederick women with diabetes: this included lab testing, physician visits, medications, diabetic supplies and diabetic nurse training for Frederick women who suffer from diabetes.
$2,300 for medical care for Frederick women with hypertension and heart disease: women with hypertension have their immediate needs met, including physician care, laboratory diagnostics, prescription medications, and, if needed, specialist care. Over 375 Frederick women were treated through this grant funding.
$6,000 for dental care for Frederick women: through this grant women have their immediate dental needs met, including treatment for oral infections, alleviation of pain, fillings and extractions, Goal reached: 175 dental visits for women who needed extractions and fillings.
$2,300 for medications for uninsured and underinsured Frederick women: women on average receive 4-5 medications per visit. Thus, 460 women were helped through this grant.
What opportunities to get involved are available to those who may want to get involved more with your organization this year?
One time per month we have 6,000 lbs. of food delivered, from the Baltimore Food Bank, to our Frederick Clinic site to be distributed to our patients. This food is sorted and bagged by volunteers from many community organizations. We would welcome the support of women from the WGC to help with this.
We are always looking for volunteers for our special events.
To reach out to Mission of Mercy, view their contact page.