Bringing Health into the Community

Jewish Hospital was founded on a mission to provide free care to all, especially Jewish immigrants arriving to this country with little to no resources. The Torah teaches us that as we were once strangers in a strange land, so must we be kind to the stranger, using our own experiences to fuel our drive for justice for all people.

And so, we proudly were one of the first hospitals in the area to provide racially integrated care to all patients, with a racially integrated medical staff. Today, we continue this proud and historic legacy by reaching out to immigrants and refugees, as well as others in our community who are underserved.

As summer begins to turn to fall, KentuckyOne Health continues this historic and sacred charge. From the State Fair to local health fairs, we are always seeking new opportunities to bring healing, wellness and hope into the community. Prevention and screening is a life-saving component of fulfilling our mission.

The first week of August, we helped to coordinate the Safe and Healthy Return to School Fair in partnership with the NorthWest Neighborhood Place, Shawnee Newcomer Academy, Louisville Metro Health Department, JCPS, The Kidz Club, Service for Peace, Dare to Care, Harambee Clinic and the Family Community Clinic and so many other community partners.

Together, we served over 2,000 people, from the Shawnee neighborhood and from throughout Louisville, many of whom are new Americans, connecting families with resources, providing education, immunizations and life-saving health screenings, giving away 1,000 backpacks filled with back to school supplies and providing drawings for bicycles and helmets as incentives to undergo vital screening exams.

Buses of families from Kentucky Refugee Ministries, Catholic Charities and La Casita came to this fair, along with hundreds from the local community. For those children who do not yet have a medical home and who did not yet have the necessary physicals and immunizations to begin classes, we ensured that they did not have to miss school while waiting to get the screenings that they needed. Education is a vital component to health, and we are proud to support both direct and indirect ways to bring health to our community.

On Sunday, September 25, from 2-5 p.m. at the Urban League, we will be participating in another health fair, bringing health, screenings and education into the community. It is a collaborative program among Adath Jeshurun, The River Road Mosque and Living Faith Christian Ministries and we are proud to participate in such an important collaborative, further evidence of the commitment to healing for which we pray.

These fairs are an example of the transformative power of individuals and organizations coming together for a common goal. In a world where we are so often divided, I derive great hope and comfort when we are able to build bridges of understanding between our shared values.

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