Latest news with #HopeHouse
Powys County Times
a day ago
- Health
- Powys County Times
Oswestry's Hope House launches appeal for new trustees
AN appeal for new volunteer trustees has been launched by Hope House Children's Hospices this Volunteers' Week, as it looks to add fresh experience, knowledge and expertise to its board. Trustees play a vital role as the leaders and ambassadors for the charity, setting the strategic direction and ensuring the charity delivers its charitable purpose to give every local child across Wales, Shropshire and Cheshire with a life-threatening condition and their family access to professional care, and improves their quality of life from the point of diagnosis. This Volunteer's Week (June 2-8) the charity, which has two hospices, Hope House in Oswestry and Ty Gobaith in Conwy, is asking for anyone interested in becoming a volunteer trustee to get in touch. Hope House Children's Hospices chair of trustees Steve Henly says becoming a trustee back in 2011 has been an amazing experience. 'Being a trustee is an extremely rewarding and worthwhile experience where you learn new skills, meet great people and bring your knowledge and life experience to make a real difference,' he said. 'We are looking for a trustee who shares our passion to help every child with a life-threatening condition live their best life. 'We're keen to hear from Welsh speakers and people from all cultures and backgrounds.' He added: 'I became a trustee in 2011. It was my first significant volunteering role having spent 30 years in the private sector and 16 years running my own industrial and commercial businesses. 'I wanted to do something that used my business insight and commercial skills not to just make money but for a more worthwhile purpose. 'For me, it had to be a local charity where I could see the impact of the board's decisions and one which supported children and young people. 'In 2016 I was elected to the role of chair of trustees, and it is an honour to lead a board of dedicated and committed trustees, who share our purpose.' The charity currently employs almost 300 staff, supported by more than 450 active volunteers, and the trustee board is responsible for the strategic leadership and governance of the charity, supported by a full-time executive leadership team. Andy Goldsmith, the charity's chief executive, said: 'The success of Hope House Children's Hospices in delivering our mission depends on the achievements of our people: an organisation of paid staff, volunteers, donors and supporters. 'Every role matters – whether in care, income generation, or operations, everyone plays a part in making our purpose a reality. 'We're one of the first and leading children's hospice charities in the world, one that has grown and developed over 30 years. 'We are not however complacent about our achievements as we know that some children and families get support too late or not at all. 'We want to change that and that by becoming a trustee, together, we will help every child with a life-threatening condition live their best life.' If you are interested in joining the team and becoming one of its new volunteer trustees, visit or if you would like any further information about the recruitment process, contact the HR Team at HR@ or call 01691 679679.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
From the Archives: May 31 in the Pioneer
May 31—May 31, 2015 — After surviving the Great Depression, a fire and ownership changes, Ruttger's Birchmont Lodge has reached its 100th year on the shores of Lake Bemidji. Throughout the years, the resort has hosted movie stars, business moguls, governors and even U.S. presidents since it was built in 1915. May 31, 2000 — Hope House, a program for people with mental illnesses who need support, is celebrating 20 years of operation. Hope House's services include monitoring medications, medical and dental treatment, job preparation and help arranging for food stamps, housing assistance and home repair. May 31, 1975 — Some 115,000 Jack pine and Norway pine have been planted near the community of Pinewood after a fire destroyed about 2,000 acres of land. The planting is done by a crew of 14, consisting of two county foresters and 12 planters, all working under the supervision of the county land commissioner. May 31, 1925 — A total of 73 members of the senior class, the largest in the history of Bemidji High School, are set to receive their diplomas at commencement. Included in the program will be the prelude by the high school orchestra, followed by an invocation by Rev. H.W. Radloff, pastor of St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Couple in charity run challenge for son's hospice
A husband and wife are to take part in the Great North Run to raise money for a hospice that helps care for their son. Susie and Chris Seymour are training for the September charity run in Newcastle upon Tyne to fundraise for Hope House Children's Hospice which supports their eight-year-old son Will. Will has an underdeveloped brain causing spasms and a severe visual impairment, his parents said. Not only will the couple, who live near Bridgnorth, be running on their wedding anniversary, they said it would also be their first night away from their son which would be quite emotional. The hospice has helped the family after Will's birth, also offering respite care, prompting them to want to "give something back". Scans after his birth showed his brain had not fully developed, which resulted in him having infantile spasms and the couple being introduced to Hope House which helps families living in Shropshire, Cheshire and Wales. "We have been with Hope House for such a long time and there really is just nothing like it," said Mrs Seymour, 41, who works as a specialist nurse in an adult hospice, said. "The nursing and care we have had there has been absolutely incredible and we have been doing what we can to raise money and give something back to the charity that has helped us so much." She said respite care at the hospice meant she could "immerse" herself in enjoying being Will's mum and "not thinking when his next meds are due". Mrs Seymour said she had been training and had joined Bridgnorth Running Club. So far, she said she was able to run 10km. "This [the race] will be the first night away we've had from Will since he was born, which will be quite emotional," she added. "He will be staying at Hope House as we cross the finish line which I'm sure its going to be quite mix of emotions." Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Couple on fundraising walk for hospice Girl chosen as face of hospice's Christmas campaign Hope House Hospice
BBC News
4 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Bridgnorth couple in charity run challenge for son's hospice
A husband and wife are to take part in the Great North Run to raise money for a hospice that helps care for their and Chris Seymour are training for the September charity run in Newcastle upon Tyne to fundraise for Hope House Children's Hospice which supports their eight-year-old son has an underdeveloped brain causing spasms and a severe visual impairment, his parents only will the couple, who live near Bridgnorth, be running on their wedding anniversary, they said it would also be their first night away from their son which would be quite emotional. The hospice has helped the family after Will's birth, also offering respite care, prompting them to want to "give something back".Scans after his birth showed his brain had not fully developed, which resulted in him having infantile spasms and the couple being introduced to Hope House which helps families living in Shropshire, Cheshire and Wales."We have been with Hope House for such a long time and there really is just nothing like it," said Mrs Seymour, 41, who works as a specialist nurse in an adult hospice, said."The nursing and care we have had there has been absolutely incredible and we have been doing what we can to raise money and give something back to the charity that has helped us so much."She said respite care at the hospice meant she could "immerse" herself in enjoying being Will's mum and "not thinking when his next meds are due". Mrs Seymour said she had been training and had joined Bridgnorth Running Club. So far, she said she was able to run 10km."This [the race] will be the first night away we've had from Will since he was born, which will be quite emotional," she added."He will be staying at Hope House as we cross the finish line which I'm sure its going to be quite mix of emotions." Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Miami Herald
28-04-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
‘I'll be stuck': Virginians contemplate life without Medicaid as Congress considers cuts
Grace Feazelle is always busy. She's a constant advocate for Hope House, the nonprofit that helped her find a place of her own in Norfolk. She's led trainings with General Assembly legislative aides and serves on the executive committee of Our Voices, an advocacy group led by adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Virginia. "We go to talk to (legislators) about keeping Medicaid, about making higher wages - a lot of my caregivers have to have more than one job because they don't make enough money at this one," she said. Feazelle, who has cerebral palsy, worries what might happen to the full life she's built if there are cuts to Medicaid at the federal level. As someone with a disability, her income is limited to preserve her benefits. Medicaid pays for a staff of caregivers who help her with tasks such as getting out of bed, hygiene and making meals. "If they take Medicaid away, I have no way of getting the medical care that I need," the 35-year-old said. "I can't get out of bed myself. My caregivers have to get me up. And they get paid by Medicaid, so if they take that away, I'll be stuck." How would cuts work? Congress passed a budget resolution directing the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee to cut $880 billion in federal spending over the next decade. The resolution does not specifically name Medicaid, but the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found there is no other way to achieve that target without the bulk of cuts coming from Medicaid, given the programs over which the committee has budget jurisdiction. The budget resolution passed the House largely along party lines, with two Republicans voting against. The legislation instructs Congress to cut spending enough to continue to fund President Donald Trump's 2017 tax cuts. "The budget resolution was a procedural vote, which didn't make any policy changes," said U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman, a Republican who represents Virginia's 1st District. "Nothing in the federal budget has been cut as a result of this vote. "This resolution simply unlocked the process for Congress to address important issues - including tax cuts for working class families, lowering energy costs, and stopping the flow of deadly drugs into our country - through a larger legislative package." Amid pressure from constituents, particularly in areas with high rates of Medicaid use, some Republicans are advocating for some preservation of the program. Wittman and U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans, who represents the 2nd District, joined fellow Republicans in voting in favor of the budget resolution. But both have since signed onto a letter urging House leadership to preserve Medicaid for vulnerable populations, noting their districts' high rates of constituents who depend on it. "We support targeted reforms to improve program integrity, reduce improper payments, and modernize delivery systems to fix flaws in the program that divert resources away from children, seniors, individuals with disabilities, and pregnant women - those who the program was intended to help," the letter reads. "However, we cannot and will not support a final reconciliation bill that includes any reduction in Medicaid coverage for vulnerable populations." There are a couple ways elected officials say they could cut Medicaid spending without reducing coverage, including by reducing fraud and waste. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that between 2019 and '21, insurers were double paid hundreds of thousands of times for people enrolled in multiple states, often after they moved. "That's a clear misuse of taxpayer dollars," Wittman said. "We can reduce the topline budget by rooting out this kind of fraud, abuse, and administrative waste - without touching coverage for vulnerable populations." Republicans also reportedly are considering federal reductions to Medicaid expansion programs. Currently, for states that have expanded Medicaid to low-income adults, the federal government funds 90% of the program and states contribute 10%. Virginia has what's known as a trigger law, which says that if the federal contribution drops at all, Medicaid expansion will cease. That would mean the disenrollment of some 600,000 Virginians who use Medicaid. Republicans are also floating the idea of Medicaid work requirements. Analysis from KFF, a nonprofit health research organization, found that most adults under 65 who use Medicaid already work - many in low-wage jobs that offer low employer insurance offer rates. People with disabilities If Medicaid is cut, the effects on Virginians who use it would be far-reaching. In Virginia, about 2 million adults and children are insured through Medicaid or FAMIS, the commonwealth's counterpart health care coverage for children. Feazelle is one of about 130,000 Virginians with a disability or blindness who use Medicaid. She also has a developmental disability (DD) waiver administered through Virginia Medicaid that pays for medical equipment and furnishings that make her apartment more accessible and keep her safe in case of an emergency. "Another part of my independence is a door opener," she said. "I used to have people have to bust down my door so the ambulance can get in here. But now I have a door opener in case that happens." Bernita Richardson, a Virginia Beach resident, is the primary caregiver for her parents and her 8-year-old son, who has cerebral palsy. Ahead of the vote on the budget resolution, Richardson and other constituents traveled to Washington to urge Kiggans to preserve Medicaid. Medicaid pays for her son's speech and physical therapies, which he's used off and on since he was 4 months, as well as for leg braces, which he gets fitted for multiple times a year as he grows and would otherwise cost thousands of dollars out of pocket. "(Without Medicaid) he wouldn't be the child that he is now," Richardson said. "I would be still trying - I still struggle - to find ways to help him improve, but we'd be nowhere near where we are now." Veterans According to the progressive advocacy group The Commonwealth Institute, about 56,000 people in Virginia, including military members on active duty, some veterans and their families are dual enrolled in TRICARE, the military's health care system, and Medicaid. Nationally, about 850,000 people are dual enrolled in both coverage systems, according to a report from Georgetown University. "TRICARE has some limitations," said Freddy Mejia, policy director at TCI, at a Medicaid round table in Newport News. "When we're thinking about particularly children who need extra supports, things like waivers, home and community-based services, those are really critical supports that Medicaid is able to offer." Rural communities Joan Lingen is chief medical officer at Eastern Shore Rural Health, a federally qualified health clinic that provides primary medical, dental, behavioral health and pharmacy services to over 70% of Eastern Shore residents. On a call with other health professionals, Lingen said 74% of children and 36% of adults receiving dental services through the clinic were on Medicaid. "Medicaid is crucial to the survival of community dental care on the Eastern Shore of Virginia," she said. "Medicaid is critical to the health of community health centers, including those in Virginia." Nationally, reductions in federal Medicaid are more likely to cause greater harm to health care in rural communities than in metro areas. Meanwhile, Feazelle, worries about being unable to keep her apartment if Medicaid is cut. "My parents are getting older," she said. "They cannot take care of me. And I don't want to be in a group home. I'm too independent for that." _____ Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
