Guest Column: Supporting your community virtually with the Barton Foundation

This season of giving is more important than ever, as our community faces complex challenges brought on by the pandemic. To help provide additional financial resources in response to the pandemic, the COVID-19 Response Fund is the beneficiary of the Barton Foundation’s 30th Annual Gala, held virtually this year beginning November 30 through December 11, 2020 at BartonHealth.org/Gala.

Over 700 local families suffering from food insecurity issues have already been helped through generous donations to the Response Fund. Additional donations to the Response Fund will be critical this winter, as residents continue to struggle to feed their families. The Response Fund also provides essential personal protective equipment and medical supplies for frontline healthcare workers, and helps with funding for the continuous adaptation of mitigation strategies and safety equipment for residents of Barton’s Skilled Nursing Facility.

The Skilled Nursing Facility is home to some of Barton Health’s most vulnerable patients. Visitation to this long-term care facility has been highly restricted since March, 2020 to protect these vulnerable community members and their care providers.

Many of us miss visiting with friends and family members who are in isolation, whose health would be extremely at-risk should they be exposed to COVID-19. With the support of donations through its annual Gala, the Barton Foundation is striving to facilitate additional safe visitation options for families to visit their loved ones at the Skilled Nursing Facility.

With your help and generosity, the Barton Foundation will continue its work in our community, as we support community members in need and provide medical equipment and supplies to our frontline healthcare workers.

To learn more about the Barton Foundation’s 2020 Gala, and make a secure online donation, visit BartonHealth.org/Gala.

- Chris Kiser is the Executive Director of the Barton Foundation.