Car Wash for Carmelite

Franciscan Physicians Hospital’s Service Excellence Committee will host a fundraising car wash Friday, July 20, from noon to 5 p.m. at the hospital, 701 Superior Avenue in Munster.

The car wash is donation-based and all proceeds will go to the St. Joseph’s Carmelite Home in East Chicago. The Carmelite Home is a residential treatment center for abused, neglected and abandoned children.

For more information, call Andrew Mullins at (219) 922-4200, ext. 5346.

Franciscan Physicians Hospital Cares for Kids

MUNSTER | Dec. 19 marked the last St. Joseph’s Carmelite Home fundraising luncheon at Franciscan Physicians Hospital in 2011. Luncheons were held throughout the month of December.

As part of annual support efforts for the children, hospital employees raised $4,000, with all proceeds going to the home. Contributions came from luncheons, payroll deductions and donations.

“My staff is always very considerate towards the children of the Carmelite Home. Supporting them has been a part of our facility’s mission for some time, but we all see the importance now more than ever with the budget crisis they’re facing,” says hospital president Barb Greene.

Physicians and staff generally give presents at Christmas time, but with state funding cuts leaving the home in desperation, a collection was taken instead.

Sister Maria Giuseppe, provincial superior of the Carmelite Home, states “funding cuts have been our biggest struggle over the last year. State funding covers about 70% of our costs, which leaves quite a gap in providing for the children we care for.”

July 2, 2013, will mark the one hundred year anniversary of the E. Chicago Carmelite Home location. Further budget cuts are anticipated in the coming year.

“We cannot express our appreciation to Franciscan Physicians Hospital and the Franciscan Alliance for caring about our children in this great time of need,” says Sr. Giuseppe. “We thank them for allowing us to continue Christ’s ministry in our community.”

To support the Carmelite Home in E. Chicago, send a donation to 4840 Grasselli St., E. Chicago, IN, 46312, or come by in person.

Further support to the Carmelite Home and the community at large will continue to come from Franciscan Physicians Hospital, now a wholly owned, not-for-profit member of the Franciscan Alliance. The hospital, located at 701 Superior Ave. in Munster, holds a number of supportive outreach programs throughout the year.

To learn more, visit online at www.franciscanphysicians.org.

Brandy Egnatz, Service Excellence Member, gives the $4,000 check to Sr. Maria Giuseppe

JDRF Walk; Recap Toward Finding a Cure

HIGHLAND | Franciscan Physicians Hospital and the Franciscan Alliance Northern Indiana Region hospitals walked to do their part toward finding a cure for juvenile diabetes. The hospitals, walking collectively with over 50 employees at the October 16th Walk to Cure Juvenile Diabetes event, raised money and awareness to go toward the disease that affects this younger population.

Diabetes, known medically as diabetes mellitus, is a disorder in which the body has trouble regulating its blood sugar (glucose) levels. According to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC), people younger than 20 who are diagnosed with diabetes account for nearly .26% of all people in that age group. This percentage translates into nearly 215,000 individuals. Working the opposite direction, roughly 1.9 million people ages 20 or older were diagnosed with diabetes in 2010 in the U.S.

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation hosts this annual walk that drew in over 2,000 people to the 2011 event at Wicker Park in Highland, IN. This event marked the 12th annual three-mile noncompetitive Walk to Cure Juvenile Diabetes.

Thanks to all those who participated in this wonderful event to help fund and find a cure for Juvenile Diabetes.

The total number raised by the Franciscan Alliance will be incorporated into this post once it has been recorded.

Franciscan Alliance participants at the Walk to Cure Juvenile Diabetes event in Wicker Park