Medworks in the Community
During this holiday season, I want to express my gratitude to the many people I am connected to because of Medworks. From the healthcare professionals I have the pleasure of working with, to the talented and hard-working employees that have found a home here. Any successes we have achieved have come about because of you. Thank you!
As an extension of our core values, we as an organization have pledged to reach outside ourselves to help the local community and beyond through charitable giving and direct involvement in projects to help those in need. I want to highlight some of these projects and non-profits to create awareness in case you haven’t already heard about them.
One area of our focus is on helping to fund and provide transportation for children to participate in extracurricular activities. This passion was inspired by the Angela Duckworth book, “Grit”, where she cites evidence that consistent involvement in an extracurricular activity (two years or more) vastly increases that child’s chances of future success in school and career. We have just started this project, but so far, we have supported a dirt biking camp, boxing lessons, and are currently working on a basketball sponsorship and piano lessons. Most of our work has been with foster children.
Caring Clothes Closet
Currently, Medworks is involved in a project to provide pajamas and small stuffed animals for children through an organization called “Caring Clothes Closet”. CCC is a local Richmond group that provides clothes and comfort bags to at risk children. These bags include items such as brushes, combs, toothbrushes, blankets, colored pencils, markers, and stuffed animals. You can learn more about Caring Clothes Closet at www.caringclothescloset.org.
Fostering Hope
Another group we work with is Fostering Hope. This organization is focused on life and career coaching for foster children that are aging out of the system. They also provide care packages, meals, and offer “parents night out” for parents of foster children as well as other types of support for foster children and their caregivers. Earlier this year, Medworks was privileged to assist in providing child care and restaurant gift cards to allow some appreciative foster parents a date night. Learn more about Fostering Hope at www.fosteringhopeva.org.
Virginia Kids Belong
This organization has a mission to provide permanency and belonging for every child. They actively recruit foster and adoptive parents as well as peripheral support for foster and adoptive families. You can find out more about Virginia Kids Belong by going to www.vakidsbelong.org.
Medworks strongly encourages its’ employees to do charity work they are interested in and several employees participated in both domestic and international projects in 2018. “To whom much is given, much is required”. It is my hope that each of you will find opportunities to live outside of yourselves and reach out. There are many needs.
Darrell Shires,
Medworks President & CEO