Our Legacy Today --- Winter 2020 ---
Holiday Greetings and Warm Wishes during this I don’t have to tell you that 2020 has been the strangest, hardest, and most challenging year most of us have ever experienced. This new normal has turned our homes into a combination of office, gym, restaurant, and childcare facility, and no one quite knows when this will change. This year has taught us so much about our own resiliency and our ability to adapt and overcome adverse circumstances, and we are thankful that Legacy’s friends and donors have stood by us as we sought new ways to continue treating at-risk families across Southeast Texas. So many of our supporters have stepped up and donated their time, talent, and treasure to ensure that we were able to keep seeing patients during the early days of the pandemic, and that important events like the 10th Annual Frank Billingsley Golf Classic and Mint Julep stayed on the calendar. We have been working harder than ever to keep our patients, staff, and their families healthy and safe, and that job was made significantly easier thanks to donors like you. Even the seasons this year have been different, as we saw hurricanes well into November. What won’t change, however, is the need for a Season of Giving. So many Americans lost their jobs and health insurance in 2020 that we expect to see record numbers of uninsured patients and families in the coming months. The holidays will look entirely different this year as most families will not be able to gather and celebrate their timehonored, beloved traditions.
Legacy Chief Development Officer Chree Boydstun reading with a friend
During this Season of Giving, I’d like to encourage all of Legacy’s donors to consider making a gift to Legacy’s Little Readers, which gives an age-appropriate children’s book to pediatric patients at all well-child visits. This program is funded entirely through donations, and it’s because of Houston’s generous philanthropic community that we’ve been able to give away more than 160,000 books since the program started in late 2015. Donations are down across the board this year due to the pandemic, so your support is essential in helping us keep this program alive into 2021. Shannon Hall and Marcus Sloan were among the first Little Readers Champions. “We all know that Legacy delivers first-rate health care to anyone who walks through their doors, but it’s the extra mile service found in programs like Little Readers that makes Legacy a truly special place,” says Hall. “Too many Legacy patient families can’t afford to buy books for their children but, thanks to Little Readers, children leave the doctor’s office with a new book just for them.” Legacy Pediatrician Dr. Larry Caesar
Fellow Little Readers Champion Fady Armanious adds, “Just the act of reading to children can help them improve their overall literacy, and Little Readers ensures that kids only have the books they need and that parents know the importance of reading those books together.” According to a 2019 study, young children whose parents read them five books a day enter kindergarten having heard about 1.4 million more words than kids whose parents didn’t read to them. Children who hear more vocabulary words are better prepared to see those words in print later on, and the words they hear as youngsters take on special importance when they learn to read in school.
Little Readers Champions Marcus Sloan and Shannon Hall
We have been incredibly fortunate that so many of our community partners have already recognized the increased need for Legacy’s Little Readers. The Children’s Museum of Houston, H-E-B, the Elkins Foundation, Best Bridge to Heart, the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation, Reach Out and Read, St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, and the Mayor’s Adult & Family Literacy program have donated books to Little Readers in recent months. Please consider joining these philanthropic leaders by giving the gift of reading this holiday season by visiting https://legacy.community/LLRchampions. With your help, we can put 2020 in our rear view and help hundreds of at-risk children access the books they need. With your help, we can open a window to fabulous stories and characters for the children and families count on Legacy for their care, both inside and outside of the exam room.
LEGACY COMMUNITY HEALTH OPERATING BOARD
Alex Jessett, Chairperson Naveen Pinglay, Vice-Chairperson Richard “Ricky” Davidson, Treasurer • Ryan Martin, Secretary • Marissa Taler, At-Large/Executive Committee George Burch • Abigail Caudle, M.D. • Taryn Hargrove Gore • Gary Hammett • Bryan Hlavinka Mariana Chavez Mac Gregor, M.D. • Amanda Goodie-Roberts • Johnson Olatunji • Neftali Partida • Devin Vasquez
10th Annual Frank Billingsley Golf Classic October 14, 2020 • Golf Club of Houston KPRC-Channel 2 Chief Meteorologist Frank Billingsley delivered perfect weather for his 10th Golf Classic, presented by Hawkins Laakso Wealth Management and Equitable. This year’s tournament was our largest ever, with 108 participants and more than $100,000 raised for Legacy’s School-Based Health Care Program. Grateful thanks to our golf committee, our generous sponsors, and Frank Billingsley’s steadfast support. View a video of the Classic at legacy.community/2020golfclassic. Presenting Sponsor - Haawkins Laakso Wealth Management and Equitable Eagle Sponsor - Houston Methodist Birdie Sponsors - Bill Dodson/Compass, Harvey Closest to the Pin Sponsors - Community Health Choice, Serna Insurance Longest Drive Sponsors - Dignity Memorial, Epic International Brokers Media Sponsor - KPRC-Channel 2
Legacy Community Health Development Staff
2020 Golf Committee Chairperson Chris Laakso • Beryl Basham Mary “Kirti” Cesaratto • Wanna Hadnott • Ellen Landis • Alvin Wright
J. R. Crowel of Equitable, George Hawkins, and Chris Laakso
Golf Committee members Alvin Wright, Mary “Kirti” Cesaratto, Wanna Hadnott, Beryl Basham, and Ellen Landis
Mark Miller, Ibis Reynolds, Wanna Hadnott, and Dr. William Hadnott III
Martha Serna, Pete Serna, and Frank Billingsley
Ellen Landis, Mishka Glaser, MaryLee Pyle, and Carol Oddo
Chris Laakso, Marty Lindle, Kevin Epps, and Ryan Epps
Mint Julep 2020 “The Show Must Go On”
Mint Julep 2020 Regina Dane
October 25, 2020 The pandemic couldn’t put a stop to Mint Julep, Legacy’s signature summertime variety show. Our performers pivoted to a virtual event that was filmed at ReBar and streamed over the internet on October 25. If you missed Mint Julep 2020, you can watch the entire show at legacy.community/julep2020.
Filming at ReBar with Nicki Hanson
This incredible event would not have been possible without our cochairs Yvonne Cormier and Tony Bravo, and presenting sponsors Gary Hammett and David LaDuke. Thank you for your steadfast support. A round of applause goes out to our volunteer performers gave it their all to raise funds for Legacy’s HIV services and programs, including this year’s Mint Julep honoree, Regina Dane. We’ll see you next year for Mint Julep 2021!
Dina Jacobs
Shy Anne
Gifts anyone can afford.
Have you ever wished you could help, but thought you couldn’t afford to give? There are ways you can give today while still preserving your assets for retirement and providing for your family. Here are some gifts you can afford: ■
Gifts from a Will or Trust
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Beneficiary Designations
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Life Insurance
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Appreciated Securities
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Real Property
Would you like to have a member of Legacy’s staff contact you about leaving Legacy in your estate? If so, please call Tim Martinez at 713.203.7221 or email tjmartinez@legacycommunityhealth.org.
Tangible Interests, Closely Held Stocks & Partnerships ■
Planning Ahead In 2021
In the coming year, Legacy’s Development Department will be providing information through online education sessions and newsletters about Donor Advised Funds, IRA Required Minimum Distribution (RMD), Wills & Estate Planning, and designating beneficiaries. To receive this information, sign up on the Planned Giving website:
lchplannedgiving.org Follow us online for weekly postings about planned giving at Our Legacy Today on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
We are excited to announce a new way for you to make a bigger impact while saving money when you support Legacy Community Health. When you donate stock, you can avoid the tax on the gain while deducting 100% of the value of the contribution and earn two to three times the tax savings of donating cash. It’s a win-win for you and us. And, thanks to our new partnership with DonateStock.com, making your gift is easier than ever before. Our new website at https://DonateStock.com/LCH enables you to donate stock from your brokerage directly to our account through a secure portal in less than 10 minutes! It’s fast, safe, and easy to do. By giving stock, your support will have even greater impact without denting your pocketbook. To learn more please visit our page at https://DonateStock.com/LCH
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P.O. Box 66308 Houston, TX 77266-6308
Behavioral Health Consultant April Monroe hosting a telehealth appointment
Telehealth Appointments Help Legacy Patients Stay Connected to Care When COVID-19 came to Texas, Legacy Community Health responded quickly to ensure safe, accessible health care would still be available to our patients. Before the pandemic, Federally Qualified Health Centers such as Legacy were prohibited from providing telemedicine appointments. Our Public Policy staff worked directly with Governor Greg Abbott’s office and the State Health Department to fast track a waiver approving telemedicine services, and Legacy’s IT department needed only two weeks to deploy the software and hardware needed across the entire organization. “Our physicians love seeing patients in a way that is efficient and safe, and our patients are appreciative they don’t have to come to the clinic to expose themselves to the risk of COVID,” says Dr. Melanie Melville, Legacy’s Medical Director of Behavioral Health. Right now, most behavioral health appointments are via telehealth. Overall, 30% of Legacy’s total patient visits are virtual. 90% of patients report they are satisfied with their video visits and quality of care. “I’m able to keep up with speaking to my doctor and take care of myself,” says Legacy patient Marie Jean-Pierre. “I just know that this has helped me so much.”
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Learn more about Legacy’s telehealth services, and see how our primary care providers are helping patients take charge of their health through virtual visits in this video at legacy.community/telemedicine.
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For more information, email us at events@legacycommunityhealth.org