Mary Pat Corrigan, a senior leadership professional with more than 20 years of experience in health care and information technology, has been named chief executive officer of Volunteers in Medicine.
The not-for-profit organization runs a health care clinic that provides integrated physical and behavioral health care to the area’s working uninsured.
“Mary Pat brings her keen leadership and health care expertise to Volunteers in Medicine at a time when there is much confusion in the marketplace about health care reform and the impact of the Affordable Care Act,” said Leo Alonso, chairman of the board for Volunteers in Medicine.
“Even though health insurance is now available to the public through legislation, many under-employed residents still cannot afford to pay for it or are not eligible for it,” Alonso continued. “Our organization is one of the only places they can turn to for regular medical exams and treatment of chronic conditions.”
Corrigan most recently served as a health care management consultant to large health systems across the country designing strategic programs, identifying cost efficiencies and managing complex health system programs.
She worked for Baptist Health System in Jacksonville for 11 years, where she led the implementation of one of the first electronic medical records systems in the United States. She also served as program manager for the creation and opening of Baptist South Hospital.
In 2013, Volunteers in Medicine cared for more than 1,700 patients and has the capacity to serve many more.
The organization serves the uninsured employed who live or work in Duval County, are employed for a minimum of 20 hours per week and earn $13,000-$27,000 annually.
The services include primary and specialty care, mental health counseling and nutritional counseling, and are provided by volunteer physicians and nurse practitioners from area hospitals including Baptist Health, Mayo Clinic and St. Vincent’s HealthCare.
The clinic’s fundraising campaign aims to raise $125,000 this year. An anonymous donor has agreed to match up to $25,000 in donations made by Sept. 15.
Contributions can be made at vim-jax.org under the donations tab, or by contacting the organization at (904) 399-2766, ext. 123.
Fidelity Investments volunteers at Terry Parker High School
On Saturday, more than 100 Fidelity Investments employees worked with volunteers from Florida Blue and Winn-Dixie and students and teachers at Terry Parker High School’s Transformation Day.
The day is an annual event to make interior and exterior renovations to the school.
Projects included creating a café that will be managed by culinary students and a fitness center for teachers and female students.
Volunteers performed landscaping projects, painted murals and distributed classroom supply kits to teachers.
Transformation events are part of Fidelity’s focus on supporting the communities where employees work and live. The events are in partnership with HandsOn Network and Points of Light, the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service. HandsOn Jacksonville, the local affiliate of the HandsOn Network, provides project management for corporate employee volunteer programs.
The organization handles the logistics, so employees are able to simply show up, get to work and make a difference.
Jaguars Foundation supports veterans
A $10,000 grant from the Jaguars Foundation will help provide scholarships to veterans seeking their initial pilot’s license at Jacksonville University’s Davis Aviation Center.
The program is supported by the Jaguars Foundation on behalf of the city’s Veterans Resource and Reintegration Center.
The university will provide matching funds for two or more scholarships of up to $10,000 for the 2014-15 academic year.
“Many of our nation’s veterans have dreamed of becoming pilots,” said Capt. Mark Willette, JU associate director of aeronautics.
“This award will help bridge the funding gap that sometimes cannot be overcome through VA benefits alone, and puts in place a ‘safety net’ that will give veterans studying aviation at Jacksonville University a fighting chance to succeed without the added pressure of a financial shortfall,” Willette added.
For student veterans pursuing a career in aviation, the Post 9/11 GI Bill covers only the cost of flight school tuition.
Flight fees are not covered and veterans must assume the $10,000 cost, and sometimes more, out of their own pockets.
The center’s Aviation Management and Flight Operations and Aviation Management programs require students to earn their private pilot’s license, which typically requires 50 hours of logged flight time.
‘Putt For The Fallen’ at Adventure Landing
Family Entertainment Centers across the nation have joined forces to support children going to college by participating in the Putt For The Fallen nationwide fundraiser.
During September, Adventure Landing will ask guests for a $5 donation in exchange for a paper golf ball. Donors will receive recognition by writing their names on the ball and also will receive a free round of mini-golf with the purchase of a round, for their next visit.
There are 17 family entertainment centers operated by Adventure Landing, with three in Northeast Florida: 1944 Beach Blvd. in Jacksonville Beach, 4825 Blanding Blvd. in Jacksonville, and 2780 Florida 16 in St. Augustine.
The money will benefit Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing college scholarships and long-term educational counseling to children who lost a parent in the line of duty.
“The fact that the foundation is military-related and helps children is what sparked our interest. We are in the business of entertaining children and families, and this seemed like a perfect fit for us,” said Hank Woodburn, owner of Adventure Landing. “We decided to participate because 100 percent of the proceeds that we raise for them benefit the children who have lost a child in the line of duty.”
For information about Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation and other ways to help the children of fallen soldiers, visit fallenpatriots.com.
MaliVai Washington Youth Foundations needs tweets
The MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation is one of 10 national junior tennis and learning programs to receive a $10,000 grant through a partnership between Chase and the USTA Founda-tion.
Chase isn’t stopping at $100,000. All 10 communities are competing for an additional $10,000 via Twitter.
The competition will continue through Wednesday. The winner will be announced Sept. 7 at the U.S. Open.
There are two ways to vote: Visit ustafoundation.com/returntheserve, click on Jacksonville and tweet the pre-populated tweet that pops up or tweet using #ReturnTheServe and #Jax.
You may vote once a day from any valid Twitter account.
‘New Day’ and ‘LifeBuilders’ lead to jobs
Several local companies have hired students in the City Rescue Mission’s New Day workforce development program, including UF Health, GreenCore, Goodwill Industries of North Florida, Nimnicht Chevrolet, Kia of Orange Park, Golden Corral and Rethreaded.
Adults in the New Day program have completed the LifeBuilders addiction recovery program, living at the mission 12-18 months while receiving spiritual development and guidance, counseling, education and life skills classes.
Students transition into jobs while continuing to live at the mission, saving more than half their salaries for their move into permanent, independent housing.
Many program participants earn GEDs and Florida Ready to Work certificates. Recent hires include positions in parts warehouse work, auto detailing, food service, sewing, and housekeeping.
Kristin Keen, executive director of Rethreaded, said she initially placed two women from City Rescue Mission to complete a contract from Venus Swim & Fashion, but “they did so well we decided to hire them part-time.”
City Rescue Mission has been caring for the homeless and needy in Northeast Florida since 1946.
In addition to the New Life Inn homeless shelter Downtown, the organization offers an 18-month, Christian-based addiction recovery program called LifeBuilders and the New Day workforce development program. The mission accepts no government financial support.