News & Events

February 2012: Guild Matters of the Heart

Give a little time. Get a lot in return. 

February is all about the heart. During this month Saint Valentine’s Day is celebrated widely and we are all encouraged to express our love to those we care about most.  Those expressions come in all forms – some are traditional, while others are more creative and take full advantage of today’s technology. Call us traditional if you like, but one of the greatest impacts on our clients’ hearts is the gift of time from a volunteer.  So, during this month we want to encourage you to show your support for Guild Incorporated by volunteering.  Share your time and talent with us and get the satisfaction of knowing you are helping people with mental illness lead quality lives. A volunteer says this about their experience, “It is so rewarding helping someone by simply spending time together and being myself.”

“I very much enjoy volunteering as a friendship mentor with Guild Incorporated.  And, I’m very happy for the opportunity to do so.  I believe that people of a compassionate nature would benefit greatly from an experience as a friendship mentor.  And it’s fun!”

“Being a Phone Buddy has given me the opportunity to provide weekly social support to someone who would otherwise be more isolated.”

“Both of us enjoy museums and coffee!  We always have a lot to talk about.”

 

Here are just a few of our volunteer opportunities:

Friend A few hours a month makes a big difference for an individual who is isolated. Help your new friend stay active, improve their health, and fulfill their dreams.  See what the relationship does for your friend.  Feel what it does for you.

Phone Buddy Call and chat with an individual we serve once a week. A quick conversation can really make a difference and give you a boost, too!  Phone Buddy Plus supplements weekly phone calls with occasional get-togethers.

Driver Take people to the grocery store, appointments, and other necessary places as it fits your schedule. 

Member Hours Assistant   Chat and play games including pool or cards in the relaxed atmosphere of our Community Support Program (link).  Hours include four weekday afternoons and one evening each week.  Choose the time that fits your schedule.  Volunteer with a spouse, partner, or friend for even more fun.

Ready to learn more? E-mail volunteer@guildincorporated.org, or call directly at 651.925.8456, for more information about individual or group volunteer opportunities.

Hospital to Home First Year Outcomes Released

From Where I Stand: Notes from our President

The month of January has always been a favorite of mine, named after the Roman God Janus for the ability to turn one face to reflect upon the past with yet another face freshly pointed to the future.  I cannot think of a better representation of this than Hospital to Home.  This initiative is demonstrating reduction in avoidable hospital emergency department visits while improving housing stability and health for individuals who are homeless, and who have complex, chronic health conditions and have few resources.  People in this situation often turn frequently to hospital emergency departments for help with ongoing health concerns.

Since 2009, we have been a partner in the Hospital to Home (H2H) initiative, engaging and serving these individuals to help them improve their health, stability and quality of life.  This past December we released the first outcomes summary, prepared by Wilder Research, for individuals participating in this innovative project.

Each of these individuals is now “looking back” on homelessness, poor health and a sense of hopelessness; while “looking forward” to improved health and the safety and security of stable housing. Meet Bill, a client served through this initiative. (see page 2 for Bill’s story)

Bill: Individual Served, Son, Friend, Neighbor

“It feels good to have some independence back and contribute to the needs of my daily life”!

Guild’s community health services team ensures access to permanent supportive housing and allows services to follow participants, wherever they are, keeping them engaged and providing continuity and coordination in their care.

Guild Incorporated, Hearth Connection, Regions Hospital Departments of Emergency Medicine and Behavioral Health, and the Office of Performance Measurement and Quality Improvement within the Minnesota Department of Human Services have partnered to develop and implement Hospital to Home. The information in this outcomes report includes participant outcomes through October 2010, approximately one year after most participants enrolled in Hospital to Home.

(To learn more detail about this H2H initiative, read the initial report and Factsheet published by Wilder Research in June 2011.)

Core elements of Hospital to Home effectiveness:
Hospital to Home staff have identified the following three core elements of the model that should continue to be evaluated and supported through resource allocations and policy initiatives:

• Coordination across all elements of the healthcare and social services systems
• Mobile services that “follow” and remain available to participants regardless of living arrangement
• Upfront and continued housing support services and subsidies

Future directions:

• The findings from this report support the need for replication and expansion of the Hospital to Home model. In addition, there is need for the continued measurement and evaluation of costs, benefits, and participant outcomes.
• Additional outcomes will be reported in the fall of 2012, when data are available to examine longer-term outcomes.

January 2012 Everyday Angel

Everyday.  For most people, this word likely conjures up things like ordinary, commonplace, or routine. For those of us at Guild Incorporated, we know everyday acts of kindness are extraordinary.  Many of us see strangers reach out to our clients with acts of friendship, housing assistance, employment, etc. These people are Everyday Angels living in our community. Their actions, no matter how ordinary or routine, have a profound effect on those we serve.  Each month we honor one of these Everyday Angels for their contribution to our mission.  

Meet our January 2012 Everyday Angel:  

 Dr. Marie Louderback

 

 Mobile Veterinarian. Innovator. Community Partner. 

Read her full story here.

Marie provides veterinary services at cost through her business 3 Pound Cats. Because she has little overhead, her prices are much lower than those at veterinary offices. When she was studying veterinary medicine at the University of Minnesota five years ago, she knew this is what she wanted to do. “There are more people in the community than those who walk through the doors of veterinary offices,” she says. “Those are the people who need help the most, and those are the people I want to help.”  

New Van for Guild Community Support Program!

The spirit of giving was alive and well in December and it arrived in a difficult to wrap package!  We are grateful to a long time Guild Incorporated donor, pictured below with staff and members,  who gave all funds needed to purchase a new mini-van for the Guild Community Support Program (GCSP).  The new vehicle replaces one that was unreliable and often in the shop for repairs.

This amazing gift will serve GCSP  members in their rehabilitation efforts  and will be used for things like:

• Community Outings
• Mental health advocacy events
• Volunteer opportunities
• Attending NAMI meetings

 

Left: Our Donor turns the keys over to George Broostin, Guild Incorporated Director of Development

Center: Donor with GCSP members and staff

Right:  Personalized plates to express our gratitude each day!

Century-old Guild of Catholic Women, Inc. disbands…

 

 …but its good works continue with endowment through Guild Incorporated.

 

Our founding organization, Guild of Catholic Women, Inc. (GCW) was featured in the Villager in this article penned by Judy Woodward.  And also in this Pioneer Press article by Nick Ferraro.  We are honored to continue the legacy of the good work they began and nurtured for so many years!