GFM Gets Help

Medical center gets support after thefts

In the first two weeks of this month, the Grace Family Medicine center on Arnett Boulevard was the inexplicable target of repeated thievery and vandalism.

Since then, staff at the medical center, which has served underprivileged families in the 19th Ward for the past 32 years, has been the target of the community's generosity and support.

The center was broken into at least four times in 12 days in early April, and was vandalized at least two other times during that time period, said Dr. William Morehouse, Grace's medical director...

Several other nearby locations have been vandalized, including a building next door which houses RISEGO Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to creating young social entrepreneurs in schools, and the library at 310 Arnett Blvd.

Grace has rung up a pricey list of unexpected expenses, including having to replace all the locks in the office, alter the roof where the thieves were getting in the office, replace the medical freezer, and fix about 10 broken windows — including a $475 window that had to be replaced twice. That is in addition to the loss of the cash and the computers.

Fortunately, Morehouse said, the community has responded in a "wonderful and generous" way.

"The community has been very supportive, the neighbors have all rallied around us and responded with very generous donations," he said, estimating large and small donations have totaled about $6,000. "They are people who know what we do here, and people we have possibly helped in the past."

Grace Family has served the 19th Ward since 1978 when Morehouse and a group of Christians came together with the goal of providing health care and other services to underprivileged communities.

Click here to read the entire article by Jon Hand, D&C staff writer.

Spring Banquet at Oak Hill

His Branches, Inc.

Grace Family Medicine and Embracing Options

Invite You to

Our Spring Fundraising Banquet

Embracing His Branches for a

CELEBRATION OF LIFE

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Seating begins at 6:30 pm

Dinner & Program 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Oak Hill Country Club

346 Kilbourn Road, Rochester, NY 14618

With featured Speaker

Mr. Paul Marshall

Vice President of Ministry Development

Care Net Pregnancy of Central New York

Click here to RSVP before May 1

An opportunity to make a financial gift will be extended.

Dinner is complementary ~ Adults only as seating is limited ~ Semi-formal attire

Good News at GFM

Grace Family Medicine staff

After a rash of break-ins over the past 2 weeks (see below), we seem to be coming back out into the open again, now stronger in spirit and faith than before! We won't say it hasn't been a struggle, both from the physical damage and loss as well as the emotional sense of vulnerability and violation, but we're pulling together as a team and moving forward.

The support of our families, neighbors, and the community as a whole has been overwhelming! So far we've had donations come in from all over the continent (yes, the entire continent) as a result of our wired world, national news media reports, Facebook, and text messages and have been able to repair all our broken windows, replace our locks, secure our roof entry points, and beef up our alarm system. We are so grateful to our wonderful God and all of you. Keep those cards and letters coming!

GFM Clinic Robbery

Rochester medical clinic robbed
WHEC News Video link

 

By: Pat McGonigle - Channel 10

A family health clinic in the City's 19th ward has been ransacked by thieves five times in the last two weeks. One of the doctors at the clinic told News 10NBC he has had enough.

Grace Family Medicine here on Arnett Boulevard has been serving the 19th Ward since 1978. It's a family health clinic that caters to people with Medicaid, Medicare or no insurance at all.

Five times over the last two weeks, burglars smashed in windows and broke into the office.

Dr. Bill Morehouse showed us some of the damage today. He says there are no drugs, prescription pads or cash in the office so the thieves are only stealing office equipment which only weakens a community’s resources, already operating on a shoe string. Dr. Morehouse said, “Windows broken, small items stolen, most recently yesterday -- seven windows smashed, computer stolen, a very valuable computer and we're beginning to have difficulty meeting the needs of people here."

Dr. Morehouse says he thinks people in this neighborhood know who's been doing this. So he's asking them to come forward and tell police who has been breaking into the clinic. Dr. Morehouse says he'd like to get that person some help.

The Grace Family Medical Clinic is upgrading its security and alarm systems because of the break-in.

GFM Break-Ins

"Old-Fashioned" Clinic Burglarized Five Times
Break-in news video

Reported by: Evan Axelbank, Channel 8 News

It's gotten to a point where doctors and nurses aren't surprised to find this kind of damage.

"It's sapped their enthusiasm and energy, it's kind of like OK, what am I going to find now?" said Bill Waldert, the clinic's business manager.
Only two weeks ago the only thing they had to worry about were patients, of which three fourths are on medicare or medicaid.

"This is a good old-fashioned family practice," said Waldert.  "We take care of the babies right up through the grandparents." But now, broken glass and broken windows and ransacked offices are signs that they're under an almost constant assault by an unknown burglar.

"Its really got us stumped right now," said Waldert.  "A little but of money, a lot of broken windows, a couple of computer monitors, but there really is not anything in here, there's no reason to come in this building."

It has started to feel like a cat and mouse game. After they changed the locks yesterday, they came in to find that burglars came in through this window. Bill Waldert has a message for them.

"We're here to try and do some good for you and your families.  Please let us go about our business," said Waldert.

Even though the break-ins have been frustrating, Grace Family Medicine is going to plow ahead.

"God knows we don't pay them very much.  So they are here because they want to be here, and so they can be a positive resource for the community." 

The broken glass hasn't shattered their spirit.

EO Opens Webster Center!

 

By: Nicole Friberg, Webster Center Director

What is Embracing Options? We are a Christ-centered Crisis Pregnancy Center. We address the needs of individual women by sharing the Gospel and empowering them to make positive life-affirming choices. Embracing Options is a Care Net affiliate. Care Net is a national network of 1,180 pregnancy centers that provide free support to pregnant women.

The United Methodist Church of Webster Outreach House Embracing Options committee consists of Ray and Laurie Dutcher, Dave and Bobbi Olson, Pastor Lee, and Nicole Friberg. We have been meeting, working and praying on this for a little over a year.

At Embracing Options, we offer free pregnancy tests, on-going peer counseling and friendship, referrals for medical care, referrals for legal assistance or other needed community services, referrals for adoption or foster care, post-abortion counseling (PACE), and referrals to a church.

Embracing Options is a para-church ministry. Everything we do for our client, we do to point her in the way of God and His love. We show her that she has potential, because she is created in the image of God. We give her a Bible to have for her own. When hurting women encounter Jesus Christ in the midst of their crisis, their lives are forever changed.

I am excited to say that our opening date was March 29th. Our hours of operation are Mondays from noon - 5 pm and Thursdays from 10 am - 2:00 pm.

I cannot speak for everyone who is on the committee, but I can tell you why I feel the calling to be involved in this. As some of you may know, our three children are all adopted. If their birth mothers had not chosen life, we would not have them here with us today. We thank God every day that they chose life, so we could be so blessed with these three amazing children.

To be Pro Life does not just mean we are against abortion. To be Pro Life means we honor, respect, and love all of God's creations from conception to death.

You may be asking yourselves, what can I, as a member of our congregation, do to help? There are many ways. We are looking for volunteers to peer counsel (requires 16 hours of Care Net training, provided by us). We are also looking for volunteers to join on our electronic prayer team (we need prayers for our volunteers, director, committee, and our clients). If you feel God is calling you to any of these, please contact Nicole at 585-545-4690.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” Jer.1:5