>>MELANIE LAWSON: OVER MORE THAN 6 MONTHS WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE IMPACTS OF
COVID-19 THIS IS SOMETHING
WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO LIVE
WITHIN WE WANT TO HELP YOU
NAVIGATE THIS NEW NORMAL,
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO
YOUR HEALTH. SO WE’RE UNPACKING
YOUR HEALTH QUESTIONS WITH
VOLUNTEERS IN
MEDICINE TODAY AT 11 O’CLOCK
WE’RE DOING A BIRCHELL LIVING
WITH COVID TOWN HALL AND WE
HOPE THAT YOU’LL JOIN US.
JOINING ME NOW TO TALK MORE
ABOUT THIS JENNIFER RYAN WHO IS
THE CEO OF THE NONPROFIT SO
GOOD
MORNING JENNIFER. GOOD MORNING.
HOW ARE YOU I’M DOING GOOD
TODAY, YOU KNOW FIRST I WANT TO
TELL OUR VIEWERS ABOUT WHAT
VOLUNTEERS IN MEDICINE DOES THE
SERVICES OFFERED TO THE
COMMUNITY BECAUSE THERE ARE A
LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE WORKING
WITHOUT HEALTH INSURANCE.
>> YES, SO VOLUNTEERS IN
MEDICINE IS A FREE CLINIC.
WE PROVIDE AT A PRIMARY CARE AS WELL AS 16 MEDICAL SPECIALTIES ALL UNDER
ONE ROOF. AND WE DO ALL OF THAT
WORK WITH 230 VOLUNTEERS A
MONTH. WE
BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE THAT
ARE WORKING SHOULD STAY HEALTHY
SO THEY CAN KEEP THEIR JOBS.
AND WE’VE ALSO DECIDED BECAUSE
OF COVID-19 THAT THOSE WHO HAVE
LOST THEIR JOBS BECAUSE OF
COVID-19.
COVID-19. >>LAUREN VERNO: THEY ALSO QUALIFY FOR SERVICES, YEAH AND
EXPLAIN THAT SO THE BOARD VOTED
EARLIER THIS YEAR TO EXPAND THE
SERVICES FOR PEOPLE
WHO ARE OUT OF WORK DUE TO THE
PANDEMIC SO NORMALLY THIS FOR
FOLKS THEY AT DECENT PAYING
JOBS. THEY JUST DON’T HAVE
ENOUGH THEY DON’T GET TO GO OUT
AND GO TO THE DOCTOR AND SPENT
ALL THAT MONEY. IT’S
JUST NOT. A REALITY FOR THEM
BUT NOW FOR FOLKS WHO
ACTUALLY LOST THEIR JOB DURING
THIS PANDEMIC THEY ALSO CAN
ATTEND.
SO WE WERE LOOKING AT THE
UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS AND HOW
THEY WERE JUMPING SKY HIGH.
THEY WENT FROM
3% PRIOR TO COVID-19 TO AS HIGH
AS 11% IN
DUVAL COUNTY.
>> AND IF WE TRULY WANT TO
SERVE OUR COMMUNITY AND KEEP
PEOPLE HEALTHY AND KEEP PEOPLE
WORKING. WE RECOGNIZED THAT WE
NEEDED THEM TO TO HAVE ACCESS
TO HEALTH CARE. SO THAT
THEY COULD CONTINUE TO GO LOOK
FOR JOBS AND GET JOBS AND
POSSIBLY WE COULD EVEN HELP
THEM WITH RESOURCES TO GET JOBS
WHILE THEY WERE IN WITH
OUR CARE.
>>LAUREN VERNO: AND SO ONE OF
THE FUNDRAISERS AS WOMEN
WITH HEART MONTHLY THE WOMEN
NOMINATED ARE TRYING TO RAISE
AWARENESS OR MONEY FOR THE
ORGANIZATION SO THIS IS
MY MOM AND WE GOT CREATIVE
BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS VIRTUAL
SO WE TALKED ABOUT THIS YOU AND
I ABOUT A TOWN HALL
HIGHLIGHTING THE ORGANIZATION
BUT ALSO ANSWERING QUESTIONS
THAT
PEOPLE HAVE ABOUT MAINTAINING
THEIR HEALTH DURING UNCERTAIN
TIMES SO WE URGE ADDRESSING
MENTAL HEALTH. ANY PHARMACY
QUESTIONS WE HAVE BE IN A
FAMILY PRACTITIONER AND YOUR
HOPE IS THAT WE DON’T HAVE
ANOTHER HEALTH CRISIS BECAUSE
PEOPLE ARE IGNORING THESE
HEALTH NEEDS
RIGHT NOW.
>> YEAH, WE’RE SEEING THERE’S A
TREND ACROSS ALL OF HEALTH CARE
NOT JUST IN NONPROFITS THAT
PEOPLE ARE
OR AVOIDING. THE NECESSARY
PREVENTION
AND SCREENINGS BECAUSE OF
COVID-19 THE FEAR THAT IF THEY
GO INTO. HOSPITAL THEY MIGHT BE
AT RISK OF CONTRACTING COVID-19
AND SO
IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT
PEOPLE STILL STAY ON TOP
AND NOTICE. HEALTH RISKS THAT
THEY MIGHT BE EXPERIENCING.
AND STILL GET PROPER
MEDICAL CARE.
>>LAUREN VERNO: AND FEAR IS NOT
SOMETHING THAT SHOULD DRIVE
YOUR DECISION-MAKING AND THERE
ARE A LOT OF EXPERTS
THAT SAY THEY ARE WORKING
REALLY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT
YOU’RE SAFE IF YOU DO NEED TO
GET
THOSE CHECKUPS. ALL RIGHT SO
I’M WEARING THE HEART OF
JACKSONVILLE NECKLACE THAT WAS
DONATED BY
ALLEN’S JEWELRY. THEY ARE YOUR
APPLING THIS OFF THE SPEEDS
WERE 10 K MAKES ME NERVOUS, I
TOLD YOU EVERY TIME I PUT IT
ON,
BUT BECAUSE OF THIS
ORGANIZATION BECAUSE OF THIS
FUNDRAISER YOU CAN ACTUALLY GET
THIS THROUGH
A RAFFLE AND THE ODDS OF
WINNING ARE PRETTY GOOD.
SO EXPLAIN HOW
THAT WORKS.
>> SO EACH YEAR WE HONOR 10
WOMEN IN THE COMMUNITY AND IN
FEBRUARY WE HONORED YOU
MELANIE. ALONG WITH
9 OTHER WOMEN AND PART OF THAT
IS THEY WEAR THIS BEAUTIFUL
NECKLACE THAT IS DESIGNED BY
ALLEN’S JEWELERS AND WITH THAT
WE OFFER A
150 CHANCES FOR SOMEONE TO WIN
THE OWN WITH A ONLY BY GIVING A
$100 DONATION TO THE
ORGANIZATION. AND SO MELANIE IT
LOOKS BEAUTIFUL
ON YOU.
>> I THINK YOU NEED TO MAKE
SURE YOU GET A TICKET I MY
ACTION I HAVE TO GO AFTER I
TAKE THE SOFTWARE RIGHT BACK IN
THE IN A NICE SAFE PLACE
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR TALKING ABOUT THIS AND
PARTNERING WITH US THIS IS VERY
IMPORTANT CONVERSATION LIVING WITH COVID OUR VIRTUAL TOWN HALL KICKS
OFF TODAY AT 11 O’CLOCK YOU SEE
THE EXPERTS THAT ARE COMMITTED
TO THIS SOME OF THEM.
VOLUNTEERS WITH VOLUNTEERS
IN MEDICINE, OTHERS JUST PEOPLE
IN THE COMMUNITY WERE WORKING
FOR YOU SO AGAIN NEWS 4 JAX DOT
COM YOU CAN
SIGN UP SUBMIT QUESTIONS WE
RECEIVED SOME REALLY GOOD ONE
SO FAR SOME VERY SPECIFIC TO
INDIVIDUAL NEEDS AND WE’RE
GOING TO GET THOSE ANSWERS.
SO PLEASE JOIN US GET YOUR
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