MaAOHN gives back to the community!

As we wrap up Occupational Health Nurses Week – I wanted to share some of the wonderful things MaAOHN does. 

In addition to support occupational health nursing education; MaAOHN is generous to the community! Check out the photos on www.MaAOHN.org

1. Bread and Rose’s a soup kitchen in Lawrence, MA www.breadandroseslawrence.org.  Since 2013, occupational health nurses have bought, prepped, cooked and served a meal twice a year. We have supplied a medical room with an exam table and supplies. We have donated personal care and paper products. We have cleaned and sorted donations and given financially. Bread and Rose’s guest are always delighted when they know the nurses are cooking!
   
   
2. Operation Standdown. In conjunction with the Mass Public Health Nurses Association we have partnered to care for our veterans. https://www.maphn.org/standdown MaAOHN members have donated, socks, personal care items and financially to support the public health nurses efforts to provide footcare to homeless vets.
   
   
3. We have support a medical mission and Haiti and a nursing school. When we combined our chapters into a state chapter funds were used for scholarships for nursing students in Haiti. Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world and have been hit with multiple natural disasters. The funds will not only help the students and their families but will make Haiti healthier. MaAOHN has also collected eye glasses (readers, prescription & sunglasses) for a medical mission to Haiti. https://www.haitinursing.org/ A group of nurses have also sewed beautiful bags for the mission so the people who attend the clinics have bags to take home their supplies.
   
   
4. At the January Occ Health meeting a 50/50 raffle was held to support Rosie’s Place, a women’s shelter in Boston  http://www.rosiesplace.org/
   
   
5. Nurse’s House: At the Public Health & FAME meeting we collected $214 to support Nurse’s House. www.nurseshouse.org
   
   • Nurses House is a nurse-managed, non-profit organization dedicated to helping registered nurses in need. Our history begins in 1924, when Nurses House began to offer nurses a place to rest and recuperate at a Long Island, NY beachfront mansion, donated by Emily Bourne. As times and needs changed, the property was sold and Nurses House became a national service program.
   • Today, Nurses House is run by a volunteer board of directors and an executive director. Our mission is to provide short-term financial assistance to nurses in need as a result of illness, injury, or disability. And while it is often difficult for nurses to ask for help in their hour of need, they who live their lives giving “little unremembered acts of kindness and love” deserve extra special care. At Nurses House, we remember… and we’re here to help.
   • The nurses we serve are still known as guests and are a very diverse group, ranging in age from their 20s to 80s. While some Nurses House guests face short term illness or injury, others are permanently disabled. Many nurses need funds to help pay for such basic needs as rent or mortgage, health insurance or prescriptions. Some face imminent eviction.
   • Nurses House has helped thousands of nurses in all 50 states to regain health and productivity. Over the past three years, we’ve helped nearly 300 nurses, with grants totaling over $350,000. In the first quarter of 2018 alone we provided over $50,000 in aid to RNs in need to assist with housing expenses and medical expenses while they recover from serious illness, injury or other dire circumstance.
   • You can donate online HERE
6. Over the years many of the local chapters collected items or money for places like the Lawrence Boys and Girl’s Club, women’s shelter, Dress for Success program and many more.

Occupational Health Nurses have a legacy of helping those in need and I want to say thank you for your generosity.

Please check out the photos on www.MaAOHN.org