Development and Donor Message

THE BROWN FOUNDATION

The COVID-19 pandemic hurt all of the obvious businesses, such as sports, entertainment, restaurants, and retail. No section of society emerged unscathed, and that includes organizations like Legacy Community Health. From dealing with patient appointments being down 50%, to the increased IT needs that enabled the transition to telemedicine, everyone at Legacy had to scramble to adjust to the new normal that was forced upon them. Thankfully, Houston’s philanthropic leaders answered the call when Legacy’s Development Department reached out to ask for support. Among those donors is The Brown Foundation, whose Board of Directors and staff quickly approved a $500,000 donation to Legacy. “The Brown Foundation stepped up in a big way to help their community during this crisis,” said CEO Katy Caldwell. “Their decisive action during such a trying time exemplifies their mission of striving to make Houston a stronger, more vibrant community.” “I’ve been with Legacy since 1996,” said Caldwell, “and The Brown Foundation has donated millions of dollars to our cause over the years. Each donation, whether it has helped us build a new clinic or sustain a vital program, has made a significant impact on the lives of our patients.” “People turn to those they trust in times of crisis,” said Chree Boydstun, Legacy’s Chief Development Officer. “The Brown Foundation knew that this meant more people than ever would be relying on Legacy Community Health for testing, education, and treatment. Everyone at Legacy is grateful for the Brown Foundation’s continued support, and for the trust they place in us to continue serving the Greater Houston area.” The Brown Foundation has been supporting Legacy since 1993, when the organization was one small building in the heart of Montrose. “They’ve donated to every one of our capital campaigns,” said Boydstun, “so it’s no exaggeration to say they’ve been instrumental in helping us grow into the largest FQHC in the southern United States.” In addition to approaching The Brown Foundation, Legacy’s Development Department did all it could to react to unexpected deficits caused by the sudden downturn in patient encounters, and that meant exploring every avenue of funding available. Team members talked to new donors, like the Alice Kleburg Reynolds Foundation who generously sent a first-time donation of $20,000 to Legacy’s COVID-19 response. The team also worked with philanthropic corporations like Texas Mutual, who supplied a $50,000 grant to help Legacy react to the pandemic. Thanks to The Brown Foundation and other charitable organizations, Legacy was able to react quickly to the current crisis and plan ahead for an uncertain future, knowing that Houston’s philanthropic community will be there every step of the way.

LEGACY MAKES A DIFFERENCE BY SETTING A #TASK4MASKS

The COVID-19 pandemic forced everyone to make drastic changes to their everyday lives. Gone were the informal dinners with friends, quick runs to the grocery store to pick up one or two things and daily trips to the office to work and collaborate with colleagues. One of the biggest adjustments people have had to make hasn’t been where they go or what they do, but in what they must wear. Early on during the health crisis, the CDC recommended that people wear cloth face coverings in public to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Masks became the latest fashion trend, with many showing off their personality through masks with bright colors and fun patterns. Unfortunately, many Legacy patients were arriving at clinics without masks. At first they were unable to find masks due to nationwide shortages, but since 51% of Legacy patients live below the federal poverty line, the majority of them simply couldn’t afford to buy one. This became a serious issue as the pandemic wore on and Harris County issued a mandate stating that everyone must cover their face while in public. Schools, businesses and outdoor venues hosting 10 or more people began requiring that masks be worn at all times. In accordance with the County, Legacy complied with this order to ensure the safety of patients and staff. In order to better serve patients, Legacy launched the #Task4Masks campaign, a donation drive aimed at providing a reusable cloth mask for every Legacy patient who came through the doors. The Development team asked donors to donate masks, provide cloth mask-making supplies, sew masks themselves, or make a financial contribution. Thanks to their generosity, more than 8,700 masks have been distributed to patients, with more coming in all the time. Once again, Legacy’s donors rallied around a cause to ensure the health and safety of their friends and neighbors. Legacy has always known it has some of the best supporters in Houston, but it’s in times of crisis when donors really shine and remind everyone just how special they are. Thanks to its supporters, Legacy has been able to weather literal and metaphorical storms throughout the years. It’s thanks to them that patients know Legacy will be there for them for years to come.

RESILIENCE IN PHILANTHROPY

Houston is known as a city that never gives up and a community that rallies around great causes to ensure everyone gets the support they need. Thanks to two major rain events in three years, Legacy Community Health’s Development Department has firsthand knowledge of just how generous and inspiring Houston’s philanthropic leaders can be.

First there was Hurricane Harvey in 2017, which caused devastation in every corner of the city. The Wortham Theater Center was one of many downtown buildings to sustain major damage which meant the venue, which every year hosts Legacy’s Luncheon, would be unavailable for months. Rather than throw in the towel, Luncheon Co-Chairs Elizabeth Petersen, Melissa Mithoff and Katherine Murphy helped Legacy adapt and respond to adversity by moving the event back a month and changing the Luncheon to a Cocktail Party. A formal downtown event became a fabulous River Oaks soirée. Usual programming gave way to short speeches and the Astros American League Championship Series game playing on big screens around the party. As a result of everyone’s “never say die” attitude, the Cocktail Party raised $400,000 for Legacy’s Little Readers and Pharmacy programs. That can-do spirit was evident once again in 2019, when Tropical Storm Imelda swept through Houston on Thursday, September 19. While many held out hope until the last minute that the Cocktail Party would go on as usual, including honoree Fady Armanious who kept his guests updated in real time on social media, widespread flooding made it necessary to cancel the event. Once again however, the event CoChairs—Shannon Hall, Marcus Sloan, Richard Flowers, Angel Rios, Hallie Vanderhider, Sheridan Williams, Elizabeth Petersen, Melissa Mithoff and Paige Fertitta—wouldn’t take the cancellation lying down, and re-tooled the party on the fly. The event was moved to mid-December, and hosts Paige and Tillman Fertitta welcomed guests into a home decorated to resemble a true holiday wonderland. Thanks to the hard work and determination of all involved, the event raised $300,000 for Legacy’s Little Readers. Thanks to its generous donors, Legacy has been able to maintain the high level of service, both in and outside the exam room that patients have come to expect. Because of its donors, Legacy has given away more than 140,000 books through Little Readers and its Pharmacy has been able to grow each year, helping more patients than ever access the medications they need to stay healthy. The Houston philanthropic community has always been known for its steadfast resolve and resilient spirit, and team members at Legacy are fortunate to count themselves among those who have experienced this firsthand.