As we near the end of the year, it’s a good time to consider what we’re thankful for and to ask ourselves how we can help others. The Baptist Memorial Health Care Foundation assists those in need throughout the year. We talked with Jenny Prascher Nevels, executive director of Baptist Memorial Health Care Foundation, about a special way you can give back – donating your PTO.
Why is it important to support Baptist Memorial Health Care Foundation?
The work and mission of the Foundation supports the overall charitable mission for Baptist Memorial Health Care, and the funding we provide covers everything from education to patient care needs to employee emergency assistance to special campaigns.
Through fundraising, we provide scholarships and financial assistance to students in need at our Baptist Health Sciences University. Many of our students are the first in their families to attend college, and the scholarships are critical. We also recruit students from the university to help fill positions at our hospitals.
We help fund Baptist Operation Outreach, which provides primary health care to the homeless. We’re currently working on the holiday campaign to provide warm clothing and other essential items. We support a variety of causes and programs that wouldn’t be possible without contributions to the Foundation.
What are some of your favorite projects?
The Centers for Good Grief have become increasingly important because of the many losses we’re experiencing with COVID-19. We’re finding that people need more access to grief services since the start of the pandemic. The Centers for Good Grief are in Midtown Memphis, Baptist Collierville and NEA Baptist. They offer online and in-person individual grief counseling sessions and group counseling, as well as grief camps for children, teens and adults. The services are free of charge, so fundraising is very important. Right now, we have a campaign to raise funds to expand the Kemmons Wilson Family Center for Good Grief so we can offer more grief services to the community.
We also raise funds for the Baptist Cancer Center for patient support programs. Transportation is a very real need as well as assistance with prescription co-pays and health care costs not covered by insurance. The Foundation also helps patients with basic needs, such as rent and gift cards for gas or groceries when their treatments prevent them from working.
Employee emergency assistance is very important, as well. We partner with pastoral care to process the requests, and we’ve helped a tremendous number of employees who experienced an unexpected financial crisis. There’s been a greater need for employee assistance in the last few months. Fiscal year to date, we’ve donated about $100,000 to help team members.
What is the advantage of donating PTO?
Employees are historically very generous, and we wanted to give an opportunity to donate at year-end, particularly for those who have large PTO banks. It’s an easy way to give without taking money directly out of your personal finances. Also, team members can often make a more substantial contribution when they choose to donate PTO.
The donated PTO hours are converted into cash by payroll. Taxes are withheld and the balance goes to the Foundation as a charitable contribution. Team members receive a tax credit for the donation. The deadline for making your PTO donation is on or before Monday, Dec. 20.
How can team members donate PTO?
It’s easy. Let us know how many hours you’d like to give. Click here for the form to contribute PTO to the Baptist Memorial Health Care Foundation. You may also email me at Jenny.Nevels@bmhcc.org or call us at 901-227-7123. If you like, you may specify which entity receives the funds.
To donate PTO to NEA Baptist Charitable Foundation, which helps enhance the lives of those in Northeast Arkansas and Southeast Missouri, email Kim Provost at Kim.Provost@bmhcc.org or call 501-283-1170.
For PTO donations to Baptist Health Foundation, which supports Mississippi Baptist Medical Center and Baptist’s critical access hospitals in Mississippi, email Stephen Snead at Stephen.Snead@bmhcc.org or call 601-968-1489.
Is there anything you’d like to add?
We’re grateful for the generosity of our Baptist team members, and we’d like to thank them for always being so willing to partner with us.
