I’m Danna and I’m the Medical Case Manager for Hospitality House. I connect our guests with medical services as well as handle their medical insurance needs.
This past June, we’ve experienced more availability within the medical institutions to get our clients signed up for new primary care providers. As one of the medical case managers, this has opened a lot of doors for my clients who have been without care during the quarantine. I have been recently helping a couple, who I will refer to as James and Nancy, who have been camping for several months. I have helped them collect needed paperwork such as IDs and medical records and have facilitated the completion of new patient paperwork through Chapa-De Indian Health Grass Valley. Working with the Homeless Outreach and Medical Engagement team, AKA HOME, we managed to temporarily place them in a hotel in order to help provide shelter as they work to get themselves into their own apartment. In addition to helping them register for medical care, I have also assisted with their dog, Brooklyn, and her medical needs. Hospitality House’s pet program has allowed us to schedule Brooklyn’s veterinarian appointments to get her medically cleared, administered Heartguard, flee/tick medication, up to date on shots, and micro-chipped. It is our goal to continue to support the couple. And because of donors in our community, James and Nancy are on track to transition from homelessness to permanent housing.
Normally at this time we thank all the cook groups who came and cooked over the last week, but to keep our shelter safe amid COVID-19, our cook groups are supporting our meals by donating financial support and food, and Chef Chris and Chef Liz are safely cooking all meals instead. We’d like to thank Wolf Creek Lodge , Telestream, The Gourmet, TCC Blesses Sisters, Elevation 2477′, The Home team and Crossroads Church. To everyone who donated our most needed items last week, thank you as well!
Now down to the nitty gritty needs of the shelter for this week…
• Adult coloring books
• Colored pens and pencils
• Any crafts that can be done by one person
• Deodorant
• Bleach
• Men’s and Women’s T-shirts
• Men’s and Women’s Levis/pants
• Men’s and Women’s shorts
• Men’s and Women’s underwear
• Baseball caps
• Tylenol (not ibuprofen)
• Antacid Liquid (like Pepto-Bismol)
• Pepto-Bismol tablets
• TUMS tablets
Anyone who has upgraded their personal assist devices, and have old ones just lying in their dresser drawer, please consider donating these gently used items:
• Diabetes test kits (Glucose meter & test strips)
• Hearing aids, any condition
• Rx Eyeglasses
• Earplugs
We will be delighted to have these items for repurposing to any shelter guests with those specific needs.
Please drop off urgent items to Utah’s Place, located in Brunswick Basin, past the DMV, at 1262 Sutton Way in Grass Valley. For a tax receipt, please ring the doorbell and wait for someone to come outside to assist you. We greatly appreciate the community’s help at such times of certainty. In the words of Utah Phillips, “If we all stick together, we’ll get what we need.” Thank you!