Recent Reports

This year’s holiday party exceeded all expectations, and was met with a great response from the local community and patients of the Florence Western Medical Clinic. With contributions from a host of supporters, Real Medicine and Florence Western Medical Clinic were able to provide over 60 children with bags of toys for the holiday and 25 families with Ralph’s grocery cards to help with holiday meals.

Two families were called to our attention by the staff at FWMC, one where a foster mother was currently…

Back to School in South L.A.

On August 20th, 2011 The Real Medicine Foundation partnered with Florence Western Medical Clinic to hold its first annual “Back to School” Event. Meeting the growing needs of the community along with addressing the challenge of promoting our outreach programs and services at the clinic, we were able to provide over 70 children with new backpacks filled with school supplies and personal hygiene products.

Photo above: Councilmember Bernard Parks with RMF CEO Dr. Martin Fuchs and RMF Director of Administration Sarah Stern

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Annual Report for RMF Outreach program at the Florence Western Medical Clinic

Real Medicine’s partnership with Whole Foods Market, Venice, California is continuing successfully. In the last 12 months, 1,728 patients were provided with bags of nutritious groceries. Patients sign up at the Florence Western Medical Center’s front desk to be considered to receive food. We are looking into additional partnerships with organizations and grocery stores that would be able to meet the growing dietary needs within this community.

Our children’s Health & Fitness program is held the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of…

In the month leading up to our annual holiday party at Florence Western Medical Center, there was a great deal of excitement in the air. Carly Krause, a dedicated RMF volunteer and I began the preparations for our 3rd annual holiday party, with our attendance expected to double to approximately 50-60 children. Florence Western’s Medical Director, Dr. Kevin Thomas, introduced us to Mary Miller, who was excited to join the RMF team for this year’s party. On a limited budget, we sought donations of food, toys and supplies for the children – and exactly one week before the party…

Andy Padilla

Once a month, Real Medicine Foundation in collaboration with Health Net provides adult workshops educating the community of South Los Angeles on the benefits of living a “healthy lifestyle”. Health Net’s Andy Padilla and I engage the participants in low-impact exercises, many performed while sitting and utilizing resistance bands to increase their effectiveness. Discussions include the risks of smoking, alcohol and drug abuse along with healthy eating habits to lower cholesterol levels, risk of diabetes and heart disease.

Our most recent workshop brought about a surprise for us. About 10 minutes…

Real Medicine Foundation continues to provide physical and emotional support to children and adults within the greater Los Angeles area. With our children’s programs, this past month we focused on how to approach situations which can cause a great deal of stress within our everyday lives. Most of the children who participate in our programs are being raised by family members other than their parents, and are at high risk for future physical and psychological problems.

Our workshop “Turning lemons into lemonade” gave the children the opportunity to discuss different situations which…

On April 3rd, the Real Medicine Foundation hosted a Spring Celebration in the Outreach Room at the Florence Western Medical Clinic. Forty children and several parents participated in this event. RMF volunteers helped the children dye Easter eggs, make paper rabbits, and participate in a raffle of toys with prizes ranging from soccer and volleyballs to clothes and baskets of goodies. The man of the hour was Mr. Rabbit himself, played by a doctor from the clinic. Children and parents took home photos with Mr. Rabbit, set against a beautiful spring backdrop.

Volunteer Ellen…

“ARE YOU READY, SOLDIERS!?” asks Roz Baker at the start of our Saturday children’s fitness programs at the FWMC. Roz is a group instruction and personal training instructor certified by the American Council on Exercise in group instruction and personal training. Since 1988 she has been active in the fitness community promoting wellness.

Currently, Roz works with the Real Medicine Foundation promoting a healthy lifestyle and practical exercise. She teaches fitness and exercise Saturday mornings for an hour to the children of South Los Angeles.

Her thoughts on health and wellness: “Giving people the tools to…

One of the wonderful services provided for free at the Florence Western Medical Clinic is physical therapy. The program began in early 2009 with the initiation of an exercise class for patients. As the needs of patients were assessed, it grew into a weekly physical therapy session offered on Wednesdays from 1-2pm. Our physical therapist, Ms. Charmayne Cahn, has 18 years of experience in settings ranging from nursing homes to acute care facilities, outpatient care facilities, and home health.

The exercise sessions group patients together based on need –back pain, hip pain, stroke, arthritis, etc. During the individual…

One of the great resources in Los Angeles which the Real Medicine Foundation has partnered with is Health Net. Health Net offers health education classes to provider groups, schools, hospitals and community-based organizations in Los Angeles County. A Health Net Health Educator will provide preventive health information concerning common health issues and bring health education materials for distribution. Topic offerings include the below:

Since August of 2009, the Real Medicine Foundation has partnered with…

On December 19th, the Real Medicine Foundation hosted a holiday party at the Florence Western Medical Center. The children began the morning with a session of kids’ yoga and then the party began. The children spent the afternoon decorating cookies, doing artwork, and singing carols. They left with a gift bag full of gifts that Real Medicine volunteers had collected ranging from snacks to toys and school supplies.

As 2009 draws to a close, the Real Medicine Foundation is proud to have hit its one year anniversary of offering Saturday programs to the children…

Throughout the fall, the Real Medicine Foundation has continued its community outreach programs at the Florence Western Medical Clinic (FWMC) in Los Angeles. We have partnered with Health Net to provide Nutrition/Obesity Prevention classes monthly. (Our next session is December 18th at 10am). The Health Net programs are taught by a certified instructor who teaches an interactive course targeting mothers concerned with obesity. Topics include diet, nutrition, vitamins and weight-loss. We provide physical therapy services through the assistance of Charmayne Cahn, who sees patients twice-monthly.

Since January 2009, the Real Medicine Foundation has hosted interactive, educational workshops and…

Photos from our Yoga workshop with Jenni Zhi Myers

Photos from the "Finger knitting for kids" workshop

Since November 1st, 2008 Real Medicine Foundation has partnered with the Florence Western Medical Center (FWMC) to hold educational classes for South Los Angeles children, teens and adults. Through the generous support of PhRMA, we've conducted Saturday programs every first and third of the month in health education/exercise, reading, art and yoga. Starting in March we will expand these classes to the first three Saturday of the month, where we will hold health education every second Saturday and Yoga every third Saturday. If you would like to volunteer teach please contact joyce@realmedicinefoundation.org. We are interested all subjects that…

RMF Christmas at the clinic.

Here are some pictures of the YOGA session held at FWMCA.

Nov. 1st we began our first of a series of free workshops through our community outreach program at the Florence Western Medical Center. It was a great success, starting with a reading program for young children, followed by Roz Baker's "Fit, Phat and happy" program for ages 11-18. Discussions of growing a healthy body, followed by a fun filled exercise portion had smiles on everyone’s faces. The children involved could not wait for our next workshop, which will be held November 15th, and will consist of three separate yoga classes. At 8am, we will be holding yoga for children…

With the generous support of PhRMA, this September the Saturday morning clinic at the Florence Western Medical Center will address the allergy and asthma needs of South Los Angeles families by providing allergy services every 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month. This concept, borrowed from an asthma program formerly located at MLK, will coincide with the clinic’s bi-weekly Saturday morning children’s program. During this time children will obtain essential treatment while also learning health education, computer literacy and other life skills education.

Allergy services will be provided by Dr. Sonal R. Patel, M.D., who specializes in Pediatric/Adult…

Real Medicine Foundation program leader, Kevin Thomas, MD, MPH recently took over the operations of the Florence Western Medical Center in South Los Angeles. This 5,000 sq. ft. facility on 73rd and South Western Ave. provides care to over 1,600 managed care and 1,600 fee-for-service patients. The clinic takes all government and most commercial insurance and provides care at very reasonable cash prices. Dr. Thomas ensures no one is turned away. The clinic is open Monday-Friday from 9-5 and every first and third Saturday of the month from 8-1 with services in Primary Care, Gastroenterology and Podiatry. The clinic…

Photos from our art workshop

August 2011

Real Medicine Foundation supports Downey Regional Medical Center (DRMC) and Amrit Davaa World Health Corporation (ADWH) who have partnered to create a primary, preventative and urgent care family clinic in Downey, California. The clinic will serve the underserved, uninsured and underinsured in Southeastern Los Angeles County. These communities are in desperate need of a patient centered medical home where children, adults and elderly can receive the full spectrum of primary and preventative care in a financially feasible venue. The clinic is located at 8536 Firestone Blvd in the city of Downey.

Downey Family Health Care Center

September 1, 2010

1. Change in Scope Summary

Family Health Care Centers of Greater Los Angeles (FHCCGLA) is requesting a change in scope to add a site, Downey Family Health Care Center (DFHCC) located at 8530 Firestone Blvd., Downey, CA 90241. The new site replaces a site previously identified in Huntington Park that was added to FHCCGLA’s scope under CIP funding. This location is no longer viable. The new site is located within FHCCGLA’s defined service delivery area as presented in its original NAP application and will…

Downey Regional Medical Center’s Family Care Clinic

Overview Downey Regional Medical Center (DWMC) and Amrit Davaa World Health Corporation have partnered to create a primary, preventative and urgent care family clinic in Downey, CA. to serve the underserved and underinsured in Southeastern Los Angeles County. The clinic will serve the local community in this area who are in desperate need of a healthcare home where children, adults and elderly can receive the full spectrum of primary and preventative care in a financially feasible venue. The closure of local ERs as well as the economic downtown has…

The Real Medicine Foundation's Psycho-Trauma Teams have completed the first phase of our pilot project, using mobile quick-response teams for the psychological support and counseling of children affected by disasters, as well as their parents, caregivers, teachers and community members. The concept had been devised shortly after the 2004 tsunami, realizing how desperately psychological and emotional support for the victims was missing.

Working closely with the Superintendent of the Catholic Diocese of Memphis, Tennessee, Dr. Mary McDonald, we supported the approximately 330 displaced Gulf Coast children and their families that had been welcomed into the 29 schools of…

The Real Medicine Foundation's second Psycho-Trauma Team has been working on the ground in Memphis, Tennessee, since Monday, September 19. Our third team is coming in this weekend.

Here is a quick update about our work so far:

Guided by the Red Cross and the EMA (Emergency Management Association) here in Memphis, we had started out providing psycho trauma support with the first team that was put together by Dr. Kevin Becker, the Director of the Institute of Trauma and Crisis at Harvard Medical School, on Sunday, September 11. We worked in a shelter that provided space…

The Real Medicine Foundation is currently assembling its first Mobile Psycho-Trauma Team to assist those displaced by Hurricane Katrina, which struck the Gulf Coast of the United States on Aug. 29. The volunteer team of professionals will provide emotional and psychological support and counseling to help children, families and communities cope with the aftermath of the catastrophe.

We are requesting donations in order to reach locations housing hurricane victims as quickly as possible.

While the government and hundreds of other organizations are working to provide food, clothing and shelter to hurricane victims, the volunteers of the Real…

HOLA 
Parent and Community
 Resource Director
 www.heartofla.org

The training on identifying trauma in children is one of the best trainings we've experienced as an organization. Dr. Andrea Shirley presented us with a world of knowledge, focused on what our kids (urban youth) are struggling with on a daily basis.

I was personally shocked to hear about the statistics on homeless families in Los Angeles. It is a dreadful reality to know that families are hurting throughout the United States. I learned that homelessness goes hand-in-hand with violence, rejection, and underdevelopment, unhealthy and unsecured lifestyles. This is…

Overview

In our most recent project, the Real Medicine Foundation has joined in a collaboration with Para Los Ninos (www.paralosninos.org), the largest and most respected child services agency in Los Angeles, to support traumatized and at-risk children. Para Los Ninos has 20 locations throughout Los Angeles County where they serve children of all ages with a wide variety of programs and services. Over the course of the next several months Real Medicine's Psycho-trauma team will provide training on the impact of trauma in children to Para Los Ninos staff.

Several programs have been chosen to receive…

Recent FEMA statistics account for nearly 17,000 hurricane Katrina evacuees registered in California seeking federal assistance. Because only a single family member in a household can apply for FEMA aid, the actual number is likely to be significantly higher. In many cases evacuee households contain at least 3-4 family members. In addition not all evacuees have registered with FEMA thereby raising the true count even higher. Many of the evacuees living in California are children. Data collection inconsistencies make it difficult to know exactly how many evacuees are children. However, estimates suggest that between 40 and 70 percent of…

Para Los Niños Partners with the RMF

It's the end of the school day, and a young boy begins to cry as his father arrives to retrieve him from school. The boy's teachers learn that he is beaten daily, and that his father covers his face when he cries to muffle the noise and keep him quiet.

Another young child waits patiently for his parents to pick him up. However, with a mother addicted to crack cocaine and an alcoholic father, the boy is regularly left at school, waiting…

On December 12th, the Real Medicine Foundation hosted a holiday party at Nuestra Clinica. We were very excited to have a team of about 15 volunteers (plus teacher!) from Oscar de la Hoya High School in Boyle Heights to help decorate the room and assist the children with games and activities. The volunteers came up with all the activities and games as well as purchased the supplies — there was cookie decorating, paper mache ornament making, and painting. The children all left with a gift bag full of gifts that the volunteers had collected ranging from snacks to toys…

The July of 2008, Carol Daugherty and Greg Jahangiri opened the Nuestra Clinica in Boyle Heights. From its inception, the clinic has been built on the principal of providing patient oriented healthcare with a focus on bridging the gap left by many health plans that are often limited in coverage and scope of care. Those without coverage are not turned away even if they are unable to pay the low treatment fees.

The Clinic currently has over 1300 active patients and provides 125-150 patients per week with general care such as: physicals, vaccinations, STD testing and treatments, gynecological…

It has been close to a month now since our “Big Sunday” extravaganza! We opened our doors May 30th to the children of Boyle Heights, offering two workshops. Mischa Allen from Up Dog Down Dog Yoga, along with Dominique Salamone provided the children with their first experience with yoga, followed by an art project using recycled materials. Many were the smiles and giggles amidst the room. Ileen, one of our 9yr old participants was so appreciative for the experience that she made me a hand written card:

“thank you Sarah for everything
You did you did…

"Big Sunday” doesn’t even begin to describe the weekend we and our team of volunteers experienced. Our journey with “Big Sunday” began with Patti Callicot. Patti had been a part of the community garden project at Phoenix House in Venice Beach the prior year, and provided us with the introduction to Big Sunday’s founder David Levinson.

When we first met with Carol and Greg from Nuestra Clinica, they had expressed the desire and need for a community outreach program for members of their community in Boyle Heights but the space in the clinic was very…