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Dear Kidney Foundation, I would like to thank the National Kidney Foundation of Utah & Idaho for your willingness to help me lighten the burden on my sholders. My health and financial stress does not allow me to sleep well at night. I cannot explain how grateful I am for your help, but from the bottom of my heart I appreciate your support in this time of need. Your kindness to me will never be forgotten. Yours truly, T. Katoa
An essay about Kidney Kars donation in Utah by Mindy Lind. Mindy is the daughter of Roger Stratford, a past Kidney Foundation Board President and Kidney Donor. Thanks to both Roger and Mindy for sharing this perfect essay about Kidney Kars!
http://marzipansmind.blogspot.com/2008/12/national-kidney-foundation-loves-me.html
I wanted to share a short note to say Thank you for helping us pay some of our bills. I work for the School District and am out of work 3 months of the year. The last paycheck I got was in June, and I won’t see another until the end of October. Luckily my husband has two jobs, so we’ve been able to make our house payments. But since I’ve had kidney failure, it’s been really hard to pay for everything, especially all my medical treatments and medications. It was so hard for me to ask for (financial) help. It was humiliating, but I had no options left. I can not tell you how grateful I am for that little extra help paying for my meds. It meant so much to me, and took such a huge burden off mine and my husband’s shoulders this summer. God Bless everyone who has donated to the Kidney Foundation. Thank you so very much for your assistance. I can only hope that one day I’ll have a transplant and will be able to repay this kindness to the Kidney Foundation myself. Sincerely, Michelle S.
Automobiles » Lung and kidney groups losing donations.
The Salt Lake Tribune
Updated: 08/11/2009 09:28:13 PM MDT
Click photo to enlarge
Luz Lewis-Perez of the National Kidney Foundation… (Steven Oberbeck / The Salt Lake Tribune)
The federal “cash-for-clunkers” program may be wildly popular with auto buyers, but some Utah charities that rely on vehicle donations for funding say the initiative is cutting into the number of cars and trucks they’re receiving.
The National Kidney Foundation of Utah, which gets more automobile donations than any other charity in the state, estimates the number of vehicles donated to its Kidney Kars program is down 10 percent to 15 percent since the clunkers program began.
Things are much worse at the American Lung Association in Utah. Donations are down 50 percent to 60 percent as many owners of used vehicles opt to take advantage of rebates of up to $4,500 for trading in their gas guzzlers for new fuel-efficient cars instead of making a charitable contribution.
“We’re going to need a few more weeks to really gauge the impact, but already we’re feeling the effects,” said Luz Lewis-Perez, who oversees the Kidney Kars donation program in Utah.
Standing beside an auctioneer at Brashers Auto Auction in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Lewis-Perez watched as 44 cars and trucks donated to the Kidney Foundation were sold. Although some went for a lot more and others a lot less, the average selling price was $680 — enough money for the Kidney Foundation to help several thousand Utahns receiving dialysis pay their bills while they wait for a transplant.
“Fortunately, the ‘cash-for-clunkers’ program is only temporary, while we’re in this
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for the long haul,” Lewis-Perez said.Craig Cutright of the American Lung Association in Utah said that only a few years ago, its vehicle donation program was the organization’s largest funding source.
Then the federal government changed the rules on how much of a tax deduction those who donate could take. Donations dropped off sharply.
“Now we’re having to deal with this ‘cash-for-clunkers.’ It seems as if the federal government just wants to come up with programs that will harm charities,” Cutright said.
Daniel Boroschoff, president of the American Institute of Philanthropy, takes another view. His watchdog group monitors charities, and he thinks that although some may suffer short term, overall the clunkers program may prove beneficial.
“Some charities may very well see fewer cars donated, but that isn’t the only consideration. If this program helps stimulate the economy, then it should help those people that charities exist to serve.”
Lewis-Perez said its is easy to understand why the clunkers program is so popular.
“The government is giving out money. But we’d like to remind people who have an automobile they want to get rid of and aren’t using for the clunkers program that donating their car [to charity] is truly the best way to get rid of it.”
For more Political Cartoons on Cash for Clunkers visit MSNBC at: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32301112/ns/business-autos/displaymode/1247/?beginSlide=1&beginChapter=1&beginTab=1
This letter is in regard to your organization helping my husband and me through crises. We would like to say a very heart felt (or should we say “kidney”) thank you for the help in paying our utility bill. We knew of Foundations like yours was out there, but we didn’t need it at the time. That’s when we thought my husband was healthy with only high blood pressure. Then in April 2008 we discovered a sore on his back over the kidney area. Doctors did tests on it and found it he was in renal failure. Plus, on top of that he is diabetic. We started seeing a kidney specialist, but didn’t have any insurance. The social worker at the dialysis center did everything she could to help us. She helped us get coverage for dialysis. This is January 2009, and you helped us pay our power bill. I want you to know how much this help has meant to us. It has been a hard year, and we are so very grateful for the help we have received. Thank you, thank you.
Dear Kidney Foundation of Utah, It is very hard to put into words how much you have helped me since my kidney failure. Because of your help, I have stayed alive long enough to see my grandchildren grow up. This Summer, I was able to arrange to dialyze away from home and visit them in Oregon. It is so hard to live on dialysis, but with your help, I have been able to make memories with my Grandkids that no one can ever take away. No matter how bad things get for me, I will have these memories forever. Thank you for the financial help you have provided to help lighten my burden with my medical care. Sincerely, David F.
Thank you for helping pay our mortgage to Countrywide Home Loans in December. At this point, what income we do have is spent on medical care. In our hardship we have seen miracles to keep us moving forward toward a kidney transplant. The gift from the National Kidney Foundation of Utah was one of these miracles. We are so grateful for your help. Thank you to everyone who donates a car or money to the Kidney Foundation to help keep people like me alive. Gratefully, George and Ellen B.
“We were all moved to witness such an act of faith and kindness by Charley’s franchisee, Marcus Gilbert, who donated his kidney to save the life of a 16-year-old employee, Juan Delgado,” shares James Pa, Senior Director of Marketing for Charley’s. “Partnering with the National Kidney Foundation was a simple extension of Charley’s commitment to strengthening our neighbors.”
Juan’s battle with end-stage kidney disease began three years ago. Juggling school and mounting health problems, Juan had difficulty finding and holding on to a job. In March 2008, Marcus stepped forward and offered him a position at Charleys in University Mall in Orem, Utah, but his giving didn’t stop there. Marcus donated his kidney to Juan this past fall.
“There are more than 100,000 Americans currently on the national waiting list for organ transplants,” says John Davis, National Kidney Foundation CEO. “Partnerships, like the one NKF shares with Charley’s Grilled Subs, help support our efforts to educate the public about the life-saving power of organ donation and provide support to organ donors and their families.”
Taking the lead from one of its franchise owners who gave the gift of life to an employee, Charley’s Grilled Subs® will give their own gift this month to further the National Kidney Foundation’s (NKF) life-saving work.
Throughout Philly CheeseSteak Month, celebrated in January, Charley’s will donate a portion of each sandwich sold to support the NKF’s work in research, patient services, public and professional education, advocacy and organ donation.
For more information, visit www.Charleys.com and click on Eat a CheeseSteak…Save a Life.
About the National Kidney Foundation
The National Kidney Foundation is dedicated to preventing and treating kidney and urinary tract diseases, improving the health and well being of individuals and families affected by these diseases and increasing availability of all organs for transplantation. To learn more about kidney disease, risk factors and organ donation contact the National Kidney Foundation at www.kidney.org or (800)622-9010.
