Stewart’s Shops, which has a longstanding history of giving back to nonprofits in local communities, has started a fund to help.
“During these difficult times, the need is even more prevalent” to help nonprofits, a company news release said. “The coronavirus virus has impacted different groups in different ways.
Stewart’s is encouraging nonprofits impacted by COVID-19 to reach out for additional help for sustainability. Grants will be given on a case by case scenario as they come in. There is no deadline for submission.
As of April 30, the company reported nearly $200,000 in grants had been awarded.
With an increased demand on services, many nonprofits are experiencing strains on budget, staffing and resources. “Whether you are a food pantry feeding families in need or a concert venue/theater uncertain about the future with ticket sales on hold for an indefinite time; there is no doubt that these current circumstances are difficult for everyone,” the company said.
Hudson Headwaters Renovated Women’s Center Has More Comprehensive Services
By Susan E. Campbell
Women’s Health, part of the Hudson Headwaters Health Network, reopened its doors on April 6 following months of interior renovation.
The changes make the center at 90 South St. in Glens Falls “an optimal experience” with more comprehensive services for women and their families, according to practice leader Sally Howard.
“We expanded up and down,” said Howard, who has been with the practice for three years. “The physical expansion of the facility creates an environment where patients and providers feel they will get the best care.”
Hudson Headwaters Health Network has centers from Champlain down to Moreau and west to North Creek. The recently re-named Women’s Health became a part of the network in 2013, said Dr. Ted Denious, who co-leads it with Dr. Danielle Goertzen.
Saratoga PLAN Conservation Group Gets Largest Ever Donation For Trail System Work
Courtesy Saratoga PLAN
Saratoga PLAN recently received its largest private cash gift ever—$500,000 from the Sarah B. Foulke Charitable Fund for producing the Friendship Trails System.
The donation will underwrite the planning, design and stewardship of more than 20 miles of publicly accessible, permanently conserved trails in the 40,500-acre Southern Palmertown Range, an ecologically important area that stretches north from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs to the Hudson River, and is bordered by routes 9 and 9N, on the east and west, respectively.
Saratoga PLAN aims to design Friendship Trails that will provide enjoyment through an inclusive spectrum of outdoor activities: walking, running, wheelchairing, dog-walking, mountain-biking, horseback-riding, bird-watching, botanizing, forest-bathing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, and learning about nature and local history.
Hudson Headwaters Finds Telehealth Network A Big Help During Pandemic
If anything good comes from the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth will fall into that category, Hudson Headwaters Health Network Chief Medical Informatics Officer Dr. Kevin Gallagher said.
“I think this is an exciting time in health care and a really great opportunity for us to redesign our care delivery,” he said in an interview about the organization’s telehealth program, which expanded rapidly to accommodate COVID-19 concerns and social distancing guidelines.
“I think we’re just at the tip of the iceberg with how we can get creative with this.”
Hudson Headwaters Community Relations Manager Jane Hooper said the network was planning to introduce telehealth this year over a number of months, but the pandemic dramatically upped that time line.
Gallagher joined Hudson Headwaters March 2, and just days later telehealth became the main focus of his work as the organization had to start addressing how to minimize COVID-19 exposure for patients and providers.
He and other network leaders started meeting in the main conference room and mapping out how to deploy virtual visits. They discussed information as it came, including regulation changes that made different platforms more accessible and certain services billable.
Laraine Desmond Named Citizen Of The Year By County Committee For Mental Health
Courtesy Saratoga County Citizens Committee for Mental Health
The Saratoga County Citizens Committee for Mental Health (SCCCMH) named Laraine Desmond as 2019 Citizen of the Year.
Desmond has provided direct care for hundreds of severely mentally ill individuals during her 30-year career working with Transitional Services Association (TSA), thee agency said.
For most of that time, she has served as the program director for the Stonebridge Community Residence. Officials said she has served with integrity and commitment through more than a few transitions and changes within the field of mental health and at TSA.
“The stability, sincerity, and experience Laraine brings to her job is both substantial and significant. It is impossible to calculate the positive impact Laraine’s service has had on TSA residents over the years,” the agency said in a statement. “It has literally been felt daily by people living with mental illness for her entire tenure at TSA. When asked about her work, Laraine said, ‘Often you hear people saying they love helping people, but I say I love the people I help. It is that simple.’”
Certified Nurse Midwife Named A Fellow For National Nurse Leadership Program
©2019 Saratoga Photographer.com
Certified nurse midwife Jennifer Kittell, of Saratoga Hospital Medical Group – Midwifery and Women’s Health Services, was named a fellow for the Duke-Johnson & Johnson Nurse Leadership Program.
A partnership between Duke University School of Nursing and Johnson & Johnson, the program provides leadership development for nurse practitioners and certified nurse midwives, especially those who work in community practice settings.
Kittell is one of 41 nurses from across the U.S. who were selected for the 2019-20 program. Fellows will participate in three leadership retreats, monthly distance-based learning activities and a transformative health leadership project. A key objective is to equip fellows to provide more effective, efficient healthcare services to vulnerable populations and to lead innovative health improvement initiatives for their organizations and communities.
Saratoga County Program Teaches Veterans About Healthy Stress Management Tools
Local veterans are given the opportunity to focus on health and resilience thanks to the 100 Day Transformation Challenge program created by Saratoga County in partnership with Purebred Athletics and Dig Deep Chiropractic & Massage Therapy PLLC.
Through the Veterans Peer Connection program operating under the county Veterans Service Agency, Saratoga County is currently sponsoring 15 veterans who will participate in the 100 Day Transformation Challenge, allowing them the opportunity to learn healthy stress management tools as well as establish a community with other veterans in the program.
Saratoga Hospital Completes Update And Expansion Of Its Cardiovascular Services
Courtesy Saratoga Hospital
Saratoga Hospital recently completed a $3.25 million update and expansion of its Whitney-Hendrickson Cardiovascular & Interventional Suite to meet increased demand for advanced cardiovascular and cancer treatments.
The expansion added a second catheterization suite to support critical services, including the hospital’s 24/7 emergency interventional cardiology program and state-of-the-art minimally invasive oncology procedures.
State Adopts Programs To Raise Awareness Of The Dangers Of Synthetic Cannabinoids
A statewide plan to combat synthetic cannabinoids, also known as K-2, has been established. The multi-agency agenda includes wide-ranging prevention, education, treatment, and community engagement efforts, building upon the state’s commitment to add dozens of synthetic cannabinoids to the state’s controlled substances list.
These new initiatives will help remove these substances from circulation, raise awareness on the dangers of K-2, and provide additional guidance to healthcare providers on effective treatment and recovery services, officials said.
Plans To Build Medical Offices Adjacent To Saratoga Hospital Continue To Advance
A positive decision by the Saratoga County Planning Board represents an important step forward for Saratoga Hospital’s plans to develop medical offices in close proximity to the its main campus, hospital officials said.
At a meeting in April, the board approved a change intended to align the zoning map with the city’s comprehensive plan. That would lead to a zoning change to allow for construction of medical offices on Morgan Street.