As I am writing this, I honestly cannot believe it is that time of year again to have our annual Back to School Bash. This year has been a whirlwind, yet another incredible year for Good Sam and I feel so blessed to be a part of something that has impacted and helped so many. Each year, we hold an event open to all students ages 5 and up to receive any health screenings or required immunizations they may need for the upcoming school year. There are so many moving pieces to make this busy Saturday a success and I am extremely grateful for all of the support we have received over the years.

While students are here to receive necessary health screenings, we have also added a fun element to the day. Once they are finished receiving their services inside the Center, they are instructed to head outside to the Market Pavilion to enjoy what we turn into a mini carnival. There’s cotton candy, snow cones, games, you name it! It truly makes my heart warm seeing so many kids enjoying their time here at Good Sam and receiving backpacks courtesy of our partnership with Echo Street West. Over the years, our partnership with Echo Street West has continued to grow as they have supported various projects, initiatives, and events that we have at Good Sam. They make it their mission to invest resources into nearby West Atlanta neighborhoods and I am so glad that we have been on the receiving end of that.  For our Back to School Bash, Lincoln Properties across the city help provide backpacks and school supplies to our guests. In addition, their staff members sign up to work at the various stations. It is truly incredible that we have their support in more ways than one.

I have been working at Good Sam a little over two and a half years now, with this year being my third Back to School Bash. As a part of the Development Team, it is my job to plan and execute any events we may have at the Center. Of course, I am not working alone and the saying “It takes a village” couldn’t be truer when it comes to this special day.

My first year back in 2022, served more as a learning opportunity for me in the event-planning realm. I always tell anyone who will listen that I have an incredible boss who is very intentional about teaching her team and exposing us to the many different facets of the Development world.  I have continued to learn what goes into planning a successful event. There are so many elements that go into it: from booking vendors to assigning roles, making a layout of the event spaces, working with volunteers and sponsors, and so on.

Now, with this being my third year, I feel confident that we can take on the day and provide each student with the best possible experience. There are always day-of hiccups, as there are with any event, and we never truly know how many students we will see but we know that we have the support to pull it off. Yes, some moments can be quite hectic but the beauty of it all is that every single staff member, volunteer, and sponsor is completely committed to serving children in and around our community and giving them the best possible start to their school year.

This day continues to outgrow the last with us seeing more and more students each year. I consider this to be a good problem to have and one that I look forward to working through. Thank you to everyone who continues to support our mission. We look forward to seeing you all bright and early this Saturday morning at Good Sam.

Bianca Long

Development Coordinator  
Good Samaritan Health Center

Growing tomatoes is a rewarding experience for any farmer or gardener. As one of the most popular crops, tomatoes are valued for their versatility, flavor, and nutritional benefits. In this blog, we’ll guide you through the essential steps of planning, caring for, and harvesting tomatoes. Whether you’re a seasoned grower or a beginner, these tips will help you achieve a bountiful tomato harvest.

When selecting a tomato variety, consider your region, growing space, and intended use. Local farm plant sales can ensure you get the right types for your area and help you choose the best fit for your needs. You’ll also want to consider the support system you'll be able to provide and the frequency of your harvest. Determinate varieties, which grow more bush-like, need minimal pruning and simple cage support, with all fruit ripening simultaneously. Indeterminate varieties, like those we grow on the farm, require robust trellising, more pruning, and yield fruit throughout the season, which is perfect for us to keep the market stocked with tomatoes all summer. We grow a mixture of cherries, slicers, and romas so that there’s something for everyone.

We have two types of trellising systems for our indeterminate varieties: a two-leader system for our cherries that run up strings hung from 10 ft. poles, and the Florida weave system for the other varieties with 6 ft stakes every 4-5 plants. We prune weekly, cutting away the greens from under the lowest-hanging fruit. We spray an organic fungicidal spray every 5-7 days. This season, our main pest is the leaf-footed bug, which we manage by hand-picking and tossing into a bucket of soapy water.

Plant your chosen variety in an area with 6-8 hours of sun per day, well-drained soil, and rich organic matter. Dig deep and wide holes for your tomatoes to allow for their robust root system to thrive. While tomatoes prefer to be in the ground, they can also grow in large pots—at least 5 gallons. Avoid plastic pots since they don't retain moisture well. A terracotta pot is a better, cost-friendly option.

Though tomatoes are fun to grow and eat, they can be tricky to care for. But don’t be discouraged! There’s always something new to try to help them thrive. Water them deeply but infrequently, allowing the soil to get just dry enough before the next watering to help prevent root rot. If you have multiple tomato plants that require pruning, sanitize your shears when moving from one plant to another. Identifying common pests and diseases and understanding their management techniques is crucial for a healthy and productive harvest. We experienced a few weeks without rain and temperatures in the upper 90s, so we had to irrigate aggressively and unfortunately lost a few plants. However, those that survived are thriving well.

Finally, we store our harvested tomatoes at 54 degrees, but you can also store them at room temperature if you plan to eat them soon. Try different varieties and have fun!

If you’re really looking to take a deep dive into improving your tomato or any other crop, reach out to the UGA Extension Agency. They’re here to help growers like you!

P.S. Did you know all of these great tomato benefits?

1. Nutrient-rich: They are packed with vitamins C, K, potassium, and folate.
2. Antioxidants: Tomatoes contain lycopene, a powerful antioxidant linked to various health benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease and cancer.
3. Heart health: The potassium and folate in tomatoes are beneficial for heart health.
4. Skin health: The beta-carotene in tomatoes contributes to skin health.
5. Digestive health: The fiber content supports digestive health.
6. Eye health: Rich in vitamins and antioxidants that promote eye health. Incorporating tomatoes into your diet can contribute to overall well-being and support various aspects of health.

Nobie Muhl

Farm Manager 
Good Samaritan Health Center

Last week, we were excited to welcome back the Love Atlanta team to our campus. This group from Passion City Church exists to “inspire and mobilize people towards a lifestyle of service.” We had a total of 6 groups come through the doors of Good Sam to serve our patients and improve our facility. Despite the heat that was felt outside and inside of Good Sam, our volunteers were all smiles. These volunteers showed grace, hospitality, and generosity through their kind words and actions. If you are interested in learning more about the projects that took place during Love Atlanta's week of volunteering at Good Sam, read on!

On day 1, a small but mighty team of volunteers came in and pulled an abundance of bulbs of garlic from the farm. While the heat was unwavering, so were these volunteers as they pushed through three rows of garlic in desperate need of being pulled. These bulbs of naturally grown garlic were pulled from our one-acre farm, which farmers Nobie and Alexis manage year-round. Having the help of this group saved our farmers valuable time and provided them with the opportunity to work on other crops and projects on the farm. With the summer heating up as rapidly as it has, it has been a mission to beat the heat and plant new crops, while stopping other crops from bolting or suffering severely from the weather change. This garlic is currently curing before heading out to The Market.

 

Day 2 saw a larger group come in ready to provide for our patients experiencing homelessness by preparing several hygiene kits which included items such as toothpaste, feminine care products, deodorant, soap, and much more. These kits were later distributed to patients who came in for an appointment at Good Sam for our Friday Clinic. Although this kit may seem small, it can be very impactful in the lives of our patients as it provides them with the opportunity to take care of themselves, despite their limited resources. It’s a form of reassurance that they are still worthy of care and that we are here to support them.

As a sort of bonus task, these volunteers were heading out just as Second Helpings Atlanta was coming in. Seconding Helpings Atlanta is a nonprofit food rescue organization that distributes healthy, nutritious foods to organizations that feed those in need. We receive this donation weekly, allowing us to distribute healthy foods to our Friday clinic patients. Given the timing of everything, the Love Atlanta volunteers who came in on Thursday were able to help us load our carts and bring all of these groceries upstairs to store for the next day. This project which normally takes a team of two about an hour to unpack and organize, took this team just 15 minutes!

Friday was day three of having the Love Atlanta volunteers on campus. They came in bright and early to provide some worship and words of courage to our patients. They made sure not only to fill their hearts and minds but also their stomachs, as they offered them Chick-fil-A for breakfast. These volunteers were present from 9 am to 12 pm and offered our patients the simple gift of listening and fellowship. Sometimes the simplest gift you can give someone is the gift of open ears and an open heart ready to be present in the moment with them.

That same morning, we welcomed another group of volunteers who helped us prepare the community room and finance suite to be painted. They gathered furniture towards the middle of the room and removed everything from plaques on the wall to the baseboards. Plastic covered the majority of the room and the fans were on full blast as our volunteers worked through the morning to prepare the walls for paint to be applied the next day. When I say the fans were on full blast, I mean it. During that week the A/C on our second floor was out, and the Atlanta heat was as hot as could be. Not once did I hear any one of the volunteers complain about the heat. They just pushed through and even had fun while doing so.

On the fourth and final day of hosting volunteers, we had two groups come in and paint our Community Room and Finance Suite. These two groups worked through the heat and gave Good Sam a new and fresh look. This new coat of paint not only made our space look more beautiful but it was an important step forward in our strategic plans to be Here for Good.

Love Atlanta truly showed us how they care and support their surrounding communities by showing up for us throughout that week. They saved us countless hours of work, provided budget-relieving resources, and brought many smiles to new faces. Their willingness to give of their time and service is greatly appreciated. The impact that they’ve made on the entire Good Sam family is immeasurable. It was a pleasure to welcome in these friends and we hope to see them again next year!

Tiffany Loredo

Marketing and Communications Coordinator 
Good Samaritan Health Center

This week our blog post is not necessarily an update on Good Sam but on the wonderful work that one of our volunteer providers conducts outside the center. About a week and a half ago, we had the incredible opportunity to sit in on a lecture by Mike Tremmel, as he discussed his book, “The People of the Great River: The Tonga Hoped the Water Would Follow Them”, written in collaboration with The River Tonga People. While Dr. Tremmel was with us for only a brief 60 minutes, he left us with an abundance of knowledge on this tribe from Zimbabwe who is simply hoping to preserve their culture, heritage, language, and more.

Mike Tremmel has been a volunteer provider for our spine clinic for several years and during the pandemic, he was also the volunteer Captain for our HelplineSOS COVID-19 hotline. As a volunteer provider, Dr. Tremmel offers specialty orthopedic care at least once a month, to our patients who most need his assistance. Within the role of volunteer Captain for HelplineSOS, Dr. Tremmel managed a group of students and volunteers, in order, to smoothly answer hundreds of calls per week. This ensured that people calling the helpline received appointments for vaccines, testing, and other resources. His work within the walls of Good Sam is always deeply appreciated by anyone who crosses paths with him.

As previously mentioned, his work extends beyond the doors of Good Sam and even past the exam room. Dr. Tremmel learned of the Tonga people about 30 years ago when he went on a “mission of accompaniment” to Binga, Zimbabwe. As a goodbye to the Tonga people, he decided to write a book with the help of the community elders. This book, “The People of the Great River: The Tonga Hoped the Water Would Follow Them”, is an opportunity to provide change and preserve a language at the stake of being lost. This Friday, we encourage you to look at the great work that Dr. Tremmel has been a part of.

Visit the website here to learn more about the Tonga Literacy Project and the rich history of the Tonga People. We all know that our language is important, but have we ever considered what would happen if we lost it? This is the question that the Tonga people ask themselves daily.

Tiffany Loredo

Marketing and Communications Coordinator 
Good Samaritan Health Center

As we wave goodbye to Mental Health Awareness Month, we wanted to share the arrival of a new staff member. Earlier this year Charlie A. Davidson, a PhD level psychologist, joined our team as part of our plan to expand mental health access through the Here for Good strategic plan. Along with the amazing counseling team and psychiatrists who currently work at Good Sam, Dr. Charlie joins our mental health team and brings a new set of skills that will shape the future of care for our patients. This addition to the Good Sam family will not only help our patients better understand their mental health needs, but it will pave new roads for care given to them by their primary care provider(s). Here are a couple of things you should know about him.

How would you describe yourself and your professional background in brief?

My main job is Dad. I have a 2-year-old and a 5-year-old and have been together with my wife for 20 years. My free time is spent playing the bass, playing ultimate frisbee, and cooking. Recently, I've started to pick up jogging and swimming. I started my career in psychiatric neuroscience and then attended graduate school in clinical psychology and became more interested in therapy, psychosis, and SMI (serious mental illness). I'm a practitioner in evidence-based practices and psychosocial rehabilitation and recovery. I completed two post-doctoral fellowships and then became licensed in Connecticut. I then moved back to Atlanta, where I am originally from, and became licensed here. I have my own private practice, taught in a graduate program, and have worked in two digital companies. Good Sam is the first job that I’ve had in integrated primary care. It’s very exciting to work here because I have the opportunity to work with really talented people in allied health professions.

What is your current role at Good Sam? What are you hoping to bring to Good Sam?

My current title at Good Sam is Psychologist. Although Good Sam does offer counseling and psychiatric services, no psychological program has been offered that works directly with primary care in evaluation. In this role, I'm hoping to provide more diagnostic evaluations and create group and other therapy options. I'm hoping to work with the clinical team to track behavior health and fully implement the Full Circle of Health model that is offered.

Why did you choose to join Good Sam? What stood out to you about Good Sam?

I was lucky! I had started subletting in a new private practice office and it just so happened that Dr. Boswell and Dr. Mintz, two of Good Sam’s psychiatrists, were also in this suite. They shared the work of Good Sam and told me about the patient population that is served. One detail that really stood out is the fact that Good Sam aims to provide care to those who are uninsured or unhoused. Working at Good Sam means that I get to work with motivated patients who have challenges but are trying to get their lives where they want to be. Being that my role is new to Good Sam, it means that I have the opportunity to shape new services. I like having the ability to shape new things.

How do you think you will make an impact on those we serve here at Good Sam?

I think I will be impacting the lives of our patients similarly to how the current counseling and psychiatric team is doing. I'll be adding skills in a few areas of evaluation, behavioral, and holistic approaches, and I hope to bring new types of services to our team. All of this put together will help people get better faster.

What would you say to someone who needs mental health counseling or help, but is struggling to reach out?

This is hard to answer because the reason for the struggle to reach out is different for everyone. The main reason I’ve noticed why people have stopped themselves from getting help is because they feel that speaking about or accepting treatment means that there is something wrong with them. This is not true. This is not how it works. Most people believe that they should be normal but normal doesn’t exist. Most people throughout their lives will face moments and challenges that they will need help with. They might receive help from their friends or family and some will seek help elsewhere. Seeking help shows that you are healthy. It means that you want to do things in the best way possible. There is no shame at all in seeking help.

This was just a brief introduction to Dr. Charlie and his work. We are happy to have him join us at Good Sam and look forward to seeing our mental health department grow and provide a more well-rounded approach to healthcare. It’s truly a blessing to be able to offer these new specialized services and expanded access to our patients. We look forward to seeing all the great work and outcomes these services will bring to the Good Sam Family.

Tiffany Loredo

Marketing and Communications Coordinator 
Good Samaritan Health Center

May is a very important month for many. We celebrate Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, and children, siblings, and grandchildren graduating from kindergarten, high school, or college. At Good Sam, this May we celebrate the very special birthday of our Founder and CEO, Dr. William Warren. While Good Sam celebrated its 25^th year in 2023, this God-given dream to provide healthcare to those who need it has been around for a bit longer. Read along as his children Mary Elizabeth, William, and Cole give us their testimony of God’s work through the hands of Dr. Warren.

" At the tender age of 12, I remember sitting at our dinner table when my dad, Dr. Bill Warren, told me about his plans to leave his prestigious private practice (which felt like family) to serve as a doctor in the inner city.  Most people he informed of his plans thought he had lost his mind, including ME!  I loved that my Daddy was a well-respected, kind, and excellent pediatrician. I appreciated the feeling of stability this brought to my life.  So many questions popped into my mind as he relayed the news, and he and our wonderful mom patiently answered them all. I was young (and largely clueless) and simply felt fearful not knowing what this monumental change would mean for MY life. However, as my dad pursued this calling from the Lord with the support of my mom, my admiration of my parents only grew. It became increasingly clear what this shift would mean for SO many lives, well beyond my own.

You’ve likely heard the adage from St. Francis, “Preach the Gospel at all times and if necessary, use words.”  This is our father to the tee. Both at home, in coaching our sports teams, teaching our Sunday School classes, or giving me a steady stream of Coca-Cola so as not to pass out while fishing under the hot Cumberland sun, and also at the Good Samaritan where he has faithfully brought quality healthcare to the underserved or overlooked for almost 26 years and counting, my Dad has quietly and faithfully lived out the many verses he always impressed upon our ears and hearts: “To whom much is given, much is required” (Luke 12:48),  “Whatever you have done unto the least of these, you have done unto me” (Matthew 25:40),  and “Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you” (Matt. 6:33). On his 70^th birthday, my brothers and I want to say we love you, respect you, and can only hope you’ve rubbed off on us a bit! "

 ~ Mary Elizabeth Warren Stone

"In first grade, my Bible teacher asked the class if we knew anyone who loved God. I raised my hand and said, “my dad”. The teacher then asked, how do you know he loves God? I simply replied that every morning while eating my breakfast and getting ready for school, I would notice my dad spending time in his office reading his Bible and kneeling at his chair in prayer. While his morning robes were short and tacky, I was shown from an early age how much my dad loved God.

I don’t think anything in these 25+ years at Good Sam would have happened if my Dad, and those employed by Good Sam, didn’t love God first. Joshua 1:9 says, “Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it.” It is not easy to pursue God. And it is not always easy to love Him. But, I think what my Dad’s story has shown me is that sometimes loving God starts with action and joining in his mission.

At an early age, I found it hard at times to trust in God and I remember my parents telling me to “coast on their faith” … and give it time. My dad’s faith has always been one of action and less of words. At 6 years old I remember him selling his sports car and switching to a super cool green minivan. I also remember at a young age watching him talk with care and intentionality to patients in need when he was on call late at night or on the weekends. I also have fond memories of walking the rough-in stage of the new Good Samaritan Center. He explained with excitement and detail that there would be a teaching kitchen, an urban farm, and a beautiful state-of-the-art dental wing all for this local community. This was incredible to watch as a little boy.

A verse in Matthew states - “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” There is no doubt that my Dad’s biggest desire is to love God. But I believe that started with him giving up resources, time, and mental energy towards God’s calling. He developed a love for God by loving God’s mission and God’s people. For that, I am beyond grateful for the example he has shown me, and how as a little boy I could “coast on his faith” and begin to build my relationship and love for God. "

~ Cole Warren

You don’t have to have grown up in the love and instruction of Dr. Warren in order to have beautiful memories like these of him and his service. He demonstrates the love of God in his interactions with all: staff, friends, and patients alike. We are thankful to have had this special opportunity to get an even better glimpse into the life of the Warren family and for Mary Elizabeth, William, and Cole for providing this opportunity.

We, your Good Sam Family, have a celebratory message to share with you: Happy Birthday, Dr. Warren! Good Sam would not be here without you and we would not be stewards of His love in the ways that Good Sam allows us to be. We are blessed to work with and around you and we wish you nothing but the best as you grow another year wiser!

Tiffany Loredo

Marketing and Communications Coordinator 
Good Samaritan Health Center

Why Is Mental Health Awareness Important?

Mental Health Awareness Month is one of many opportunities to discuss mental illness and its prevalence, as well as learn how we can support those experiencing mental health challenges.

What is mental illness?

In order to fully appreciate the benefits of mental health, let’s first take a look at aspects of mental illness.  According to the American Psychological Association, a mental disorder, or mental illness, is any condition characterized by cognitive and emotional disturbances, abnormal behaviors, impaired functioning, or any combination of these.¹

Two of the most widely reported mental illnesses are anxiety and depression.

Anxiety is defined as an intense, persistent, or excessive worry or dread about everyday situations that interfere with daily living, are difficult to control, and are out of proportion to the actual danger.²

Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest, which affects how you feel, think, and behave.³

Many people are suffering in silence largely due to an inability to afford healthcare, as well as the stigma associated with getting therapy.  Many turn to the use of substances like drugs and alcohol to cope, and of those, several contemplate suicide or have succeeded in following through.

Here are some sobering statistics on the rates and prevalence of mental illness in our country⁴:

21% of adults, over 50 million people, are experiencing a mental illness

55% of adults, over 28 million people, receive no treatment

16% of youth, more than 2.7 million, are experiencing severe major depression

60% of youth with major depression do not receive treatment

15% of adults had a substance use disorder in the last year, 93% received no treatment

4.8% of adults, 12.1 million people, reported serious thoughts of suicide

11% of adults with a mental illness, over 5.5 million, are not insured

What is mental health?

The World Health Organization defines mental health as a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community.⁵

The staggering statistics above reveal many of us are living day to day mentally unwell. Mental health awareness becomes crucial then to shine a light on this national problem that affects so many people, robbing them of the ability to feel whole and be effective members of their families, communities, and society.  You likely know someone who is struggling with mental illness or may have experienced it firsthand at one point making it a personal cause to uphold. Each one of us has a responsibility to engage in and support the awareness of mental health.

What can you do to help?

Do your research –

• Search trusted sites like the American Psychological Association, CDC, or the National Institute of Mental Health to learn more about mental health disorders and their symptoms so that you may be able to detect the signs in the people around you.

Normalize discussions about mental health to help destigmatize treatment/therapy –

• Take every opportunity, not only in May, to check on the mental well-being of those you care about. Ask your friends and family how they are doing if something about them seems off, take the time to listen without judgment, and seek to understand. Encourage your loved ones to seek treatment if needed.
• Participate in discussions about mental health via forums on social media, at your school, or in community settings.

Vote –

During elections, vote yes pertaining to matters that support mental health awareness and funding to help increase accessibility of treatment.

Novell Blain, LPC

Counselor 
Good Samaritan Health Center

 

The health and wellness of seniors is a top priority for me, which is why I've developed a program specifically tailored to this demographic. Inspired by my active grandparents in their 80s, I aim to motivate and empower all seniors to stay active and healthy. This comprehensive program focuses on fitness, offering a variety of activities including resistance training, weight training, restorative yoga practices, and breathwork for recovery. In addition, our nutrition component is dedicated to educating seniors on proper dietary habits for their age group, with a focus on introducing budget-friendly plant-based meal alternatives.

The success of this program is measured by its metrics. We conducted weekly weigh-ins and observed positive weight loss results among participants. Surveys provided us with valuable feedback and insights into the program's progress from our participants. We discovered that the program provided valuable social interaction for those unable to leave their senior homes, increased knowledge of budget-friendly healthy meal options, and introduced easy-to-follow at-home workouts. Continue reading for some quick comments from participants of the program on their last day.

“The program is helping me to get healthier. Teaching me to work out more and we all love it! Don’t stop the program, keep it going! I've been here from the start. It has impacted my life because I've learned to eat healthier, and I’ve lost weight. My favorite part was doing the exercise and meeting new people. I love Coach Carter and Audrey. Throughout this class, I learned how to get up and exercise and how to do it at home.” - Participant 1

“I’ve been in this program for 4 weeks. This class has impacted my life by giving me more energy to get up and exercise. The workouts with music were my favorite part. The nutrition class is also very good. I've learned to incorporate a vegetarian diet into my normal diet and also that you have to put effort into working out, even if it's just for 20 minutes. I appreciate everyone, for pushing us and        making us feel better.”  - Participant 2

“I'm going to miss them, it's been very nice. I've been here for a while. This class has impacted me for the better. It helped me figure out how to work out because I had stopped working out. I didn’t have a favorite part of the program because I enjoyed it all. Everyone was very nice!” - Participant 3

“I’ve been a part of this program for two months now. It's impacted me a lot. It has helped me move better and helped me figure out how to work out. Working out with Audrey and getting information on how to better care for my joints has been my favorite. The nutrition class has helped me learn more new foods, like how avocados can help my joints and mushrooms as a vegetarian option for meatless tacos. I liked the nutritional information they gave. I think the program is good and Coach pushes us a lot more and it’s a good motivational program. I wish they offered the class more days throughout the week like Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.”  – Participant 4

 

 

Audrey Clark

Community Outreach and Market Manager  
Good Samaritan Health Center

March is National Nutrition Month^®! National Nutrition Month^® is a yearly movement established in 1973 by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the world’s largest organization of nutrition and dietetics professionals. Throughout, the month of March, and beyond everyone is invited to learn about making beneficial food choices and developing healthful eating and physical activity habits.

National Nutrition Month Theme

I’m a registered dietitian nutritionist who helps my patients create healthy long-term habits that fit their food preferences and budget. I like this year’s theme, “Beyond the Table,” because it focuses on the farm-to-fork aspect of nutrition, from how our food is produced and distributed, to shopping at grocery stores and farmer's markets. It also points out the different ways we eat including at home, on-the-go, and at restaurants. This theme also includes the sustainability of our food systems. How to decrease food waste from home, at work, school, and elsewhere.

National Nutrition Month Tips

Follow these healthful tips in March and all year long.

• • Stay nourished on any budget. Learn to cook a few basic recipes and use a grocery list and shop sales when purchasing food.
  • See a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). Ask your medical doctor for a referral to see an RDN or find one at eatright.org. An RDN can give you personalized nutrition information to help you with your health intentions.
  • Eat a variety of foods from every food group. Enjoy your favorite cultural foods and traditions. Try new foods or global cuisines often. Experiment with recipes using different seasonings and ingredients.
  • Eat with the environment in mind. Enjoy more plant-based meals and snacks. Reduce food waste by getting creative with leftovers or freeze leftovers for later. Buy foods in season and from local farmers including Good Samaritan’s Urban Farm when possible or grow your vegetables.

Jerlyn Jones, MS MPA RDN LD CLT

Registered Dietitian  
Good Samaritan Health Center

Four mornings a week, the staff starts our day at Good Sam with a time of devotion and prayer. Staff members are each scheduled for mornings throughout the year to share their personal nudgings from the Holy Spirit, a passage of scripture, text from a favorite devotional, an excerpt from a sermon they’d heard recently. A few weeks ago, Dr. Jennifer Mathew, one of our medical providers, shared her thoughts on John 5 and the story of The Healing at the Pool on the Sabbath.

In case you aren’t familiar with the story, here’s a brief history and recap. Jesus has just come to Jerusalem from Galilee. He arrives and visits a pool, called Bethesda (“House of Mercy), that provided water for the temple. This pool and the surrounding area were a haven for many disabled people, both because it was shaded and because the pool was believed to have healing powers! The legend was that an angel would descend into the pool and stir up the water. The first person to enter the pool after the stirring would be healed. You can imagine the number of people in need who gathered there, in hopes of healing and, at the very least, comfort.

 “One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, take your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.” John 5:5-9

“Do you want to be healed?”

What a fascinating question. This man has been an invalid for thirty-eight years. He’s hanging out at a pool renowned for its power to heal. Jesus knows all of this, yet he asks “Do you want to be healed?” Such a simple question and also such a beautiful picture of how Jesus comes alongside us in our humanity and our need. As we listened to Dr. Mathew’s devotion, we were struck by the fact that this is what we inherently do for our patients at Good Sam. They face so many barriers in trying to access basic human and health services, I’m sure it often feels like they have no choice in these matters. A persistent lack of autonomy affects a person’s quality of life, their motivation to seek health or build meaningful connections, and ultimately their mental and physical health. With one question, “Do you want to be healed?” Jesus provides the power of choice to the man. With our doors open wide, we do the same.

“Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.”

This part of the story also hits close to home. I’m not a provider, but I’ve done this work long enough to know that our patients have a list of reasons, excuses, explanations, and sufferings they bring with them into the exam room. Their hope has waned, even as they’ve managed to get an appointment with a provider that can genuinely put them on a path toward healing. The vulnerability of believing that it could actually happen is too much to bear. It’s easier to remain powerless than to make the trek back toward the pool to just have someone beat you there yet again, to rob you of your miracle.

Jesus in his kindness says simply “Get up, take your bed, and walk.” The steps are simple, the prescription is clear. While patient care at Good Sam is not necessarily that straightforward, the message is the same. You can do this. Take action, follow our guidance, health is here.

In what I’m calling the “follow up appointment” of this story, Jesus finds the man again in the temple and says to him (v. 14) “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” The healing of the body can happen in an instant. The healing of the human condition takes time and patience. Our work is not complete with one appointment, nor is the patient’s. And that’s okay because generous donors ensure our doors remain open for the next visit and for the one after that. Brave patients come in for their next appointment and hopefully the one after that. Patient providers, counselors, medical assistants and dental assistants show up day after day to offer the dignity of choice and a treatment plan to follow. And most importantly, we serve the God of the universe who does not tire of our need, our excuses, our humanity. He sent His son to be fully human and fully divine, to sympathize with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15), so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). In Him, we will all be healed. And because of Him, we can ask our neighbor “Do you want to be healed?”.

Heather Kersey

Chief Development Officer  
Good Samaritan Health Center

Did you know that our Senior Leadership Team is composed of mostly women?

If you didn’t know, now you do. Just take a peek inside Good Sam and you'll quickly see that many of the employees are women. I don’t have a number for you, but take a good look next time you step in and you might just be able to count all of the men of Good Sam on one hand.

Some might ask why this is important and others might just see it as great news that needs no explanation. But the thing is that to see so many women surround you day in and day out is exciting. Coming from a historically women's college to Good Sam means that it wasn’t too huge of a jump for me, but it was exciting nonetheless. Working next to such talented, powerful, insightful, and kind women is a breath of fresh air from all of the male-dominated spaces that surround us.

Another fun fact is that women makeup 75% of workers in the sectors that make up most nonprofits, think of jobs in education, health care, and social assistance (Broken Ladders: Barriers to Women’s Representation in Nonprofit Leadership, 2018). Given the large number of women in this sector, it’s easy to assume that women would take up a proportional amount of leadership positions. A not-so-fun fact is that only about 35% of Nonprofit CEOs with budgets of $2.5M to $5M are women (Broken Ladders: Barriers to Women’s Representation in Nonprofit Leadership, 2018). This shows that women may make up a large chunk of the workforce but they do not take up the same amount of space in leadership positions.

Despite this discrepancy across the nonprofit sector, I'm happy to say that we don’t see that here at Good Sam. Seeing so many women holding these positions of leadership at Good Sam is not only empowering and motivational but reflective of the patients that we serve, given that a majority of our patients are women. Internal growth and diversity have always been a key to success at Good Sam and it is something that is seen very often. The entire Senior Leadership Team has grown a lot since they first stepped into Good Sam. Lizeth Rodriguez has gone from Guest Services Associate to Patient Access Director and Breanna Lathrop has gone from Family Nurse Practitioner to Chief Operations Officer. I’m overjoyed to know that I work in a place that sees my gender identity as something that holds value as opposed to being a limitation.

This International Women’s Day, cheer on the women in your life who you see pushing for a better and brighter future. Celebrate those who have paved a way for those who come after them. Create the space for women to hold the leadership positions that they deserve. I’ll leave us all with a  quote to remind us of the importance of making our voices heard and leaving the space to hear others.

“No Country Can Ever Truly Flourish If It Stifles The Potential of Its Women And Deprive Itself Of The Contributions Of Half Of Its Citizens. ” – Michell Obama

 

Tiffany Loredo

Marketing and Communications Coordinator  
Good Samaritan Health Center

February is American Heart Month and Black History Month. Two important reasons to celebrate and educate yourselves on what exactly is celebrated in February.

Earlier this week, we shared some tips on how to have a healthy heart through making small changes in your day-to-day life.

Today, we are hoping to share a bit more about the importance of Black history, especially within the medical field.

Before we share some history, ask yourself this question about current numbers in the healthcare field. Do you happen to know just how many physicians in the U.S. identify as Black or African-American?

Take a guess and understand that this question is important because we should always strive for diversity in all fields of work. More diversity in the faces you see in your medical office can sometimes mean that you'll have someone who can relate to your healthcare struggles on a deeper level. Diversity in the healthcare workforce can translate to better policies, better care, and overall better healthcare outcomes.

Based on numbers collected in 2020, the population of Black or African-American people in the U.S. is about 12.1% of the total population (“The Chance That… Increase since 2010”, 2020). A shocking fact to answer our previous question is that 5.7% of physicians in the U.S. are Black or African-American ( “What’s your specialty?”, 2023).  Although Black people are such a huge part of the U.S. population, due to systemic barriers they have not been able to be represented within the healthcare system.

The fact that only 5.7% of physicians are Black or African-American, doesn’t change the fact that some Black physicians have made real strides at improving healthcare for all. Here are just two brief examples of Black History within the medical field.

James McCune Smith (April 18, 1813 – November 17, 1865)

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. The first black physician in America, who received his medical degree from the University of Glasgow, Scotland in the 1830s.
               2. Also known to be a leading abolitionist, author, and apothecary.
               3. James McCune Smith not only changed how we see healthcare but he helped reform the lives of African American people by challenging pseudoscientific justifications for African-American oppression” (Bryan Greene). https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/james-mccune-smith-america-first-black-physician-180977110/

Daniel Hale Williams (January 18, 1856 – August 4, 1931)

1. Williams was one of the very first doctors to perform a successful open-heart surgery, which allowed his patient to live for an additional 20 years after a knife wound to the chest.
2. Williams’ also founded the Provident Hospital and Training School for Nurses, intending to provide a safe space for both African American patients and medical professionals within the medical care community.

https://www.heart.org/en/news/2022/02/16/the-legacy-of-dr-daniel-hale-williams-a-heart-surgery-pioneer

To learn more about the physicians above make sure to read and click the links above. But for now, make sure you continue to celebrate Black History Month for the wonderful impact Black and African American individuals make in your daily life.

Happy American Heart Month and Black History Month! Make sure to leave a comment on Instagram if you learned something new or felt inspired to do some research of your own.

Tiffany Loredo

Marketing and Communications Coordinator  
Good Samaritan Health Center

This is my first time contributing to the Life at Good Sam blog. In so doing, I have been tasked with reflecting on 25 years of service to our community. With that in mind and rather than recreating our history, I thought that I would recount our early, formative years. It’s these years that laid the groundwork for everything that has come after and on which I think back so fondly now.

In 1997, after spending time volunteering in four distinct health centers serving the poor (you could conclude that I was doing my homework), God impressed upon me the need to establish The Good Samaritan Health Center. This began the very purposeful and prayerful approach to eventually opening our doors on January 4, 1999. This approach included the recruitment of a board of directors, the crafting of a business plan, becoming incorporated and achieving our 501c3 distinction, the location and purchase of a clinic site, securing a line of credit, raising the needed funds and spending these funds on the remodeling of our building, hiring our initial staff of seven, and finally our opening! I know that this is a very long sentence, and I’m honestly tired just thinking of all we did in that time.

But I also think, “where did all the time go?” This, of course, can be answered in living out our mission of “spreading Christ’s love through quality healthcare to those in need.” The time was spent caring for our neighbors, those who lacked access to healthcare. The time was spent in creating programs which addressed the social drivers of health. This time was spent in investing our resources of time, talents and treasures for God’s Kingdom work. This time was spent in affecting our community for good.

Over the last 25 years, we have incorporated our guiding principles into our work and brought deep meaning to our every day jobs. These principles included offering the same level of excellent care that any full paying patient living in Buckhead would expect to receive. I like to call this “A” level of service, and we do not know how to bring anything else. Our services are not free; rather we charge a small fee allowing the patient to make an investment in his care, creating a sense of ownership and allowing God-given dignity to take root. We encourage collaboration and partnerships with like-minded organizations and friends, allowing us to extend, expand and more effectively deliver our services. We encourage volunteering, mentoring and student learning experiences, because in doing so we develop the next generation of healthcare professionals and leaders. Finally, in considering Jesus’ teaching on the widow’s mite, a contribution of all the money she had, and as an organization which relies heavily upon donor contributions, we place equal value on all donations and not just on the large ones. All of our supporters have played a critical role in the work of Good Sam in the community.

For 25 years, we never did our work alone. With our mission in mind and with the goal of “caring for the least of these,” we worked alongside many valued partners. These included our patients, donors, community leaders, churches, the business community, prayer partners, and our board. Lacking any one of these components would have made us weaker and diminished our success. Bottom line we have spent a quarter of a century being the hands, feet and mouth of Christ representing God’s love to our community. We are excited to keep going!

 

 

Dr. Bill Warren, MD

Chief Executive Officer, Founder and Pediatrician 
Good Samaritan Health Center

Green juice, who knew it could help you support your local farmers during the colder seasons.  Today is National Green Juice Day. Some of you may be having flashbacks to a horrible experience you’ve had of drinking a mysterious green slush, but would knowing the benefits of it make it a sweeter deal?

Green juice doesn't have to consist of just greens, it can also include fun tasty ingredients like apples or ginger. Let's look at some of the greens that may be available locally and are in season this time of year. Thanks to the help of our farmers at Good Sam, we know that greens such as spinach and kale are both in season and good for green juices (keep an eye out for pop-up markets and the opening of The Market at Good Sam closer to springtime). This means that both of these greens should be fairly accessible right now at your local farm, market, or grocery store. Shopping at your local farmers market (like The Market at Good Sam) is a good option because eating fruits and vegetables that are in season can benefit your local economy, and be healthier for the planet.

The Recipe: Sweet Kale, Apple, Ginger + Lemon Juice

Ingredients                                                         Equipment

• 4 cups of fresh kale                                        - juicer
• ½ lemon
• 1 inch of fresh ginger                                    Time
• 5 apples                                                          - 5 minutes

This is a simple recipe to help you increase your intake of some vitamins such as vitamins A and K. Green juices have also been shown to reduce inflammation, heart disease risk, and age-related mental decline. Some elements of fresh juice can function as prebiotics, ultimately helping your gut health, weight maintenance, and improved immune function.

While we are happy to celebrate this day, we must also remember that green juice is not a substitute for meals or whole fruits and vegetables, and it may not be for everyone. Green juices with fruit are not only low in fiber but may also raise your blood sugar because of the sugars in the fresh fruit.

Give this green juice recipe a shot to get some of these amazing health benefits and support your local farmers by buying seasonal produce. Leave a comment on our social media pages if you are really into juices or if you're going to give this recipe a try!

 Happy Juicing!

https://www.icanyoucanvegan.com/green-juice/

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/green-juice-benefits#downsides

Tiffany Loredo

Marketing and Communications Coordinator  
Good Samaritan Health Center

Happy National Pharmacist Day! Did you know that over 4 billion prescriptions are filled annually in the United States? Both pharmacies and pharmacists are very important in one's health care because they provide the necessary medication to improve health outcomes. Today we've taken the time to listen to one of our pharmacists who works here inside of Hope First Pharmacy and just hear what he has to say about working at Good Sam.

Tiffany, Interviewer: How long have you been a pharmacist?

Dr. Francis Nganga: I graduated 1987. That would bring me to thirty-something years now.

Tiffany: Why did you become a pharmacist?

Dr. Francis: The reason I chose pharmacy is simply because of my love of science. Another thing is that I wanted to be a doctor but I feared the sight of blood. I was looking for something in medicine but with no interaction with blood.

Tiffany: How many prescriptions do you fill each day, on average?

Dr. Francis: On average, at Hope First Pharmacy we do about 30 prescriptions. On average 30-35 prescriptions at least.

Tiffany: What impact do you feel Hope First has had on the community or our patients?

Dr. Francis: For the short period of time that we have been here, and we've been open for less than a year, yes, we have some positive stories from a few people, especially those who are able to come in at any time. From the time the pharmacy opens and gets their medicine. Previously they only had one day to come in and get their medicine. These days they can walk in at any time, they don’t have to rush in on a Friday. The pharmacy is open Monday- Thursday and Saturday, so patients can come in whenever they need to. Before, they could only come in on Friday to try to get their medicine. Another thing is that they can speak to a pharmacist live if they have any questions. Patients who have a lot of different medications to take can now ask for clarification and guidance on how to best take their medicine because a pharmacist is always around to help.

Tiffany: Do you have a lot of patients who come in and ask questions?

Dr. Francis: Occasionally. A lot of patients don’t have questions. And then I ask, “Do you have any questions for me?” and at first they say no but then they begin to ask me all of their questions.

Tiffany: How have you been enjoying your time here at Hope First Pharmacy?

Dr. Francis: Yes, definitely! Knowing that I'm doing something positive for people who are in a desert sort of situation, a medical desert, I feel that I'm bringing people a positive impact to those who need it.

Tiffany: Is there anything else you'd like to add?

Dr. Francis:  On average, we do fill about 30 prescriptions a day but I can imagine that more prescriptions are sent out to other pharmacies that our patients use. If we stopped those prescriptions from leaving this building, or from being sent to other facilities, we would most definitely be making an even larger impact on the community.

While this interview only involved Dr. Francis, Hope First Pharmacy has two other pharmacists who come in throughout the week. Whenever you stop by Good Sam, make sure to stop and thank them for all that they do. Without them, some of our neighbors would have a very hard time receiving life-changing medication due to the pharmacy desert that exists on the west side of Atlanta.  In the image to the left, you can see all of the nearby pharmacies, the closest one to Good Sam is about 2 miles away. Which is manageable for some, but if you lack transportation, it can be challenging.

We are happy to have opened Hope First Pharmacy and to have such amazing pharmacists who listen and care for our patients. They make health care more accessible and equitable. Pharmacists change lives.

Tiffany Loredo

Marketing and Communications Coordinator  
Good Samaritan Health Center

When I first came to Good Sam, of course it was because its mission of spreading Christ’s love through quality healthcare to those in need aligned with the calling I’d felt on my life for as long as I could remember. However, it’s the tagline, “Moved by Compassion” that propels me forward on my busiest or most difficult days. In a world that moves at a seemingly relentless pace, our humanity can be renewed through our compassion.

2023 was insanely busy around here. There’s no other way to describe it. We celebrated 25 years of service to the community and hosted a sold-out anniversary gala. The gala marked the launch of a new, 5-year strategic plan and $10 million fundraising campaign. We hired new providers to help expand our services and we embarked on the design and construction planning for a major renovation and new community wellness building. These additions will ensure we can serve more neighbors in a way that is efficient, safe, accessible, and state-of-the-art. Exam rooms and offices bustled with 40,000 patient encounters, including more children through our new, comprehensive pediatric dentistry program. Friends, new and old, visited the Center for field trips, volunteer service projects, tours, and health education.

Compassion can be defined as the noticing of and the desire to alleviate suffering. Good Sam exists because twenty-five years ago, Dr. Warren noticed suffering and was moved by compassion to do something to help. We are taught that the expression of compassion can be both tender and fierce. And I think that’s exactly how I would describe this year: tender and fierce. The hearts of our staff, volunteers, supporters, and friends were open and kind to the needs of those on the margins of our community. And we fiercely showed up for them day after day, through our work, through our plans to grow, our donated dollars and time, our prayers.

As we eagerly step into the future, Good Sam remains committed to serving the underserved in the name of Jesus, with compassion and with renewed strength. The lessons learned in 2023 will guide our path, inspiring us to continually innovate and extend the reach of healthcare to those who need it most. Together, we're building a healthier and more equitable community, one where healthcare access knows no bounds. The journey continues, and we invite you to be a part of the story as we write the next chapter in 2024.

Heather Kersey

Chief Development Officer 
Good Samaritan Health Center

Giving Tuesday was a blast! It was a day full of energy, passion, and community. This Giving Tuesday we were on a journey to raise money to support our Friday Clinic.

At this point, you may be tired of me mentioning Friday Clinic or trying to explain the true glory of the program. I’ll ask you to bear with me for just one more blog post and then I’ll leave you alone, until our next post (hahaha).

Friday Clinic is a program that many know of but very few understand its true impact and depth. Most friends of Good Sam know that we offer all of our services free of charge to our friends and neighbors who are experiencing homelessness. This, however, is just the tip of the iceberg. Once you learn what Friday Clinic means, you fall in love with it. In Matthew 25:35, God says, “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me”.  Our doors and hearts are open to this work every Friday because we know that providing these services is much larger than the act of helping one person. This program is about following God’s plan and carrying out his mission for each and every one of us. It's about fostering community and loving one another as He has loved us.

This year we raised $31,674 to go towards our Friday Clinic! Your incredible support in a single day will be used to provide more than 200 appointments for medical, dental, mental health counseling, and so much more. If we learned anything from last week's blog post, it's that Friday Clinic is much more than just being able to see a doctor. Friday Clinic is about building a community and providing a comforting hug to those who feel left out by society. It's about being a friend and listening to those who are often ignored and misunderstood.

One day can seem so small and insignificant, yet so many showed up for us on November 28^th so we could show up one day each week for our most vulnerable patients. We were shown the power that one day can have because small actions multiplied by many can make a huge difference. Giving Tuesday may be over but if you feel the urge to be part of this movement to provide healthcare access to all, feel free to volunteer your time or host a supply drive for the hygiene kits which are given out every Friday. If you’d like to learn more about this opportunity, send us an email at [email protected].

Tiffany Loredo

Marketing and Communications Coordinator 
Good Samaritan Health Center

Friday is my favorite day of the week at Good Samaritan. Each Friday, we devote all of our services to people experiencing homelessness. I pull in the parking lot a little before 7am and usually a few patients are already waiting outside. Our early patients help me set up rows of chairs under the front awning so people have a place to wait comfortably until we open the doors. Pierre arrives shortly after to drive the Good Sam van, making loops through downtown Atlanta transporting patients from several shelters and parks to the clinic for care. The Guest Services team opens the doors at 7:40am welcoming patients to the walk-in clinic. By 8am, the clinic is a blur of activity. Staff medical providers are joined by a team of dedicated volunteers ready to address complex medical needs complicated by social challenges and trauma. Medical assistants and a team of volunteer interns offer humor, friendship and comfort while performing their clinical tasks. The counselors and psychiatrists work in tandem with primary care providers to address trauma and mental health illness. Case management collaborates with our housing partners to facilitate housing referrals and address a variety of social needs. The pharmacy team rapidly fills prescriptions all morning so that patients leave with all of their medication free of cost. The dental team works in patients with acute infections between restorative care visits, moving people from diseased mouths to new teeth and confident smiles. Ericka and Ian run mission control, making sure patients move through all of the services they need. Loren, along with volunteers and administrative staff, distribute meals and care packages to everyone seeking care. 

It is chaotic, and busy, and messy, and beautiful. In the midst of severe disability and disease, broken systems allowing poverty and homelessness to persist, and stories of trauma, imprisonment, and loss, each Friday is filled with reminders that God is always working. For me, Friday vividly illuminates the passion and love of our staff and volunteers, the sacred trust and resiliency of our patients, and the power of partnership and collaboration.

We started Friday clinic in 2015, having noticed a decline the number of people experiencing homelessness we were serving since moving to our current location. A small group of staff and volunteers started asking “what do people experiencing homelessness need from a clinic and is there a need we can meet?” Community members and organizations responded requesting trauma-sensitive care, flexible scheduling, dental care, and integrated psychiatric care. We piloted with one Friday a month in August of 2015, moving to every Friday by early 2016. Our first patients offered feedback and we grew our program based on their needs and ideas. We are continuing to learn from our patients, rethinking how we deliver health care and address health inequities. Friday clinic has not only changed the lives of people trusting us with their care, but transformed us as a clinic as well.

Having been at the clinic almost every Friday since 2015, I have seen transformations in the lives of patients. During our very first Friday, Jaqueline* left screaming at us, determined she would never return. She did and is now in stable housing and working part-time. Lydia* reconciled with her family after years of therapy and was able to move back home. After years of working with Stephanie* as she struggled with sobriety, we facilitated her entry into a rehabilitation program two hours outside of Atlanta. She called me most weekends for her first year there and I attended her graduation. Daniel* received a pacemaker, allowing him to remain a single father for his son. His son went to college this year. Michael* only spoke three words during his first appointment in 2016. He now communicates readily, receives disability, and has his own apartment. However, Friday clinic is not all stories of healing and rehabilitation. We have also lost patients to disease we couldn’t cure, violence, or imprisonment. Other times we work with people for a short time and we don’t know what happened next. We continue to focus on doing our best in the time we have with each person.

A few years ago, with the support of a graduate student, we interviewed Friday patients to better understand what they valued about the program and why they returned. Surprisingly, it was not the free medication or dentures, accessible medical care and psychiatry, or even the meals, but rather that people felt seen and known. As I read each interview transcript, I realized that often our most effective way of healing is to see people not as their problem list but as a person with a unique and powerful story; to hold their trauma and our own inability to make it right; to prioritize their needs even when they seem beyond our scope; to welcome them without conditions or judgement because they are deserving of all we have to offer. The beauty of Friday clinic is best captured by our patients’ own words from these interviews:

“I love the staff. This is the best clinic I’ve ever been to. Not only the support, but I can consider them as my friends. You can just speak and have a little conversation, and feel like these people really care about me. Feeling that you matter to somebody, no matter what your circumstances or where you’re coming from.”

“I found myself coming back to familiar faces and people that didn’t point fingers or discriminate… For someone to treat you as equally important means a lot.”

“I was able to sit down with my doctor, who has become a friend. Who has looked at me not as a broken man, not as a homeless man, but as a human being.”

*Names have been changed.

Breanna Lathrop

Chief Operating Officer 
Good Samaritan Health Center

When was the last time you visited the doctor's office? Maybe you felt a sore throat and a cough coming on or you remembered that it was time for your checkup. Perhaps you just felt the sudden need to get checked out or you developed a random rash on your arm. For some, seeing the doctor is within reach. We can schedule an appointment, call off work, and head over to the doctor’s office. This can seem burdensome at times because we have to take the time out of our day, organize childcare, or miss work. While we might see doctor’s appointments as a disruption in life, we forget that, for some, seeking healthcare is a luxury. Healthcare is a basic human right and need, and yet so many people go without regular checkups due to an array of barriers that impede their ability to take care of their health. For 7,905 people in the state of Georgia, a lack of stable housing is their greatest barrier. Our neighbors experiencing homelessness don’t have the resources necessary to seek out, afford, or maintain proper healthcare. While some of us are left to wonder, “How long will this appointment take me away from my work?” Others are thinking, “How will I get the medication I need if I can't afford it?”

The lack of access to care is one of the many reasons why people who are homeless die on average 12 years sooner than the rest of the U.S. population (Lee, 2021). They are left to seek out care when absolutely necessary and, in many cases, this turns into a visit to the E.R. These visits often provide one answer, but leave many others still up in the air. Barriers to access such as lack of insurance, lack of transportation, and high costs can therefore make one bad situation even worse (Lee, 2021).

Although we may not have all the answers or provide a direct, long-term solution for lack of housing, at Good Sam we at least try to eliminate some of these barriers and provide full comprehensive health care to patients who are homeless. Our mission at Good Sam extends to those experiencing homelessness because we know that the heart of God is for those on the very margins of society. While we may not be providing a bed for our patients to sleep on, we consistently open our doors every Friday from 7:45 a.m.-12:00 p.m. and welcome in patients to be seen by medical, dental, and mental health counselors on a walk-in basis. At the end of their visit, they can pick up necessary medications from our dispensary, take a hot lunch and hygiene kit, and get a ride on our van to take them back to the shelter or community where they are staying.  We keep our minds and hearts open and accept everyone who is trying to be seen. On Friday we see a lot of patients coming back for their regular checkups, but we also see new faces just about every week. Many of the staff will quickly tell you that Friday is the best day of the week, and no it's not because the weekend is right around the corner. Friday is the best day of the week because we see the direct, immediate impact that health care can have on our patients. Sometimes we will see a patient excited to eat their hot lunch because they just got a new set of teeth and can chew solid food. On other days, you’ll see patients walk in completely torn down emotionally, in a state of fear, panic, or immense sadness. After talking to one of the providers and receiving the care they need, these same patients walk out looking like a whole new version of themselves, a healthier version. Every Friday comes with challenges, but one thing is for sure: we will try to help out as many patients as we can, even if it means staying a bit later or coming together as a group to find the best solution. Perhaps the best part about our Friday Clinic is that our patients don’t have to pay for a single service they receive. Through the vision of the staff who first started this program, and the endless support from our board and faithful donors, we continue to provide these amazing services to those who often have nowhere else to turn.

With Giving Tuesday just around the corner, we will once again focus on raising funds to support our Friday Clinic in 2024. What once was simply a dream to help our homeless neighbors, is now a beautiful reality going strong for nearly 8 years and counting.  If you feel inspired to join us in this movement to provide quality health care to those who need it, help us share our story, set up a supply drive to provide for our hygiene kits, or donate at https://www.gagives.org/organization/Good-Samaritan-Health-Center.

Homelessness & Health - National Health Care for the Homeless Council, nhchc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/homelessness-and-health.pdf. Accessed 2 Nov. 2023.

Lee, Alexandria. “Disparities in Health Care for the Homeless.” Institute for Health Policy Leadership, 11 Mar. 2021, ihpl.llu.edu/blog/disparities-health-care-homeless.

TheGeorgiaVirtue. “Georgia’s Homeless Population Has Increased since 2020 • the Georgia Virtue.” The Georgia Virtue, 15 Mar. 2023, www.thegeorgiavirtue.com/georgia-news/georgias-homeless-population-has-increased-since-2020/#:~:text=Contributing%20factors%2C%20as%20in%20all,and%20479%20unaccompanied%20homeless%20youth.

Tiffany Loredo

Marketing and Communications Coordinator 
Good Samaritan Health Center

  Did you know that about half of all American children do not receive the regular dental care that they need due to certain Social Determinants of Health such as social, economic, and geographic obstacles? This means that about half of all children in America experience dental cavities because of obstacles that are out of their control. These cavities that they have in early childhood can then lead to a multitude of problems such as pain, delayed development, poor self-image, and socialization. Access to dental care does not just affect a child's oral health, it can snowball and affect many aspects of a young child’s life (Casamassimo, 2022).

You may be wondering how young is too young, or at what age children should start going to the dentist. Ideally, children should see the dentist for the first time at 12 months or whenever their first tooth starts to come in (“A Child’s First Dental Visit Fact Sheet”). While this may seem young, it not only allows for their teeth to be seen by a professional but it also allows time for both the parents and the child to learn proper cleaning techniques and also grow comfortable with the process of a dental appointment. As you may have read in our newsletter, we now accept Medicaid and offer nitrous oxide in order to provide our pediatric patients with the opportunity to be seen at a younger age by our dental team. With a recent uptick in state-administered health insurance, access to dental care has increased for 4 million children from low-income households (Casamassimo, 2022). Good Sam being a health center that accepts Medicaid opens our doors for low-income children to receive preventative care instead of restorative care, to ensure that their lives aren’t derailed by a small and simple disease such as dental caries. With the addition of nitrous oxide to our dental space, we are now able to offer a more comfortable, inviting space for children to come in and receive any and all of the dental care that they need.

 We try to create a welcoming environment, so as to not make our pediatric patients have “earthquake-magnitude tremors” as Dr. Warren noted in the newsletter, because we want to provide a pleasant experience. An experience that doesn’t make them fear their dental appointments and equips them with the right mindset and techniques for a healthy future.

Click the link below if you’d like to donate to our Here for Good campaign and join us in opening doors for our community members to receive the highest quality of care at an affordable price!

Donate to Here for Good!

Casamassimo, Paul. “Oral Health in America - February 2022 Bulletin.” National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Feb. 2022, www.nidcr.nih.gov/research/oralhealthinamerica/section-2-summary.

“Stanford Medicine Children’s Health.” Stanford Medicine Children’s Health - Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford, www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=a-childs-first-dental-visit-fact-sheet-1-1509#:~:text=Your%20child’s%20first%20dental%20visit,the%20first%20tooth%20coming%20in. Accessed 19 Oct. 2023.

Tiffany Loredo

Marketing and Communications Coordinator 
Good Samaritan Health Center

Did you know that 66% of Good Sam patients are women? Meaning that, at some point in their lives, mammograms and other routine screenings will not only be a want, but a need. When that time comes, we are prepared to help them move through every life stage and receive necessary care because routine and preventative screenings are another important factor in Full Circle healthcare access.
It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a month which is used to highlight all things breast health, from preventative care and information to new research, treatment, and survivorship. Here at Good Sam, we are very thankful for Its the Journey (ITJ), a local nonprofit that uses funds raised from their annual events like the Georgia 2-day Walk for Breast Cancer to support organizations like ours serving women in need. Over the last 17 years, ITJ has provided $597,100 of this crucial funding to Good Sam. This past Wednesday, we celebrated Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the generous funding we receive from partners like Its the Journey by having a Pink Out Day at the Center. Staff decked out in their best pinks, donated to It’s the Journey for a “jeans pass”, and welcomed the Northside Mobile Mammogram unit to our campus for patients to receive onsite screenings (be sure to check out our social media channels for the highlights). Our staff alone raised $250 dollars in support of the 2-Day Walk. Today we will host a table at the Georgia 2-Day Walk for Breast Cancer Expo, kicking off the 30-mile walk event and sharing all of our amazing resources to offer with the walk participants. We will use this opportunity to strengthen our relationship with survivors, supporters, and fighters of Breast Cancer in hopes of continuing to grow our outreach and spread the word on the importance of routine checkups, not just for breast cancer, but for one's general health. Having a primary care physician and receiving consistent, quality, and affordable care is a human right and one that leads to better health outcomes and longer life expectancy. These rights are championed by both It’s the Journey and Good Sam through the missional and life-changing work they do.

In case you didn’t know, here are a few reasons why checkups and routine mammograms are important:
1. 1 in 8 women will have breast cancer in her lifetime
2. 64% of breast cancer cases are diagnosed at a localized stage – when it's easiest to treat because it hasn’t spread outside of the breast
3. Women who receive regular screenings for breast cancer have a 26% lower breast cancer death rate than women who do not receive screenings.

For more information on Breast Cancer, statistics, and general knowledge make sure to read this article by the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-cancer-facts/

If you’d like to make a difference and contribute to such important preventative care, make sure to support our team who will be walking 30 miles over the next two days! Click here and make a donation now. Thank you.

Tiffany Loredo

Marketing and Communications Coordinator 
Good Samaritan Health Center

Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! This month-long celebration of Hispanic history and culture kicked off on September 15th. To celebrate, we’ve asked members of our staff how they feel their Hispanic Heritage influences their work or how the Hispanic cultures that surround them has affected them personally and professionally. This is especially important to us because a large percentage of our staff and patients identify as Hispanic/Latino. Here are some of our favorite answers:

“Coming from a Mexican-American household has largely influenced the way I see myself and others at work. It has influenced the way I speak to patients and treat them, the sense of community that is felt, and my work ethic. I say this not to imply that I treat others differently but rather, I understand that certain groups of people are marginalized and do receive horrible treatment because of their race or ethnicity. Good Sam tries to minimize those outside barriers and creates a welcoming environment for all. My heritage serves as a reminder to always treat others with kindness because it's very possible that outside these four walls, they are mistreated due to the color of their skin, their accent, or their lack of English.”

 “Being around different Hispanic cultures has allowed me to experience so many different people who all have different stories. This has allowed me to be less judgmental and more open-minded towards people that I encounter. I am able to both empathize and sympathize better. ”

“I love being able to interact with patients in their own language. I am able to help my coworkers who do not speak  Spanish so that they can share medical information.”

“Celebrating my Heritage gives me a sense of inclusion. It also gives me a chance to teach others and invite others to learn about my culture. Patients feel represented and familiar. ”

“It has made me more curious to learn more about my coworkers and their heritage by learning Spanish to interact better with them and hopefully be invited to a Quinceañera”

“I am so thankful for the way in which my co-workers and patients have shared their culture and language with me. I am inspired by their community, resilience, and love for the work we do.”

“There are many patients who are Hispanic/Latino in our facility. Helping them translate brings comfort and ease to them and their health. It feels great knowing that we are there to help as we know our parents struggled back in their days. ”

“Hispanic Heritage Month is special because it makes it known that no matter your background, you deserve a good life.”

As you can see, being of or being surrounded by people of Hispanic Heritage has largely influenced the way we see our small little world here at Good Sam. It has impacted and influenced the way in which we treat others, inspired us to learn more languages, and to always remain mindful of situations outside of Good Sam. It is through our presence here at Good Sam, that we create an environment that is welcoming for people of all backgrounds. Bringing our various stories and backgrounds is exactly what helps us create an inclusive and safe space for all of our patients and visitors to receive the treatment they need.  While this may seem small to some, it really makes a difference in the lives of our patients.

I’d like to close us off by sharing some inspirational quotes for us all to carry each and every day.

“Preservation of one’s own culture does not require contempt or disrespect for other cultures.” – Cesar Chavez

“Don’t let anyone call you a minority if you’re black or Hispanic or belong to some other ethnic group. You’re not less than anybody else.” – Gwendolyn Brooks

“It is important for all of us to appreciate where we come from and how that history has really shaped us in ways that we might not understand” – Sonia Sotomayor

Tiffany Loredo

Marketing and Communications Coordinator 
Good Samaritan Health Center

This week we are coming at you with nothing but words. No pictures of kids smiling, honey, bees, or the great accomplishments of the hardworking people of Good Sam. This week the attention is fully on you!

You may be asking yourself, why are we looking for your feedback, it’s not like you work here. And it’s true, you most likely don’t work here at Good Sam, but you do find the time to visit our website and read the latest blog posts. That’s exactly why we believe that your opinion matters. As some may say, “It’s about valuing perspectives, needs … of stakeholders who play a vital role in driving impactful change” (Baari, 2023). Your perspective matters and we want to listen to it in order to create stories that may lead to change. A change in how you view Good Sam, a change in your viewpoint on life, a change for the better.

We’ve been posting blogs for nearly 2 years and feel the need to not only make new content every other week but produce solid content that is entertaining, informative, or in some way necessary.

This week we would like to receive some feedback from you and learn what it is that interests you about our blog post. It could be that you come for the pictures, or maybe to keep up with Good Sam, or just to check if your local development team is still alive! For all we know, you may be coming for the always short and sometimes funny titles. Either way, we’d be so appreciative if you'd fill out this quick survey and let us know how we're doing.

We hope to come back with new and improved blog posts in about two weeks. We are only as good as the information we have, or at least that’s what Harvard Business School says, and they say it for good reason (Wreden, 2002). If we know what our readers or followers are truly interested in, we spend less time curating posts that aren’t of interest and push out content that is actually enjoyable. Feedback would be so appreciated and will show our commitment to making you a part of our community here at Good Sam.

To fill out the survey please click here! Thank you

Baari, Tumpeyo. “The Art of Listening to Stakeholder Perspectives.” LinkedIn, 25 May 2023, www.linkedin.com/pulse/art-listening-stakeholder-perspectives-tumpeyo baari/.

Wreden, Nick. “Using Surveys to Get the Information Your Business Needs - Survey Says? Identify Your Objectives.” HBS Working Knowledge, hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/using-surveys-to-get-the-information-your-business-needs-survey-says-identify-your-objectives. Accessed 8 Sept. 2023.

Tiffany Loredo

Marketing and Communications Coordinator 
Good Samaritan Health Center

Here at The Farm at Good Sam, we are very excited to be harvesting honey from our apiary for the second year now! The volume of honey we are seeing this year is the result of a year’s long effort to keep the bees that call Good Sam home happy and healthy.

Keeping hives in good condition involves much more work than one might think. Being a beekeeper involves bi-weekly inspections to check for pests, assessing if a honey super should be added to or removed from the hive, providing the bees with food during periods when there isn’t a nectar flow in nature, and so much more. As a new beekeeper, it is also important to keep asking questions to peers with more experience, and continue doing research. There is so much that can be learned about the bee’s activity in each season, and the more we understand, the more honey we can help them produce.

With everything we have learned, a generous donation from the Club Estates Gardening Club, and our friend Mr. Lattimore, we were able to add and care for four new hives on our land this spring. This increase allowed us to double the number of honey jars we are bringing to market this year, and this number is only expected to keep growing! Once the newer hives make it through the winter, they will have a head start on production for next year.

To determine how much honey we want to take from the hives, we first determine how much the bees will need to eat for themselves through the winter, when flowers are no longer in bloom. Once the surplus is decided, we remove the frames full of wax-capped honey from the hives, and it goes into a piece of equipment called an extractor. We turn a crank, which spins the frames so fast that the honey flies out of the cells and drips to the bottom of the tank to a collection bucket. After a straining process, to separate small pieces of wax from the honey, it gets poured straight into jars, labeled, and is ready to sell. The resulting wildflower honey is 100% raw, and unfiltered, straight from the property of the Good Samaritan Health Center. The health benefits of this locally produced honey are numerous, especially during allergy season, and we encourage our patients and shoppers to give it a try and see for themselves!

We are already looking forward to another cycle of tending to the bees, and seeing what of their abundance we will have to share with our community.

Alexis Haggerty 

Assistant Farm Manager 
Good Samaritan Health Center

10 years. That’s the difference in life expectancy between women in the top 1% and women in the bottom 1% in America. 10 years, which could have been filled with laughter, love, and lasting moments with the family such as weddings, meeting the new grandbaby, or just celebrating small daily wins. 10 years, the difference that can be made when someone is provided all of the opportunities to improve and monitor their health as opposed to just scraping by and using the ER as their primary care provider.

If you haven’t been keeping up on our social media posts this week, we’ve been sharing alarming yet very true statistics on the state of health we see day in and day out. We’ve been sharing these statistics in order to highlight the real importance of Health Centers not only in here in Atlanta but all throughout the country, in observance of #NationalHealthCenterWeek. Did you know that Americans below 100% of the poverty line are more likely and susceptible to have physical limitations and develop illnesses such as coronary heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and stroke?

Good Sam is a place that is here for our community. We don’t plan on leaving anyone behind because of their lack of economic stability, education, or any other social determinant. We strive to make our services accessible and of great quality which is why we provide same day appointments, Uber rides at a reduced price, fresh organic produce at our market, health education classes, and much more in order to provide OUR community with opportunities that many others wouldn’t seek to provide them. We have been around for 25 years with exactly the purpose of, “Spreading Christ’s love through quality health care to those in need”, and we hope to stick around to continue to follow our mission and further expand our services.

Other alarming facts we’ve learned over the course of the week:

• Individuals with only high school degrees are less likely to be in excellent or very good health and have a shorter life expectancy. (Source: Health Inequity in the Unites States by Jose J. Escarce)

• In 2021, 64.4% of non-elderly uninsured workers worked for an employer that did not offer them health benefits. (Source: Key Facts about the Uninsured Population by Jennifer Tolbert, et al. )

• 40% of Americans reported symptoms of anxiety and depression in 2020 compared to just 11% in 2019  (Source: The State of Mental Health in America 2023: Adult Prevalence and Access to Care by Darice Warren )

• Access to mental health care can be unaffordable as reported by 42% of respondents of a Mental Health America survey.  (Source: The State of Mental Health in America 2023: Adult Prevalence and Access to Care by Darice Warren )

If you feel moved by this blog post, make sure to support our efforts to grow and expand our services for our neighbors. Click this link if you’d like to be a part of the change!

And if you’d like to read more about Health Equity you can check out the resources below:

https://www.nssbehavioralhealth.com/nss-blog-the-state-of-mental-health-in-america-2023-adult-prevalence-and-access-to-care/

https://www.kff.org/uninsured/issue-brief/key-facts-about-the-uninsured-population/#:~:text=In%202021%2C%2027.5%20million%20nonelderly,and%20people%20in%20working%20families.

https://ldi.upenn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Penn-LDI-Health-Inequity-in-the-United-States-Report_5.pdf

https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/issue-brief/disparities-in-health-and-health-care-5-key-question-and-answers/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertpearl/2023/01/09/3-shocking-healthcare-statistics-for-2023/?sh=3342cdb42860

Tiffany Loredo

Marketing and Communications Coordinator 
Good Samaritan Health Center

“Good morning, are you coming in for a medical or dental appointment today? Do you need to take a COVID-19 test for work or for travel? Have you had any coughing, sore throat, vomiting, or body aches? Oh, and one more thing, don’t forget to pull your mask up before you step in.”

Don’t worry, you don’t have to answer any of those questions, but you may have heard me asking you any or all of those questions before. My name is Tiffany Loredo and I’m the newest Marketing and Communications Coordinator here at Good Sam. Before I joined the Development team, I worked Triage and asked all of those amazing, not so stressful or time-consuming questions. But before becoming Triage personnel, I was a volunteer for one of the healthy cooking classes hosted in the teaching kitchen. While, I’ll try to stick to speaking about my first thirty days, the truth is that my journey with Good Sam is three years in the making, and there's a lot to unpack.

Believe it or not, I’m not the first one to have moved from one place to another within Good Sam. If you take a good look at the medical and dental teams, you’ll realize that some of those faces are very familiar because they once sat at the receptionist desk or checked your temperature at the front door.

That’s the kind of place that cares for not only their patients and donors, but also for the betterment of their staff through opportunities for growth. That’s just the place that we have here at Good Sam.

I now find myself becoming more and more involved with the team here at Good Sam from going to my first luncheon as fulltime staff, attending a Braves game for the family, and even leading Devotion for the first time.

All in all, in these past thirty days I’ve been learning as much as possible about our current marketing and communications tactics in order to prepare for our busy season. I’ve had countless meetings with both Heather and Bianca and contributed a number of ideas for the newsletter, blog posts, and social media posts. I’ve also been able to practice my photography skills in order to prepare for our Back to School Bash, which will be at the end of this month. My days have been filled with watching informational YouTube videos, reading up on current marketing trends, and really getting to immerse myself in Good Sam in order to better communicate who we are and what we stand for to current and future donors and our entire community.

To close this off, I’d like to share a snippet from my devotion the other day and offer up a little bit of encouragement for anyone entering a new stage in their life right now. As we can read in Isaiah 40:31, “But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength … They will walk and not faint”. As difficult as the job-hunting process was, I would always come back into a place of peace, hope, and mediation, and remember that the Lord has his plans set for us and whether we figure that out now, or later, in prayer we will be led to the him and we will find not only him but also ourselves. With each new beginning we can be reminded of God’s grace, mercy, and forgiveness. My first thirty days here at Good Sam as the Marketing and Communications Coordinator have been nothing short of great, inspiring, and memorable. I look forward to continuing to grow with Good Sam and am endlessly grateful for everyone who has been on this journey of growth with me.

Tiffany Loredo

Marketing and Communications Coordinator 
Good Samaritan Health Center

I walked into Ms. M’s room a little apprehensively because I’d checked the schedule that morning and saw that she was a patient I’d never seen before and hadn’t been to Good Sam in quite a while. I was worried that the visit wouldn’t go smoothly because patients usually see their regular provider, particularly those with multiple chronic health conditions. Fortunately, I couldn’t have been more wrong about Ms. M.’s visit. Half way through, she stopped me and said, “You’re just like all the other people here. You’re why I keep coming back to this clinic. This is the ONLY clinic I will ever go to. I went and got insurance, really good insurance, so I could go anywhere, but I tried, and I came right back here. Here, everybody cares and I know I’m going to be taken care of.” Ms. M informed me she has been a patient at Good Sam almost since its inception, “back when you were over by the aquarium.”

I started working for Good Sam, thinking it would be a temporary job while I helped my sister, who lived near, a little over 11 years ago. I assumed once I helped out both my sister and the clinic a bit, I would return to global mission nursing. God certainly had different plans! My sister is fine now, and I am still here, loving my job with Good Sam. Working for Good Sam means that I spend the majority of my days in a place where all the staff believe in and support the mission “spreading Christ’s love through quality healthcare to those in need”. I hear comments like Ms. M’s all the time. Patients keep coming back because they feel loved and cared for and receive some of the best medical care available regardless of whether or not they have insurance. I have had patients tell me that they received health insurance, but came back to Good Sam because they now want to support our clinic and mission. Others have told me that they are moving to another state, and some even another country, but that they wish to continue their care with Good Sam and will make the trip back as often as necessary. There have been multiple patients who no longer needed Good Sam and have come back to volunteer once they were not patients. Patients often comment how wonderful it is to be in a place that really sees them and doesn’t treat them like another number or task to rush through. They love the time and care they receive here. Every day at Good Sam, I feel the Holy Spirit’s presence. I see God in our patients, the staff and in the visitors. I am proud to work for a clinic that truly puts its mission and its patients first.

Sometimes, the work at Good Sam can be hard and heavy. The stories people share hurt. The pain, limits, inequity and inequality that people share are too much. It’s easy to doubt what difference can really be made. But then a patient, or another provider, or an MA, or clinic leader says something like what Ms. M said, and I realize that every encounter matters and, through each of these small encounters, I’d like to think, a very big difference can be made. I am grateful that Good Sam allows me and many others to be a light in this world.

 

Katie Stump

Family Nurse Practitioner
Good Samaritan Health Center