September 8, 2019 | Source: Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
By Nedra Hotchkins
Lubbock Children’s Health Clinic (LCHC) is one of the oldest community partners for the Lubbock Area United Way. This year LCHC will celebrate 80 years of serving children in our community. Our mission is providing comprehensive pediatric health care to children from birth to age 18 without regard to their parent’s inability to pay. We can keep our commitment to the families and children in our community due to the strong partnership we have with the United Way.
As a new executive director, I am incredibly grateful for the support of United Way staff. I have often found myself calling upon them for their assistance and guidance in connecting me to other community partners or navigating a new space. They are caring and knowledgeable and are committed to ensuring the success of my role as an executive director but also to the LCHC. Most importantly, being a United Way Community Partner allows LCHC to form connections with other partner agencies. So often, we have families that come into the clinic for a routine physical, but later we learn that family is also in need of other support within the community. Because of our involvement in United Way, my team can reach out to the other agencies to provide them the support they need. For example, parenting classes or car seats at the Parenting Cottage or early childcare at the Early Learning Centers.
Lubbock Area United Way continues to show a great deal of support to LCHC by always being responsive and transparent. Doing so allows me to continue to keep my staff, board of directors, and other community stakeholders informed and excited about what is happening in our community. I have found that they are just one phone call or meeting away from making time for their community partners and addressing our issues or concerns.
I am often in awe at the overwhelming support of our community and United Way is exceptionally effective at unifying our community’s generosity. Lubbock Children’s Health Clinic serves children by providing acute visits, vaccinations, well-exams, pharmacy vouchers, and onsite lab care due to the annual support we receive from United Way. United Way provides significant funding while also giving credibility to our organization. This is especially important, as we are a small clinic with limited staff resources trying to enhance our visibility to serve more children. Because we are a United Way Community Partner, I believe many people realize this means that we are fiscally responsible, outcomes-focused, and well managed. It also means we’re always looking to collaborate, partner, and find efficiencies without duplicating services.
Nedra Hotchkins is the Executive Director of the Lubbock Children’s Health Clinic.