Jewish Healthcare Foundation / Bikur Cholim

Bikur Cholim also known as the Jewish Healthcare Foundation is one of the leading nonprofit Healthcare organizations on the west coast, providing life-saving services and social support programs to the most vulnerable children, adults, and families suffering from serious and life-threatening illness. Too often, disenfranchised and minority communities suffer from a lack of Healthcare equity due to systemic bias and racism. Bikur Cholim addresses this disparity through its more than 20 programs that annually assist thousands of individuals and families suffering from life-threatening illness regardless of race, religion, or gender. The hebrew words "Bikur Cholim" serve as a testimony to a living continuation of the Jewish tenets of caring, compassion, and philanthropy passed on from one generation to then next. Through our more than 20 services and programs, we open doors to world-renowned physicians and medical centers, accessing the best diagnosticians, specialists, and medical care available today. We are dedicated to ensuring that the thousands of men, women, and children who turn to us for help receive the treatment they need, regardless of their ability to pay. Bikur Cholim's devoted staff and volunteers provide comprehensive family-centered care, whether at home or in the hospital, and understand that when illness strikes, who you call first can make all the difference. Funding treatment, medication, & diagnostics Bikur Cholim understands that many individuals and families are of limited means. This can result in being uninsured or an inability to afford co- payments and deductibles for medical care. Bikur Cholim house greater los angeles offers unparalleled specialty medicine and surgeons for treating debilitating and life-threatening conditions and diseases. This level of excellence draws patients from all over the world for medical treatment which can require them to stay weeks, or even months at a time. Many find themselves overwhelmed not only by the cost of their medical care and debilitating effects of their illness, but also by feelings of isolation and the significant expense of lodging while away from home. The Bikur Cholim house is a 10-unit apartment building in the heart of hancock park centrally located to all of the major medical centers throughout los angeles. For those patients and their accompanying guests desiring a Jewish community while receiving treatment in los angeles, the Bikur Cholim house provides each family with their own fully furnished apartment with wifi and cable tv free of charge within walking distance of synagogues and kosher markets. The Bikur Cholim house is not a Healthcare facility, however is designed to offer patients much-needed privacy and an environment that promotes health and well-being as they battle their illness. Blood & bone marrow every hour of every day someone in our community needs donated blood to live. It may be a child receiving chemotherapy, a mother undergoing surgery, or a hospital suffering from an urgent blood shortage. Blood is a lifesaving resource that cannot be manufactured. When the need arises, it is a matter of life and death for patients and hospitals to have blood products available. Bikur Cholim organizes and operates the largest blood drives and direct donor blood & platelet program in greater los angeles. We partner with hospitals to ensure blood is for all patients. Homecare assistance from time-to-time, patients discharged from a hospital may be in need of acute homecare assistance during their recovery. Bikur Cholim understands that many individuals and families are of limited means which can result in being uninsured or an inability to afford this care and is here to help. Transportation to/from medical appointments from time-to-time patients are unable to drive themselves to their medical appointments and often family members are unavailable. Under these circumstances Bikur Cholim will assit when possible with patient trasnportaion. Visitation home & hospital for those suffering from illness, whether at home or hospitalized, the positive effect of a friendly visitor is immeasurable. Bikur cholims trained volunteers visit patients throughout our city every day providing comfort, company, and the assurance that the patient is not alone. These visits also allow our volunteers to act as liaisons to convey each patients request to Bikur Cholim in order for us to ensure they are receiving the best care possible. Challah shel bracha for many years, Bikur cholims challah shel bracha program has been providing homemade challahs to our citys elderly and patients. Each challah is home-baked by volunteers and personally delivered erev shabbos whether one is home or hospitalized. This delicious and heartwarming gift lets the recipients know they are not alone or forgotten, and that they remain in the communitys hearts. Community health campaigns & education free and subsidized childhood immunizations free and subsidized mammography physician roundtable womens health care events childrens health care events crisis intervention & case management the news of a serious diagnosis can understandably leave an individual or family overwhelmed. With Bikur cholims unparalleled experience in dealing with medical crises, we ensure that each patient is immediately connected to our more than 20 critical services and programs such as direct donor blood and platelets, medical referrals and specialist consultations, in- hospital kosher meals, free loan of medical equipment, etc. In order to make this challenging time more manageable. Eishes chayil keeping generations connected Bikur cholims eishes chayil program includes matriarch luncheons throughout the year, home visitation, and weekly phone-calls to the elderly and Cholim whom could use some cheer and encouragement. Hospital shabbos closets & shabboxes for those patients and family members who find themselves in an emergency hospital admission leaving them unprepared, we have Bikur Cholim closets located in hospitals throughout our city. Each closet provides an extensive assortment of nonperishable kosher food items that offer anything from a snack to a complete shabbos meal. Working together with hatzolah, Bikur Cholim has equipped their emergency response vehicles with shabboxes for those patients whom find themselves transported to an er with no access to kosher foods. These packages contain an ample amount of shelf-stable meals and snacks until a patient is able to obtain kosher meals. Meals Bikur Cholim understands how a nutritious and familiar meal feeds not only the body, but also the soul. Working together with the food service departments of our citys hospitals, we provide supplementary kosher meals for patients and families while hospitalized. When a family member is staying at a loved ones bedside, whether for days or weeks, or at the Bikur Cholim house having meals available allows them to devote their undivided attention to the patient. Medical equipment free loan gmach Bikur cholims medical equipment gmach loans out free medical equipment to patients and families of all ages. Wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, and all types of medical supplies are available at no cost for those leaving the hospital, recovering at home, or any emergency. Medical referrals & specialist consultations the news of a serious diagnosis can understandably leave an individual or family overwhelmed. Under these circumstances, patients and their families explore all options available to treat their condition. Bikur Cholim has forged close-working relationships with the finest specialists in their fields and together with our medical board provides referrals for a 2nd opinion. Mitzvah kids Bikur Cholim offers several opportunities for kids to get involved in helping those in our community. Kids helping kids while most children are going to school or with their friends, there are many who spend most of their time at the doctor or in a hospital. For a child suffering from illness; whether it be their own or that of a family member, the gift of a smile can make it seem so much better. On your child's next birthday, bar or bat mitzvah, or any other special occasion, we ask that they choose a gift and donate it to Bikur Cholim. Every new unwrapped gift we receive will go to a child in need of smile. Challah cover machers to help enhance our challah shel bracha program, we have children make hand-decorated challah covers that get delivered with our weekly challahs to Cholim, elderly, and frail throughout the community. These bright and festive designs brighten shabbos tables for so many and let the recipients know that they are in the hearts and minds of others, during times when its needed most. Shira vzimra at Bikur Cholim we understand that a patient's well-being doesn't just depend on a physician or medication. Helping to keep one's spirits high as they battle illness has an enormous effect on the emotional impact of being sick, and at the