Press Releases: Colorado
January 15, 2009
Kaiser Permanente Hosts MLK Day Free Health Fair
DENVER – In response to President-elect Barack Obama's call for Americans to serve their community on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, groups across the country, and Denver, are preparing to volunteer.
Volunteering on MLK Day has been a long standing tradition for the employees of Kaiser Permanente. On Jan. 19, the nonprofit health plan, in partnership with Metro Volunteers, will host one of their largest community service days to date with the support of more than 400 volunteers.
"President-elect Obama stated during his campaign that every time our nation faced a challenge, the American people rose up to meet it," said Donna Lynne, DrPH, President, Kaiser Permanente Colorado. "Today, one of the biggest challenges facing our community is access to health care. That's why Kaiser Permanente and Metro Volunteers have joined forces to create a day on, not a day off, in honor of Martin Luther King. By committing to a day of service, we will help serve thousands of people who are under or uninsured."
The flagship event at this year's Kaiser Permanente MLK Day of Service is a free health fair at Manual High School. Physicians and nurses will provide preventive screenings, wellness exams, immunizations and more for an anticipated 1,000 Denver residents. Paula Henry, director of Volunteer Engagement at Metro Volunteers, attests: "It is incredible to see the thoughtful planning Kaiser Permanente has put into developing the MLK Day Health Fair into a day that will provide essential medical services for children and adults, as well as educating the attendees about resources available to them so they can continue to receive care in the future."
In addition to organizing the MLK Day Health Fair, Kaiser Permanente employees will be volunteering in the community at the City's Annual Marade, the MLK Early College, the Denver Broncos Boys and Girls Club, and the Volunteers of America Dinner for Those Who Hunger.
All media are invited to the following locations on Jan. 19; 8 a.m.–3 p.m.:
MLK Day Health Fair at Manual High School – 1700 E 28th Ave.
Kaiser Permanente will provide free medical services to the uninsured.
Services include: Wellness exams for children; PAP tests for women; Pediatric vision screenings; Pediatric hearing tests; Immunizations for children; Blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes screenings; and, mammograms.
MLK Early College – 19535 E 46th Ave.
Volunteers will be paint and clean a JROTC classroom, refurbish a café for the high school students to eat lunch, and create murals.
Denver Broncos Boys and Girls Club – 4397 Crown Blvd.
Volunteers will be tutoring, creating arts and crafts, and playing sports with the youth at the Boys and Girls Club.
Volunteers of America Dinner for Those Who Hunger - 1865 Larimer St.
Volunteers will help serve meals and distribute hygiene packets to those in need.
About Metro Volunteers
Our mission is to mobilize and cultivate volunteers as a vital force in our community; at Metro Volunteers we believe that volunteers are a critical resource in solving societal problems. Whether you want to join a nonprofit board of directors, mentor a youth, care for the elderly, or choose from hundreds of other opportunities designed to match your skills, time constraints and talents, Metro Volunteers can turn your decision to volunteer into a rewarding one. For more information, go to www.metrovolunteers.org.
About Kaiser Permanente Colorado
The Kaiser Permanente Colorado is the state's largest nonprofit health plan, proudly working to improve the lives and health of Denver, Boulder, and Southern Colorado area residents for nearly 40 years. Kaiser Permanente Colorado provides comprehensive health care services to 480,000 members through 17 medical offices and a network of affiliated hospitals and physicians. The health plan was recently named “Highest in Member Satisfaction” among Commercial Health Plans by J.D. Power and Associates. It is also the top-ranked commercial and Medicare health plan in Colorado, according to U.S. News & World Report/National Committee for Quality Assurance. In 2007, Kaiser Permanente directed more than $42 million to community benefit programs to improve the health of all Coloradans. For more Kaiser Permanente news, visit kp.org/newscenter.