The WellSky Foundation Gifts $100,000 to Organizations Removing Socioeconomic Barriers to Health and Wellness

Today the WellSky Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to improving quality of life for vulnerable populations, announced it has made two donations of $50,000 each to Mercy Medical Angels and Phoenix Family to continue their efforts to address acute and long-term needs within the communities they serve. Both organizations encompass the WellSky Foundation’s strong commitment to building sustainable communities by removing socioeconomic factors barring lasting health and wellness.

As the nation’s largest provider of charitable medical transport for low-income patients and their caregivers across the country, Mercy Medical Angels ensures patients receive the care they need by removing the transportation barrier. In 2021, the organization provided more than 27,561 free trips for those seeking necessary treatment. Leveraging the WellSky Foundation’s gift, Mercy Medical Angels can provide additional transportation services on the ground and in the air to ensure patients are afforded the treatment they need without regard to distance.

“At Mercy Medical Angels, we know that a life-threatening disease or serious health issue can drastically change a person’s life. By working closely with veteran organizations, children’s hospitals, and cancer centers, we remove the expense and stress of expensive travel so patients can focus on healing,” said Gib Godwin, President and CEO of Mercy Medical Angels. “With the support of the WellSky Foundation, our team can continue the essential task of providing free trips to families, seniors, veterans, and children across all 50 states as we answer the call for our assistance.”

The WellSky Foundation is also committed to enabling lasting impacts within communities. Phoenix Family empowers those living in low-income housing to achieve long-term stability and self-sufficiency. Serving more than 5,100 residents living in 34 communities in 13 cities throughout Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri, Phoenix Family leverages three proven programs – HIKE, Families First, and Senior Empowerment – to enable people to stay in their homes with their families as they become fully independent. The organization will use the funding from the WellSky Foundation to continue to implement their dynamic programs and bolster necessary resources in response to the increasing need for their support.

“Our mission at Phoenix Family is to provide the resources children, families, and seniors need to break generational poverty and create a more secure, hopeful future,” stated Kimber Myers Givner, Executive Director of Phoenix Family. “This generous donation from the WellSky Foundation allows us to meet the enhanced need for our onsite programs while supporting our team as they make life-long impacts within our community.”

With the support of the WellSky Foundation, Mercy Medical Angels and Phoenix Family can address the rising need for their services across the vulnerable populations they support.

“The WellSky Foundation continues to be an advocate for organizations working to holistically address the social determinants of health,” said Andrea Morgan, executive director of the WellSky Foundation. “Mercy Medical Angels and Phoenix Family are two examples of community partners directly combatting both immediate and longstanding socioeconomic hurdles to health and wellness. We are proud to partner with these organizations and look forward to seeing the continued effect they will have on our communities as they expand their reach to fill critical gaps with their transformative services.”

About Mercy Medical Angels

Founded 49 years ago, Mercy Medical Angels is the nation’s largest provider of charitable medical transportation for patients in need to reach critical clinical care. Mercy Medical Angel’s mission is to “remove the barrier to medical care with transportation on the ground with gas cards, bus, and train tickets, and in the air with flights by volunteer pilots and the commercial airlines.” For information about Mercy Medical Angels, please visit www.MercyMedical.org.

About Phoenix Family

Phoenix Family is a nonprofit organization that offers programs to more than 5,100 residents in 13 cities throughout Missouri and Kansas. Its programs empower youth, seniors and families in low-income housing communities with the on-site support they need to gain stability and achieve self-sufficiency. Go to www.phoenixfamily.org for more information.

About the WellSky Foundation

The WellSky Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to improving quality of life for vulnerable populations by removing social barriers to health, recovery, and lasting wellness. The WellSky Foundation is an engine for change, financially supporting organizations that enable care and healing for people, regardless of their socioeconomic status. With a deep understanding of the social determinants of health, the WellSky Foundation partners with community organizations that are boldly addressing the top four socioeconomic factors affecting long-term wellness — housing, food insecurity, transportation, and isolation. The WellSky Foundation is committed to funding and supporting organizations that protect the people and communities they serve and create better outcomes for people in need. Together with our community partners, the WellSky Foundation is breaking down social barriers to health and wellness to build thriving communities. To learn more about the WellSky Foundation, visit WellSkyFoundation.org.

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