My Nonprofit Reviews

The Interfaith Humanitarian Sanctum is an indispensable part of providing health care for our patients at the University of Virginia. We work with many indigent patients who, even if they receive discounted or free care, cannot afford the expenses of lodging, gas, or food. Sometimes they can stay at our Hospitality House, but if there are no openings, or they have children under 18, they need to stay in hotels. We are fortunate that the University of Virginia is one of two hospitals in Virginia with our state-supported discount system. We can work with medical bills and prescriptions, but if a person can’t afford to get here or stay overnight, then all the other benefits don’t help. The Interfaith Humanitarian Sanctum helps us with these needs, thus making access to health care possible. It is heartbreaking to see patients spend their last funds, or sell property, to afford the gas money to come here, and then have no funds to eat or spend the night.

I am a social worker in the Cancer Center. Patients often come and need to stay overnight unexpectedly to get diagnostic testing or treatment. One single working mother with multiple medical problems including cancer, needs to bring her 2 year old daughter when she comes to medical appointments. A young man had to come for repeated surgeries for a serious recurrent bladder cancer and his wife needed to bring their daughter who is under 18. The family needed several stays at hotels as well as pre-made non-perishable food bags provided through IHS.

We are very appreciative of the critically important work of I H S.

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