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BAXTER
INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION AWARDS $25,000
GRANT TO LAFAYETTE HOUSE
Grant to Expand Access to Care for Hispanic Residents
JOPLIN, Mo., December
20, 2002-- The Baxter International Foundation, the philanthropic arm
of Baxter International, Inc., has awarded a $25,000 grant to Lafayette
House, an organization that offers a continuum of services to help families
with problems such as domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault,
and substance abuse. The grant will support the expansion of services
to meet the needs of the community's Hispanic residents.
Lafayette House serves
seven southwest Missouri counties. Five of those counties have seen a
300 percent or greater growth in Hispanic residents in the last ten years.
Access to care remains an obstacle for many Hispanic women, who often
face the barriers of language, culture, and in the more rural counties,
isolation from resources. The grant from The Baxter International Foundation
will enable Lafayette House to hire a Spanish-speaking outreach worker
and consequently serve victims of domestic violence and child abuse.
"Through the
outreach worker we will be able to increase access to care for our community's
Hispanic residents," said Alison Malinowski, executive director,
Lafayette House. "By providing translation during the intake and
screening process, the outreach worker will help us decrease the length
of time victims spend on the waiting list and ensure that they receive
a comprehensive assessment."
With this funding,
Lafayette House will also improve its outreach to area Hispanics by increasing
the amount of printed materials written in Spanish as well as developing
targeted outreach efforts in the Hispanic communities to increase awareness
of its services. The outreach worker will identify and develop relationships
with community groups working with Spanish-speaking women, including the
area's multi-cultural center, local churches, and migrant service organizations.
"We are pleased
to support Lafayette House as they reach out to the Hispanic community,"
said Patricia Morgan, executive director of The Baxter International Foundation,
"The outreach worker will enable them to have a greater impact in
the community and on the lives of more women and children who are victims
of abuse."
Lafayette House, founded
in 1978, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the health and
well-being of women, children and families. Lafayette House served 1600
individuals last year through its emergency shelter, residential and outpatient
programs. The agency provides comprehensive services that address social,
physical, mental and spiritual health, and works to strengthen individuals,
and promote a safe, nurturing environment for families. For more information
on Lafayette House or to volunteer call (417) 782-1772.
As the philanthropic arm of Baxter International Inc., The Baxter International
Foundation helps to increase access to health care in the United States
and other countries. In 2001, foundation grants totaling $4.8 million
improved access to care for children, the uninsured and the elderly, helped
prevent child abuse and neglect, promoted health education, expanded education
opportunities for health-care providers, and helped victims of global
disasters.
Baxter International
Inc. is a global medical products and services company that, through its
subsidiaries, provides critical therapies for people with life-threatening
conditions. Baxter employs more than 60 people at its facilities in Earth
City and Joplin, Missouri.
FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION:
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- Media Contacts:
- Tanya Tyska, Baxter, 847-948-3256
Louise Secker, Lafayette House, 417-782-1772
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