When the workday and compassion converge, magic happens. For the eighth year, the Healthcare Transformation Initiatives (HTI) department at UTHealth Houston transformed its annual holiday gathering into a heartwarming opportunity to make a real difference for children.
This year, HTI selected BEAR…BE A Resource as its nonprofit to support with time and resources at HTI Gives Back. BEAR provides comfort and hygiene items to children who have entered Child Protective Services (CPS). Its mission is to give hope and help to these children and their caregivers in Greater Houston. With approximately 16,000 children involved in CPS-related cases, HTI’s effort meets a profound need.
Making a difference for kids
“Partnering with BEAR is an ode to my work this year with our pediatric department and pediatric primary care quality initiatives,” said Robyn Harris, MPA, an HTI project manager who helped coordinate the event and selected the nonprofit.
Yen-Chi Le, PhD, HTI executive director of innovation and quality, and Harris are passionate about pediatric care, so BEAR has a special place in their hearts. Le said there are multiple ways to improve health, and only 20% of a person’s health is determined by the care they receive at a doctor’s office. Nonmedical factors affect 80% of an individual’s quality of life and health, such as food insecurity, housing instability, and transportation.
“Our department’s mission is to improve the health outcomes of UT Physicians patients,” Le said. “We are happy that we can provide these children with some items to help them during a difficult time.”
Creativity in action
HTI worked together to make 20 tie-fleece blankets and assemble 32 hygiene packs for kids transitioning into CPS care. More than 70 yards of fleece with fun patterns of gummy bears, mermaids, and cats filled the tables. Hygiene packs included everyday personal items to help create normalcy as children transition into CPS care.
Harris received a resounding positive response from everyone on creating the blankets. Many were unfamiliar with tie-fleece blankets and planned to host similar team-building activities with their teams.
Le called Harris and Isaac Mancillas, a UT Physicians project manager, the team “super angels” who researched the organizations and organized the event and lunch afterward. She said the department looks forward to seeing colleagues roll up their sleeves to serve the community while enjoying each other’s company.
Events such as these remind Harris that the work they do as a team is instrumental.
“My hope is that children who receive these blankets see them as a constant reminder that someone cares and then hold on to them for years to come,” said Harris.
View all HTI Gives Back photos in the Flickr album.
