SANTA BARBARA – Patients at the four Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics were surprised Tuesday afternoon with a free pair of pajamas.
Tatiana and Matthew Ha of Ventura County closed their online pajama business and decided to give away the left over inventory to those who need it most.
After doctor’s appointments at the Eastside Neighborhood Clinic, people were given the gift.
“We went down into the waiting room and next door to the dental clinic and said, ‘Come on up, we have a gift for you!’” said Bonnie Campbell, CEO of the Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics.
Tatiana Wilcox-Ha said she didn’t just want to give away the 350 pairs of pajamas, but wanted to make sure people who needed them most would get the clothes.
“And they’re wonderful pajamas so we looked and we researched and this organization seemed the answer to our prayers,” she said.
The sets were sold online for $50 each, but every family was able to take two pairs for free.
“It will benefit the community because a lot of people don’t have enough money to buy clothes or pajamas,” said clinic patient Armianka Sanchez. “Like a lot of people don’t wear pajamas because they don’t have money to buy them.”
The pajamas were in adult sizes only, but many of the kids were happy to also get a pair.
“It definitely feels really good helping the community and helping them have a good night sleep in comfortable pajamas,” said Matthew Ha.
Since there were still hundreds left after the Eastside Clinic stop, the remaining pajamas were sent to the Westside and Isla Vista Neighborhood Clinics so people there could get a pair.
On Saturday, May 19, Cancer Center of Santa Barbara, Cottage Health System, and Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics will host a Cancer Prevention Fair to provide free and low-cost cancer screenings for community members who are uninsured and under-insured.
Attendees who qualify will be eligible for free cancer screenings, including skin cancer screenings, visual oral cancer screening, clinical breast exams, and colon cancer at-home screening kits. Future appointments for colonoscopies and women’s exams will be made for those who qualify. Health educators will also be on hand to provide cancer prevention information on topics including mammograms, the HPV vaccine, hereditary cancer risk, and smoking cessation.
The screenings will be held at Eastside Neighborhood Clinic from 9 a.m. to noon. Screenings and information are available in Spanish and English.
Date: Saturday, May 19, 2012
Time: 9:00am – 12:00pm
Location: Eastside Neighborhood Clinic – 915 N. Milpas Street, Santa Barbara, CA
Cost: FREE for those who are un-insured or under-insured
For more information, please contact Cancer Center of Santa Barbara at (805) 898-2204 or visit www.ccsb.org.
For Immediate Release Contact: Kelly Kapaun/Chris Davis
(805) 687-3322
Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics is Best Option for Quality, Affordable Healthcare for Low Income Families and Seniors in SB
December 13, 2011, Santa Barbara, CA – Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics (SBNC) is quickly becoming the choice for many in our community who can no longer afford healthcare insurance fees, the high cost of deductibles, and the care that come with it—including those who are faced with their current providers limiting or eliminating coverage for government-funded programs, such as Medi-Cal. SBNC never has and never will eliminate acceptance of these programs.
“Based on our model of care and the way that we are funded, we really are well positioned to become the model of care not only for Santa Barbara, but the model of healthcare across the country,” said Cynder Sinclair, Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics CEO.
Many residents in Santa Barbara are not aware that SBNC accepts Medicare. As a Medicare provider, SBNC is able to provide very comprehensive healthcare to our 65 and older community members, including accepting newly eligible patients.
In addition, SBNC is a Medi-Cal provider. There are several programs covered by Medi-Cal, including Healthy Families, Healthy Kids, Cancer Detection Program (CDP), Child Health and Disability Prevention Program (CHDP) and CenCal Health. SBNC also accepts Blue Cross, Blue Shield, United Healthcare and numerous dental insurance plans.
“Continuity of health care is especially critical as our community members begin to face health issues related to aging,” said Sinclair. “At this time of great uncertainty for the future of healthcare and the overall welfare of seniors and the underserved in our nation, we can all celebrate our increased access to affordable and excellent healthcare right here in our community,” said Sinclair.
“We want those on healthcare coverage programs, such as Medi-Cal and those who may be uninsured and otherwise underserved, to see us as their primary healthcare provider. Over the next few years, we will see more and more of the general population coming to us for their healthcare needs. While some providers of healthcare are dropping or limiting government health programs, SBNC will always accept Medi-Cal and never turn anyone away, regardless of their ability to pay,” said Sinclair.
Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics is one of more than 800 community health clinics who are members of the California Primary Care Association (CPCA). As such, SBNC is able to leverage group purchasing on medical and administrative supplies to keep expenses down, ensuring the ability to see more patients. As SBNC upgrades to Electronic Health Records (EHR), they will increase their technical expertise, efficiency, and record keeping. This too will continue to keep prices low for their patients now and in the future.
Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics
Since Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics began serving the community over four decades ago, the organization has been diligently working in the community to provide high quality, affordable, comprehensive healthcare to all people regardless of their ability to pay, especially those uninsured and otherwise underserved, while maintaining a welcoming environment and treating patients with compassion, dignity, and respect. Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics strives to achieve excellence and to maximize the potential of each employee, volunteer, and board member through a respectful and supportive organization. For more information, please go to www.sbclinics.com.
13th Annual Health Care Heroes Celebration at Coral Casino, Four Seasons Biltmore
Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics
Jim Tamborello, DDS, MS
Eileen Bunning, RN
Join Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics for the 13th Annual Health Care Heroes Celebration. This year’s celebration honors the accomplishments of exemplary local health care heroes Eileen Bunning, RN, former President and CEO of Visiting Nurse and Hospice Care of Santa Barbara, and James Tamborello, DDS, MS, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery specialist. In addition to the program, attendees will enjoy dinner and a benefit auction, providing direct health services for local uninsured and underserved residents.
Date: Sunday, October 2nd, 2011
Time: 6 pm – 9 pm
Location: Coral Casino, Four Seasons Biltmore, Santa Barbara
Cost: $175
Proceeds benefit Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics
