Support our Patients, Families, and Caregivers

#GivingTuesday is on Dec.1, 2015

What is #GivingTuesday?
Now in its fourth year, #GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Observed on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving. Since its inaugural year in 2012, #GivingTuesday has become a movement that celebrates and supports giving and philanthropy with events throughout the year and a growing catalog of resources.

It’s a simple idea. Just find a way for your family, your community, your company or your organization to come together to give something more. Then tell everyone you can about how you are giving.
Today, we are asking that you support Emmanuel Hospice on #GivingTuesday. Share with your friends. Share with your family. Show your love and support for our patients, families and caregivers on December 1, 2015. Your gifts help provide comfort and peace to those in great need. Our goal is to raise $1000 on GivingTuesday, so join us and be a part of a new tradition of generosity.

#GivingTuesday is a global day for giving back, so join us in giving at www.emmanuelhospice.org/donate For more details, visit our Facebook page. You may also read below to hear why we are compelled to give to our ministry also!

Why I Give…

We asked “Why do you give?” to those who serve in our ministry. The answers were simply beautiful.

Our Administrative Coordinator said: “I give to Emmanuel Hospice because I wholeheartedly believe that our mission, vision and values genuinely make a positive impact in the lives around us.”

Our Extended Care Nurse said: “I know the exemplary quality of the care we give. I have seen staff members and volunteers give sacrificially of their time and of themselves to be channels of God’s love. I’m compelled to support that goodness financially.”
Another team member said: “I give because of the tremendous emotional support that is provided to the patients and families.  The staff and volunteers do everything they can to be sure that patients and families are comforted in their final days.”

Our Director of Community Outreach explained more about how our donors help us minister to those we serve. “Not many people are aware the Medicare reimbursement pays for only certain services. As a non-profit provider, we are able to minister to our patients, families and community members in a number of additional ways.

We provide free seminars on over 7 critical subjects to West Michigan seniors, church members, and healthcare staff. The gratitude and praise we receive after our seminars is amazing! We provide ancillary services to enhance the comfort of our patients and families like Music Therapy, Massage Therapy, and Acupressure. We have seen a patient with advanced Parkinson’s disease light up when Miranda (music therapist) played the harp, and we have seen tears of joy from the family as this was the first time they saw [the patient’s] eyes open in many days. We provide grief support and counseling to many in need, whether we are required to or not. I give to Emmanuel Hospice because we do more than required because we always find a need. We give first and pray our ministry keeps the lights on for many years to come. Our patients and their families are the reason we wake up, and the last thing we think about before our heads hit the pillow before we rest. I give because through tears of joy, or tears of sadness, Emmanuel Hospice makes a difference.”

Preparing for Your Final Chapters…Before the Pages Turn.

In everyone’s life story, comes the need for planning before it becomes a necessity of deciding. Webster’s Dictionary defines a decision as: ‘a determination arrived at after consideration’.  This implicit definition assumes everyone has that time to think about a decision, however, this is not always the case.  Our life stories are packed with incredible positivity and beloved chapters. However, there will always be a life story laced with inauspicious tales stemming from a mindset of “that won’t happen to me” or “I have time to do that later”.
We can not predict our futures, but we can prepare for them. Join Emmanuel Hospice (and partner(s) – St. Anns, Clark, Porter Hills and Sunset) along with Life EMS and MAPLE (Michigan Attorneys Practicing Law for the Elderly). “Preparing for the Final Chapters” will ensure the following fundamental questions are answered:

  • What steps are you taking to plan your Estate? What mistakes can you avoid in estate planning?
  • Who would make medical decisions on your behalf if you couldn’t speak for yourself? How do you legalize your medical treatment preferences without it costing a fortune?
  • If your loved one goes to the hospital, what should you know?
  • How do you perform the basics of CPR?

The presentation will last about an hour, and then you can ask a panel of experts any question you would like. The information can help you prepare for the worst, so the best can always happen. The event is free; however, RSVP is required to accommodate for refreshments, education materials, and seating.
You may register by emailing rgoodwin@emmanuelhospice.org or calling Emmanuel Hospice at 616.719.0919 today!

Emmanuel Hospice Helps Hosts Powerful Interfaith Memorial Event

Emmanuel Hospice, along with three other hospice providers and the Kaufman Interfaith Institute of Grand Valley State University will hold a special communitywide, interfaith memorial event on Thursday, Sept. 10 in Grand Rapids. The memorial event titled “We Remember” is designed to allow those who have lost a loved one to come together, share memories and honor a special family member or friend.  The event is open to the public, and all ages are welcome. Sign language interpreter will be available.

The evening begins with a memorial service at 6 p.m. at the Dominican Center at Marywood where attendees are encouraged to bring a photo or other small item of memorabilia to honor their loved one during an interfaith service.

From 7-8 p.m., attendees will have the opportunity to participate in hands-on memorial activities, including:

  • Planting a flower along a reflective path at the Dominican Center, 2025 Fulton Street E.
  • Decorating and flying a kite as part of Hospice of Michigan’s annual Fly & Remember
  • Taking a reflective nature walk on the beautiful grounds of the Dominican Center, 2025 Fulton Street E.
  • Walking an indoor labyrinth, which reflects the challenges and confusion that often comes with grieving a loved one

Attendees can choose to attend either part or all of the evening, which runs from 6-8 p.m.  In the event of inclement weather, alternative arrangements have been made for indoor activities.

“The entire community is welcome to join in an evening of sharing memories and celebrating the legacies of our loved ones,” said Douglas Kindschi, director of the Kaufman Institute.  “At a special event last year, Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell proclaimed 2015 as the Year of Interfaith Service in our community.  “We Remember” is one of the many activities that have grown out of that proclamation, allowing the Kaufman Interfaith Institute to partner with four local hospice organizations to offer a communitywide memorial service.

“It is our hope that the event will become an annual gathering that will give our community a way to remember those special people in our lives who have died.”

As a response to Mayor Heartwell’s proclamation, the Kaufman Interfaith Institute created a Service Council that meets monthly and includes interfaith activists and advocates from several faith communities as well as the secular community.  As members of the Service Council, the four local hospice providers offer grief support to those in the community who are experiencing a loss.

This event marks the first time that local hospice providers and the Kaufman Institute have worked in collaboration on an event.  For parking at the Dominican Center, enter off of Lakeside Drive.