From Nurse John:
The Sozo Health Ministry is expanding! We are excited to announce that Patchwork has received funding that will allow me to spend more of my time doing this work that facilitates holistic health and healing for our neighbors in and around Patchwork. Whether it’s taking blood pressures to screen for hypertension, teaching someone about their medications, praying with someone who is anxious about a health problem, providing basic over-the-counter health supplies to those who cannot afford them, advocating for a patient to seemingly impersonal healthcare system, or driving patients to appointments and helping them communicate with their doctors, the Sozo Health Ministry will now be able to do more than ever to improve the health of our community.
I started the Sozo Health Ministry about six years ago because I saw all kinds of health needs that were not being met. I felt called to use my background as an ordained minister combined with my training as a nurse to help meet some of those needs and facilitate holistic healing in our community. I am excited that this new funding will increase the number of clients I can help, but I’m also dreaming of other ways that Sozo can do more to create a healthier community for all.
In the coming months, I will be doing several things to expand the scope and depth of the Sozo Health Ministry: trying to recruit more volunteers to help with the program, seeking to create more collaborations with other community non-profit organizations, and imagining—and then implementing!—some new activities, services, and/or events that will hopefully contribute to greater well-being in our community. If you want to talk about any of this with me, or even want to volunteer with the Sozo Health Ministry, please don’t hesitate to contact me. You can call the Patchwork office at (812) 424-2735 and/or email me at: JohnRich@patchwork.org. Here’s to your health!