Page 6 - Stuart Exposure - September '22

Page 6, Stuart Exposure

Good Works from page 5

“The Cleveland Clinic has a long history of partnering
with like-minded organizations to improve the lives of the
community we’re serving. Partnerships are key. We’re so much
more effective when we partner and collaborate with others.”
Karen McElveen with the Sebastian Exchange Club
presented a check for $10,000 to Chief Executive Officer
Caroline Vinyard to be allocated to a soon-to-come sensory
healing garden. The garden’s design will help children by
improving health outcomes. These gardens provide a place
of refuge and promote healing in children, families, and the
professionals working in the field. Any environment can map, I thought it would be a great resource to have something
promote healing, but gardens are particularly able to do so like this for our community,” McCarthy said. awareness of food insecurity, so people feel more empowered
because humans are hard-wired to find nature engrossing and McCarthy combined data using Google Maps to create a to reach out and get help.”
soothing. Additional funding is needed. map that can be easily shared and embedded on community Applications for the next class of Students United
For more information, or to sign up for our second annual partners’ websites in hopes that the nonprofit community members are open until Sept. 23 for students in grades 9 to
golf tournament, presented by Remnant Construction on May will embrace the resource. In the future, he hopes student 11 who are Martin County residents. For more information
21 at St. Lucie Trail Golf Course, please visit GFNF4Kids.org. volunteers will update and expand the map to ensure that the or to apply, visit United Way of Martin County’s website at
listed resources remain up to date. www.UnitedWayMartin.org/StudentsUnited.
Neighbor Who Took In Little for help here in Martin County. I hope to continue to build UnitedWayMartin.org/FoodMap.
“We are fortunate to have many places people can turn
To access the Food Finder Map, visit www.
Girl Awarded For Advocacy

Not all children have
advocates. Fortunately for
one 8-year-old girl in the
local foster-care system, Jenny
Starts was there to be that
advocate.
Starts and her husband,
Brent, took on the role of
caregiver earlier this year when
their friend and neighbor, who
was a foster parent, could no
longer care for the child.
Communities Connected for Kids recently awarded Jenny the
Topaz GEM – or Going the Extra Mile – award for her advocacy
for the child’s dental and health care. Communities Connected
for Kids oversees and coordinates the child-welfare community
in Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee and St. Lucie counties.
The little girl “ended up spending a lot of time with us when
our friend’s mother passed away, so we said we could just keep
her with us,” said Starts, a former foster care and adoptions
recruiter in the California system of care.
The couple began the process of becoming what is called
a “Level 1” caregiver – someone who is licensed to care for a
specific child rather than any child in need of a foster home. And
that’s when the real advocacy began.
“She had a need for dental care that required sedation that
case management had been working on for several months,” said
Mary Altiery, case management supervisor in Martin County
who nominated Starts for the award.
When an appointment in Orlando didn’t work out, Starts
began working with case management to find a provider who
could help. Our men’s health experts
“Mrs. Starts was able to locate a local dental surgeon who
was able to get the child in immediately,” Altiery said. “She
went above and beyond in advocating for that little girl and to are here for you.
considerable time and expense to herself to get the child the
dental care needed.”
Starts’ tireless advocacy extends beyond her own home. She You keep the things you care about in top shape – your health
is currently in the process of opening a Christian-based school
with her friend Meghan Pybus. The Stuart school opened its shouldn’t be any different. From routine checkups and annual prostate
doors Aug. 15. screenings to leading-edge treatments, the experts at Cleveland Clinic
The mission of Communities Connected for Kids is to Martin Health provide complete care on the Treasure Coast. Our team
enhance the safety, permanency and well-being for all children utilizes the latest techniques and technology, including robotic-assisted
in Okeechobee and the Treasure Coast through a community surgery, to treat a wide range of men’s health conditions close to home.
network of family support services.

United Way Inspires Students Get world class care from the name you trust.

To Make A Difference

For Martin County residents struggling to put food on
the table, a new resource is available – the Martin County
Food Finder Map. Created by United Way of Martin County
Students United Member and Clark Advanced Learning Center
senior Evan McCarthy, the map indicates where free meals
are available, including food pantries, soup kitchens, food for
seniors and food for children when they are out of school.
McCarthy was inspired to create the map through his
experience with United Way of Martin County’s Students
United program, which was designed to empower students
to mobilize community resources and make a positive impact 1 out of 8 men will be
through the spirit of service.
Students visit local nonprofit agencies where they learn diagnosed with prostate cancer.
about the services they provide and the clients they serve.
Students learned that over 11 percent of Martin County Request an appointment with one of our specialists.
residents lack access, at times, to enough food for an active, Visit ClevelandClinicFlorida.org/ProstateCancer to learn more.
healthy life.
While many food resources are available, finding them
can be challenging as there wasn’t one comprehensive central
resource that listed all free meal options. “When I saw that
United Way of Palm Beach County had created a food finder