Summary: Provides boat transportation to the mainland for medical care and treatment to island residents in need.
Due to geographical isolation of Catalina Island and the fact that the only medical facility is a critical access hospital, there is a great need for medical care that can only be provided on the mainland. Any consultations with specialists, surgical procedures, kidney dialysis, radiation and chemotherapy require at least 1 round trip travel to a mainland medical facility, sometimes mulitple trips. Some of these are life threatening issues and affect entire families. Despite this being a resort community, the published median income of an average Avalon resident is $39,000. The city's poverty rate is published at 14%. Many of our recipients are the sole breadwinners of their families. Most of these Island residents would be unable to receive the care/treatments if the boat transportation was not supplied by this Rotary support. The timeline would commence with the approval of the grant and be completed when the final gift cards are dispensed. Applicants screened by the Catalina Island Medical Center business and social services department are the population served. Potential recipients complete and application and are screened for financial eligibilty by the business office at the Medical Center.Necessary treatment/procedures are verified by the physicians and the social services staff at the medical center prior to the Rotary committee being contacted. Publication about the Rotary grant will be published in the local newspaper and communicated to the physicians and nurse practitioners at the Catalina Island Medical Center at their Medical Staff Meeting. Gift cards will be purchased from Catalina Express for trip fare for qualifying recipients. Presently the adult round trip fare is $73.50 from Avalon to Long Beach or San Pedro. There is also a subsidized "commuter book" that can be purchased for $190.00 and provides 5 round trip fares. Approximately 15 Avalon Rotarians will comprosed the grant committee. Involvement would include assembling the "beneficiary packets" which include a letter explaining the grant, information about Rotary, and the boat gift card with the Rotary brand affixed. The designated committee member will arrange a face to face meeting with the patient, and dispense the "packet". Transportation by the Rotarian committee member to and from the Avalon boat terminal is offered to each recipient.The combined funds for this grant and the Avalon Rotary Club provide the ability for many residents to receive specialized medical care. Nearly all the recipients would not be able to afford transportation without this much needed resource. The Grants Committee consideration and approval would be greatly appreciated by the Avalon Rotary Club and residents of Catalina Island.
Completed
This project is "Completed". This means the project has been implemented and the report was accepted by the district leadership. The project will stay listed on this website as a testimony of the achievements of the project partners.
