Welcome to Medical Center Foundation of Hartford - Home

Since 1977, the Medical Center Foundation of Hartford has had a rich history of helping individuals in Hartford and surrounding communities use the services of our hospital.

With generous support from community members like you, our Foundation can help those in our community in need of services they otherwise cannot afford.

You can be assured the money donated to this Foundation stays in our community to help local families, neighbors, and friends.

President's Message

Dear friends,

It's with great excitement that we share with you our newly created website, and I invite you to explore some of the great things our Foundation is doing.

As we continue our work for the Foundation, our board of directors remains focused on the needs of those in our community who may need a helping hand.  Throughout the years, support we received from our donors has enabled us to improve the lives of others, and we remain eternally grateful for their generosity.

During this challenging time, we hope to reach out to others in our community who want to make a difference in the life of a family member, neighbor or friend.  Please remember those who are less fortunate by making a donation to the Medical Center Foundation of Hartford's wonderful community programs.  

Winston Churchill once said, "We make a living by what we get.  We make a life by what we give."

Thank you for your support.

Iris I. Hulbert, President

 

A Family's Thanks

Written by Carolyn Fischer, daughter of Henry "Heinie" Klink

My family and I wish to express our deep appreciation and gratitude to the staff at the 1022 Club for their never-ending care and compassion for our husband and father, Henry Klink.  Several years after Dad had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’ Disease, the doctors suggested that it might be good for him to attend an adult daycare for social, mental and social stimulation.  It would also give his caretakers a bit of a break.  At a family meeting we made the decision for Dad to begin attending the 1022 Club twice a week and eventually three times a week.  What a great decision that was! 

First and most importantly, Dad was always made to feel welcome and special.  The staff greeted him at the door each day with a smile and engaged him in conversation, telling him what was on the schedule for the day.  They would ask him questions and listen to what he said or was trying to say.  Along with this warm welcome, they also made him feel needed and useful.  Dad was such a gentle soul and had always had a need to feel useful.  So when he first started attending the 1022 Club he tried to convince himself (and us) that he was a volunteer there. The staff went right along with it.  He helped with lunch dishes, folded towels and did any other chores that needed to be done. One morning my sister came to the house to take him to the 1022 Club and asked, “Are you ready to go, Dad?” and he said, “I can’t do chores there today.  I have enough of my own chores to do here.” 

Along with making Dad feel special and useful, the staff also took amazing care of him.  He received a wonderful snack and lunch every day (he was a man who appreciated good food).  At times when he was losing weight and needed more calories, they suggested a high calorie shake to replace his Carnation Instant breakfast that we used, at no additional cost to us.  If he was not himself at any time, they would call or e-mail to let us know what was going on and even let us know if they thought he should see a doctor.  They engaged him in activities to help stimulate his mind… crafts, cards, and gardening. 

Though Dad sometimes said his fingers didn’t really work so well for these activities, there was always another client or staff member to help with whatever he couldn’t do.  As a result we now have many of the things he made as memories.  They gave him countless nebulizer treatments to help keep his lungs healthy after several bouts with pneumonia.  They would weigh him, take his temperature, administer medication, and take care of him when he was sick.  He was always treated with compassion, dignity and respect. 

The 1022 Club was a great place for Dad, but it was also an unbelievable support system for our entire family.  They were patient with our crazy drop off/pick up schedule- (even the times someone forgot to pick him up) and flexible when we wanted to change Dad’s schedule.  They took the time at the end of each day to share what his day had been like. They were always ready with suggestions of things we could do that would help us help him. 

We felt so comfortable leaving Dad there- they viewed it as just as important as leaving your children at Daycare.  They know it is not easy for families to watch their loved one slowly slip away before their eyes and yet they made us feel as if Dad was the most important person in the world- because they knew that to us he was! 

In closing, the 1022 Club is an invaluable and important resource for Washington County.  It provides a warm and welcoming place for our loved ones to go when we can’t be with them.  The staff provides excellent social, emotional and medical care and will go to any means to care for them.  And finally the Club provides families with a support system as they deal with their loved ones requiring more care.  The 1022 Club made our job of caring for our husband and dad so much easier.  It is a community resource that will continue to reach many families in need.