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Dear Friends – I hope this letter finds you safe and healthy. Our plan for a Spring Appeal was to launch a number of new Funds, giving donors more opportunities to direct their giving towards purposes they value and cherish…and then our world changed with the arrival of COVID-19.

The King-Bruwaert House (KBH) community, which offers independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing and memory care for seniors, found ourselves immediately with a population of residents that were some of the most at-risk. Before it was required, the leadership of KBH implemented visitor restrictions; hand washing and disinfecting at higher levels; directing nonessential staff to work remotely to limit community exposure; and symptom and temperature checks for residents and staff continue to take place at multiple times throughout the day. All these proactive efforts have now been deemed essential best practice…and these actions were a critical factor in keeping the people of KBH safe and protected. Currently we are without any staff or residents infected.

Safeguarding each of our own worlds has come with costs at a time when stock markets are uncertain and income is not as secure as it once was. We have experienced the same concerns in our efforts to be responsive to unprecedented times. Required supplies needed to keep our community safe, like personal protective equipment (PPE-medical masks, gowns, gloves, etc.) hand sanitizer, cleaning supplies, are increasingly difficult to obtain or are found at inflated prices. Many of our staff have been working overtime to cover the required attention to cleanliness and care to combat any threat of the virus. With new admissions being limited at this time, that impacts our cash flow as well.

Daily, people are reaching out to us and looking for ways to help. It might be sewing masks, shopping for sanitizer, helping purchase or donate needed supplies, or wanting to support our dedicated staff in their efforts. To provide a simple and focused way for people to help where it is needed the most makes the most sense, so we have created a COVID-19 RESPONSE FUND at KBH.

As we all face our own challenges during this pandemic, we are also seeing unprecedented expressions of support. As you are able, we hope that you will be a partner with us to make sure that all the residents who call KBH their home will have the continued quality of care and services we are known to provide.

We have just launched an opportunity for you to make your donations online to this Fund at www.kingbruwaert.org. With this convenience we hope you will also consider covering the 3% processing fee to ensure your total donation goes to support our residents during these difficult times. You may also mail checks with the attached sheet, or contact our Director of Development, Michael Trench at (630) 230-9553 or michaelt@kbhouse.org to discuss stock and other donations.

​With grateful appreciation for your support,

Terri Bowen signature

 

 

Terri Bowen,
CEO

PS: The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) includes an above-the-line deduction for all taxpayers in 2020 (even those who don’t itemize) for related charitable contributions up to $300.