The Global Initiative for Health and Wellness
An endorsed Project; Report
To the District 4-C4 Convention
May 13-16, 2021
District Governor Fanny Chu
The year of the Pandemic 2020-2021presented the greatest challenge for the GIHW. We have known that this and other Pandemics would likely present themselves sooner than later and we were prepared. In fact, part of the reason the GIHW was founded had much to do with our knowledge as to what was predicted.
We responded to the Pandemic in three ways. First, we supplied our District community with all the PPE, medical equipment and medical assistance including food possible to keep our Hospitals, first responders, nursing homes, and individuals supplied and safe. We had our donors send the above supplied at a cost to them of $650,000.00. (and we are still supplying these items where needed)
Second, we supplied other suffering States with the same assistance through our generous donors at a cost to them of $500,000.
Third, we supplied the global community of countries that needed our assistance with the same supplies at a cost of $1,000,000.
Currently, we are serving India with Oxygen, medical supplies of all kinds, 20 Doctors, 30 nurses, 3 scientists every third day with hundreds of thousands of donated dollars. We are shipping by air, thank you owners of all airlines that have also donated their planes. Thank you, South Korea, for refilling the Oxygen tanks.
Remember the GIHW is simply a conduit for letting our donors know what and where supplies are needed, and they pay the bill. We do not receive any funds we just do the had work of bringing it all together, so the need is met properly and in the right place. We have been doing this for six years without incident. We and our donors are trusted in the Global Community and relied upon when summoned. We are proud to say we are endorsed by Lions District 4-C4 and 22,000 clubs and Lion’s entities such as Lions in Sight and the Melvin Jones Memorial around the world.
It is also noteworthy to mention our FREE Clinic in San Mateo where our volunteer Doctors without borders are in charge, of our telemedicine and in clinic services. Thank you, Samaritan House for giving us the 5 rooms for our clinic. We expect to have a proper Grand opening perhaps in October where you will receive details as to how the clinic operates.
We provide COVID testing and Moderna Vaccinations (shots in arms) to 4,000 people in our community. We assisted Lion Liz Yulo, the Health Fair Committee Chair and the team with her needs for the drive thru flu clinic. Lion Liz brings in many other Lions club medical volunteers for the drive thru shots in arms.
We converted our in-school health curriculum that we have been doing in the schools for 6 years into a yearly online curriculum for Kids K-12 and all ages. We also started an online summer camp to help kids deal with all health issues especially mental health concerns and help them to re-enter (in a positive and confident way) the new normal outside world.
Along with our relationship with Lions Clubs around the world we have also established a working relationship with various other non-profits, Chambers of Commerce, Local, State and Governments around the world to allow us to work as a humanitarian work force to aid their causes. These relationships allowed us to build the trust we needed to serve deeply in the world and build a robust joint venture to accomplish our goals.
Thank you for your attention.
Lion Eleanor Britter, Executive Director, GIHW
Our food program reaped 4 million pounds of donated food from our farmers. We also fed first responders, hospital personnel and 20 families who live in their cars, three meals a day.