In Wake County, more than 90,000 people live in poverty. Without access to basic needs for food, shelter and healthcare, people who are poor lack the resources for a self-sufficient life.

Band Together NC, a local nonprofit that uses musical events to raise funds for select local charities, chose Urban Ministries of Wake County as its 2012 nonprofit partner to help the organization in its mission to alleviate the effects of poverty. With more than 123,000 uninsured adults living in Wake County, Urban Ministries’ Open Door Clinic provides top-quality care and prescription medicine to 1,900 patients with chronic diseases each year.

This year, Band Together along with its partner Urban Ministries is working to raise $600,000 to support the Open Door Clinic through sponsorships, a raffle and silent auction at the May 12 main concert event. Cary’s Booth Amphitheatre will host the iconic cosmic band the B-52s, along with performances by regional favorite Southern Culture on the Skids of Chapel Hill and Burlington’s BIG Something, winner of the 2012 Band Together Last Band Standing.

Renewing Resources

Until recently, the Open Door Clinic had stopped accepting new patients from the community because of limited resources. The funding raised in partnership with Band Together will allow Urban Ministries to add 420 new patients over the next two years, including 1,680 patient visits, all lab work and prescriptions.

“Urban Ministries is addressing a critical issue in Wake County,” said Matt Strickland, executive director of Band Together. “Band Together is privileged to partner with them to provide medical needs during these challenging economic times.

Renewing Lives

The Open Door Clinic provides comprehensive, primary medical care and full pharmacy services to uninsured, low-income adults. The Clinic provided nearly 7,000 medical visits in the past year and filled 49,000 prescriptions.

“We pride ourselves in welcoming those in need and providing the most effective and dependable care in Wake County,” said Anne Burke, executive director of Urban Ministries.

Beyond the Open Door Clinic, Urban Ministries provides other core programs that touch more than 24,000 diverse clients each year: The Urban Ministries Food Pantry, JobLink, Crisis Support Program and the Helen Wright Center for Women. These services are staffed by more than 1,500 volunteers annually who donate more than 39,864 hours of free services – the equivalent of 21 full-time staff.

Restoring Hope

For Jackie Christie, slurred speech and blurred vision, extreme fatigue, trouble walking and neuropathy were just some of the physical side effects of losing her job and medical benefits. With no medical insurance, Christie came to the Open Door Clinic and received immediate medical attention to treat her diabetes and high cholesterol. She received humilog, a fast-acting type of insulin, as well as a long-term insulin medication and Lipitor to lower her cholesterol.

“The care I’ve gotten at the Open Door Clinic is better care than when I had medical insurance,” said Christie. “I am grateful in so many ways for the people God has placed in my path – like the caregivers at Urban Ministries.”

For more information about Band Together NC, please visit www.bandtogethernc.org, become a fan on Facebook or follow @BandTogetherNC on Twitter. For more information about Urban Ministries, visit http://www.urbanmin.org, become a fan on Facebook or follow @UMofWakeCounty on Twitter.