Mission Community Outreach Programs

The Resurrection Health Care Mission Office helps hundreds of people in need each year through its Mission Fund, Call to Action program, ADVENTure programs and through its Spiritual Services.

• The RHC Mission Fund helps people in short-term crisis, generally for vital but unattainable items because of a lack of funds. The Mission Fund is accessed only by employees on behalf of patients, friends or themselves and has served various needs from prescriptions not covered by insurance, groceries, a walker or cane, a rent or a mortgage payment, or other immediate needs to tide people over and get them to a place where others can help them or they can help themselves.
  
  

• The eCARES program works via system-wide e-mails sent by the Mission Office to inform employees of items, such as furniture, clothing, electronics, etc. that are "Available" to them, patients or anyone they know to items that are "Needed" by a patient, community member or employee. The available items are usually donated to the hospital and the needed items are donated by employees who have the needed items.
  
  
• The ADVENTure program occurs during Advent every year and provides a very special Christmas for up to 84 families, 12 families from each of seven RHC community clinics. Taking a term from the Christian ADVENT, the time of expectant waiting for Christmas, the entire Resurrection Family is invited to participate in ADVENTure, giving everyone a chance to add to the holiness of the season by giving to the poor and disenfranchised. The families are selected by clinic staff and various departments System-wide choose a family to sponsor by fulfilling their Christmas wish list, which could include anything from a new water heater to groceries and new clothes for family members. Some facilities, departments and individuals who choose their own charities also report their efforts to be acknowledged as a part of Resurrection Health Care ADVENTure.
  
  
• The Resurrection Intercessory Prayer Network is a large network of Sisters, Chaplains, Physicians Employees, and others who have resolved to pray for the Resurrection Health Care family and all those who ask for our prayers. Members of the Resurrection family are patients, residents and their families, sponsors, governance, employees, physicians, volunteers, students, vendors, benefactors and anyone who contributes to the ministry of Resurrection Health Care. Any one who has a role in Resurrection's ministry is prayed for every day. We believe that praying for someone in the way that he or she would want to be prayed for demonstrates a level of respect at the deepest level of life.
  
  By calling 773-RES-8844 (773-737-8844), you can leave a personal prayer on the Prayer Network voicemail or to hear an inspirational message that is changed daily. You can also register as a member of the network. Anyone may participate in the Resurrection Intercessory Prayer Network by making an intention to do so.
  
  
• Cafeteria meals can be given on a one time basis for persons who happen to appear at the facility and are homeless or poor, or emergency patients' families who can't afford to pay, etc. Cafeteria vouchers distributed to authorized persons at each facility.
  
  
• Clergy Institute Educational Seminar is a two-day conference organized annually by the Mission Office and Spiritual Services Department to offer continuing education for RHC chaplains, clergy and other chaplains in the Chicago-area. The Clergy Institute has provided a decade of professional growth opportunities to hundreds of area chaplains through its annual programming and ensures that they stay up to date in their field.
  
  

• Spiritual Services Fall Event is a two-day program organized by the Mission Office and Spiritual Services Department held every year during Spiritual Services Week in October. This fall event provides RHC chaplains an opportunity to gather, renew, refresh, celebrate, share ideas and stories and to continue their education in the spirit of the Resurrection Health Care Mission.