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Jan 23, 2013 | Luke Blount

St. Luke's Episcopal Health Charities Thanks Supporters

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Bishop Doyle, Chair of SLEHC Board of Directors
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The Rev. Patrick Miller delivered opening remarks

Partners, supporters, grantees, and friends of St. Luke’s Episcopal Health Charities (SLEHC) gathered at Christ Church Cathedral in Houston on Tuesday for an “Appreciation Celebration.” Since its founding in 1997, SLEHC has distributed more than $87 million in grants and funding to area health programs.

 

“Thank you for you grace, love and service,” said Patricia Gail-Bray, executive director. “You are the charities truest and most valuable treasures.

 

The celebration began with opening remarks from the Rev. Patrick Miller, rector of St. Mark’s, Houston, who stressed the importance of non-profit work despite the lack of recognition sometimes.

 

“We recognize that in the non-profit world, there is a cost,” he said. “You don’t live in gigantic homes. You gave up something. You made that decision to cut something else off in order to do the work that you do. Thank you for that.”

 

Attendees were then served lunch before a presentation from Bishop Andy Doyle and the announcement of the recipient of a new research grant. Bishop Doyle serves as chair of the SLEHC Board of Directors.

 

“Today, there is a care vacuum,” Bishop Doyle said. “Today, 30 percent of the population, 1 million people, in Harris County alone, have no health insurance.  Houston next to Dallas and Miami have the highest unmet need.

 

“This is not something somebody else is going to take care of. This is our work, and you have chosen with us to take up the banner and do it with nothing less than transforming lives through health.”

 

At the end of the celebration, SLEHC presented the winner of a research grant contest, giving $20,000 to a new project called “Healthy Youth Relationships in Sunnyside,” which is a partnership between Gulf Coast Community Services, the University of Texas Prevention Research Center, and the Houston Department of Health and Human Services. The project seeks to foster healthy relationships among youth in greater Sunnyside in Houston.