Advanced Allergy and Asthma Care Supporting Families at the Mosley Motel
Laurie Hathaway and son Andre | Mosley Motel families receive support from the community and Advanced Allergy and Asthma Care
Just after Thanksgiving, a story ran in the St. Petersburg Times telling the compelling story of Laurie Hathaway and her family. She, and her adorable son Andre, are sitting on the brink of homelessness. But rather than living on the street, Laurie has been earning enough to stay at a local hotel. This holiday season, Santa will have to find the Hathaway’s and other struggling families, at the Mosley Hotel they currently call their home.
In her original story, For families without options, that cheap motel may be their last resort, Times writer Leonora LaPeter Anton reported that “In August, 495 families – including 1,000 children, have been turned away from family shelters in Pinellas County.” Pinellas County has only 218 emergency shelter beds in 60 apartments – less than half what is needed.
We were touched by the story, and the struggles these families are facing, so we decided to do something to help out the community. We offered to buy gifts for each child living at the Mosley Motel for the holidays. We are so very happy to report that others have also contributed to the cause. There was so much support for the families that the Times followed up with this follow up report just a few days after the original story posted:
Motel deluged with offers to help families on brink of homelessness
The phone has been ringing incessantly at the Mosley Motel since Sunday, said motel manager Rena Mosley Burgess.
Ever since the plight of families living in motels ran in the St. Petersburg Times on Sunday, the motel has been overwhelmed with offers of support for families there.
A doctor’s office offered to provide a gift for each child and serve families food on Christmas. An anonymous donor asked the Mosley to choose a family once a week and he would pay for their stay. An older woman drove over from Tampa and said she wanted to bake the children cookies. She admitted that she was homeless once, too. A church group brought over jars of peanut butter, Hamburger Helper and canned beans and left them at the front desk. [ read full story ]
We are proud to have been a part of what we hope will be a very merry Christmas, and a hope filled future, for these families.
Donating Our Cancellation Fees to a Cause
Advanced Allergy and Asthma Care has been taking care of the communities in Pinellas, Tampa, and Pasco for over 12 years. Like many offices, we have a policy that if patients do not show up for their scheduled appointments or cancel without notice, there is a small cancellation fee. Often patients balk at having to pay this fee. The fee does not come close to recouping the loss or making up that time slot for a patient who may have needed it, but it enforces the need to be compliant with one’s healthcare. This is the time of year most offices celebrate the holidays with a catered lunch, holiday bonuses, and secret santa gifts.
This year, our office staff made the decision to forego the annual holiday party, and instead donate all the no-show fees to the homeless children living at the Mosely motel. We used this money and also collected donations of new/gently used toys from patients to purchase one gift for every child at the Mosely Motel. We estimate approximately $800 of gifts are being presented by a real “Santa” at their holiday party this friday.
We are very happy to give back to the community and contribute to this worthy cause, and we thank others whom have contributed as well.
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