HEAL Week 2021: October 4-10!
Every year, Project HEAL sets aside the first week of October to raise funds for a specific project or initiative that is attuned to the most urgent needs of the eating disorder community.
This year, we are fundraising for our 2022 Cash Assistance Program.
Click here to support now! Read on to learn more…
MAXIMUM-IMPACT FINANCIAL AID FOR ED RECOVERY
When all that stands between you and healing is a little extra cash…
What is the Cash Assistance Program?
Every month, dozens of people ask Project HEAL for help accessing eating disorder treatment that they’ve tried to access on their own, but can’t.
As it stands, almost all treatment options require taking time off of work, be it for a full-time inpatient or residential stay, a day program, or even sessions in an outpatient setting. On top of that, eating disorder recovery is outrageously expensive - yes, even when you’re insured. On top of the myriad systemic and healthcare barriers to accessing treatment, folks come up against yet another insurmountable barrier: MONEY. Rent is still due, paychecks often stop while in treatment, medication costs a lot, and airfare is no small thing to someone who can’t afford healthcare.
This week, we are asking you to help us get cash into the pockets of those who need life-saving treatment the most.
You can provide a maximum-impact solution by supporting Project HEAL’s Cash Assistance Program. Tax-deductible donations directly benefit people with eating disorders in the form of outpatient provider payments, plane tickets, lodging, gas cards, grocery store gift cards, co-pays, and insurance deductible payments. Project HEAL directly subsidizes the cost of attending treatment, allowing our beneficiaries to focus on healing instead of being distracted by mounting bills.
By making a donation to Project HEAL’s 2021 HEAL Week, you’re buying a plane ticket or a gas card for someone for whom a simple thing like transportation is the only thing standing between them and healing… You’re subsidizing someone’s deductible so they can unlock their benefits and get their insurance to pay for treatment… You’re giving someone the financial peace of mind they need to focus on their healing while in treatment, rather than be distracted by the crushing stress of massive debt...
You’re giving the gift of recovery.
What kinds of things are covered?
What kind of impact does this program have in people’s lives?
From January to August of 2021, we’ve distributed over $19,000 in cash assistance to people with eating disorders, helping them access otherwise cost-prohibitive eating disorder treatment.
With those funds, we’ve been able to provide cash assistance to 28 people:
With marginalized identities…
50% LGBTQ+
43% BIPOC
25% both BIPOC & LGBTQ+
Of all ages…
2 people under 18 years old, 9 people age 19-30, 10 people age 31-40, 4 people age 41-50, and 3 people over age 50
From across the U.S…
California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Washington
JUST IMAGINE THE IMPACT THAT $50,000 COULD MAKE IN 2022!
Why should I donate today?
You’ve probably seen crowdfunding pages for people who are needing financial support to access treatment. And we absolutely hope you’ll support those! Unfortunately, our broken healthcare system makes mutual aid necessary for many people to access the treatment they need, and Project HEAL doesn’t have the necessary funding to help everyone in the U.S. So please, if you see someone in need, please donate to them and please leave them a comment to apply for Project HEAL’s support in case they haven’t heard of us!
That said, since Project HEAL is the only national nonprofit focused exclusively on equitable eating disorder treatment access, the majority of people who need help accessing ED treatment do apply to Project HEAL, and your support of Project HEAL allows us to say yes to more people and offer them multi-tiered treatment access support beyond simple mutual aid. In addition to cash assistance, we can offer applicants free treatment placements through our HEALers Circle, insurance navigation support with a specialist, and case management.
While our fundraising is usually general operating to support our entire breadth of services, for HEAL Week only, every dollar donated goes to a restricted fund for our Cash Assistance Program. This is a true dollars-in, dollars-out program!
The real kicker, though??
HEAL Week 2021 is being matched up to $25,000
by an anonymous foundation partner!
That’s right: every dollar donated today will be matched 1:1 and have double the impact.
Donating to HEAL Week is the maximum impact way to support people with eating disorders who can’t access care.
Thank you so much for your support. Without you, we couldn’t do what we do.
Warmly,
Rebecca Eyre, LMHC
Chief Executive Officer, Project HEAL