Restoration Ministries

On June 24, 2023, Ingalls Memorial hosted its first in-person Day of Service and Reflection (DOSAR). During this event, hospital employees volunteered in the community and completed service projects. The event’s success was the result of the partnership between Ingalls Memorial and Restoration Ministries.

Restoration Ministries, a social service agency in Harvey, Illinois, was selected as the first DOSAR site because of its strong partnership with Ingalls Memorial. In 2020-2021, Ingalls Memorial funded Restoration Ministries’ Harvey Fitness Club with a Community Impact Grant. Karen Vrdolyak, Vice President of Development and Administration for Restoration Ministries, is also one of the first members of the Ingalls Memorial Community Advisory Council.

During the Day of Service and Reflection, Ingalls Memorial employees completed five service projects at Restoration Ministries by painting, gardening, sorting, and organizing. Volunteers showed the power of togetherness and being servant leaders in the Southland.

In the Fall of 2022, Ingalls Memorial started its Community Health Worker (CHW) Program. It grew out of the University of Chicago Medical Center’s Liaisons in Care (LinC) Program. (To learn more about LinC, view the Health Equity page).

CHWs are community members trained to work with patients and their families, often helping patients in their own homes. CHWs provide case management to make it easier to access care. CHWs assist with healthcare but also provide emotional and social support by providing resources to patients during their time of need.

As members of a patient’s care team, Ingalls Memorial CHWs work hard to make sure the patient’s needs are understood and the medical team’s instructions are clear. CHWs focus on working with patients in cardiology (including patients with congestive heart failure) and patients with asthma. In fiscal 2023, two Ingalls Memorial CHWs helped 141 patients reach their healthcare goals.

Leading an active lifestyle and eating healthy foods are important factors in preventing and managing chronic (long-term) diseases like heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Ingalls Memorial is dedicated to bringing free nutrition and fitness classes to community members in the South Suburbs.

In fiscal 2023 Dietetic Interns gave community nutrition talks focused on topics such as weight management for cancer prevention, reading food labels and healthy tips for eating out. The 104 community members that participated said they were more likely to improve the way they eat. These community nutrition talks were conducted in partnership with churches and adult senior groups across the Southland.

In fiscal 2023, Ingalls Memorial also partnered with Armored Fitness & Nutrition to offer fitness classes to help manage chronic diseases. Classes such as cardio drumming and hip-hop cardio dance have taken place at community locations in Hazel Crest. Between November 2022 and November 2023, 22 classes took place with 210 in total attendance.

Mental health and wellbeing is necessary for thriving communities. Providing access to mental health services is one of Ingalls Memorial’s key health priorities. Data from the 2021-2022 Community Health Needs Assessment showed that Harvey, Illinois, where Ingalls Memorial is located, has one of the highest rates of mental health-related emergency room visits in all of Cook County.

Since Spring 2023, Ingalls Memorial has hosted seven in-person and online mental health workshops. This workshop series was created and led by Felicia Houston, a licensed clinical professional counselor. Community members learned how to better manage their mental health and wellness by learning stress coping skills, self-care, and effective ways for dealing with emotions. From April 2023 to November 2023, over 75 people participated in the mental wellbeing workshop series.

Ingalls Memorial’s Oncology Complementary Nutrition Stations provide free food to patients and their families who are dealing with cancer. The Nutrition Stations, which opened two years ago, are located in Harvey, Flossmoor and Tinley Park and offer many healthy food options. From June 2022 to June 2023, 2,383 people were given 14,430 pounds of food, which is 48 times more than the past year.

In March 2023, the Nutrition Stations started offering Pop-Up Produce Stations at all three locations, featuring fresh fruits and vegetables and a food preparation demonstration. About 80 families from across the Southland utilized these pop-ups.

In June 2023, Ingalls started the Food Brigade Program. This program serves patients experiencing food insecurity and transportation issues. Groceries are delivered to patients’ homes one to two times a month, depending on need. Patients are able to make their own grocery lists with Ingalls Memorial staff before delivery. The Nutrition Stations’ programs and events are made possible with the generous partnership between the Ingalls Development Foundation, the UChicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center, Feed1st, and the founder of the Center for Food Equity and Medicine, Dr. Ann Jackson.