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From YouTube: From City Hall - Councilwoman Meg Salyer
Description
Ward 6 Councilwoman Meg Salyer finds out about the "Caring Van" a service that provides immunizations to Oklahoma's children and operated by the Oklahoma Caring Foundation.
A
Hello,
I'm,
Meg
salyer
and
I'd
like
to
welcome
you
to
the
ward
6
council
show
with
me
today
is
a
really
exciting
program.
We're
going
to
talk
about
a
great
foundation
in
the
state
of
Oklahoma
called
the
Oklahoma
caring
foundation
and
I
have
with
me
today.
Paula
Huck
is
the
executive
director
and
Brooke
Townsend
who's,
the
programs
manager
and
she's
going
to
share
a
lot
about
what
they
do
today.
B
You're
exactly
right
and
by
the
way,
thank
you
for
having
us.
We
really
appreciate
the
opportunity
to
be
here
today
to
talk
about
the
thing
that
we
love
the
most
and
that
is
the
Oklahoma
caring
foundation.
So
thank
you
for
having
us
but
you're.
Exactly
right.
Blue,
Cross
and
Blue
Shield
of
Oklahoma
decided
that
it
would
be
really
nice
to
create
an
opportunity
where
we
could
actually
move
the
needle
on
the
health
of
Oklahomans
and
therefore
created
the
Oklahoma
caring
foundation
in
1994,
fantastic.
A
Well,
be
the
right
off
the
bat
you
know.
We
know
that
Oklahoma's
health
statistics
aren't
very
good
and
I
think.
Looking
back
over
time,
there
been
places
where
we've
been
49
48
and
not
making
a
lot
of
progress.
But
I
was
delighted
this
year
to
say
that
we've
moved
up
to
43rd
in
those
statistics,
I
believe.
B
That's
correct
that
is
correct
and
as
a
standalone,
501
c
3
not-for-profit
we're
tasked
with
raising
funds
to
deliver
our
services.
So
when
the
Health
Statistics,
the
recent
health
statistics
were
released
and
we
noticed
an
improvement
in
infectious
disease
rates
due
to
high
immunization
rates,
we
felt
like
we
actually
were
doing
what
what
we're
task
to
do,
and
that
is
to
make
a
difference
in
the
health
of
Oklahomans.
Well,.
A
C
Well
sure,
in
1999,
the
Oklahoma
Karen
foundation
established
a
program
called
the
caring
band
program
and
we
operate
five
mobile
health
units
across
the
state.
Our
mission
is
preventive
health
services.
We
want
to
provide
children
access
to
preventive
health
services,
so
we
provide
immunizations
through
those
five
units
and
we're
all
over
and
much
of
the
state.
We
have
two
vans
in
Tulsa
to
an
oklahoma
city
and
one
that
serves
the
southeast
portion
of
the
state.
C
C
C
We
can
do
anything
without
our
partners,
so
we
have
public
health
partners.
We
have
registered
immunization
nurses
from
the
health
department
who
work
with
us
who
go
on
our
vans
daily
and
provide
services.
We
have
partners
in
the
community
who
invite
us
in
schools,
childcare
facilities,
WIC
sites
to
serve
the
children
that
they
have
in
their
care
during
the
days
while
their
parents
are
at
work,
and
we
also
have
partners
in
our
funders
and
community
friends
who
support
the
work
that
we
do
so
really
in
three
very
different
ways.
A
C
Are
we're
beginning
discussions
in
the
southwest
region
of
this
state?
We
really
feel
like
we
do
a
good
job
of
outreaching
to
communities
and
the
other
areas
of
the
state,
and
we
know
that
there's
a
need
for
preventive
health
services
in
the
southwest
portion
of
the
state,
so
we're
beginning
those
conversations
and,
at
the
same
time,
really
looking
at
other
services
that
we
may
be
able
to
provide
on
our
vans
when
we
have
children
with
us.
So
we're
really
in
a
time
of
growth
within
our
organizations.
So
it's
a
wonderful
time
to
go.
Are.
A
C
That's
a
great
question:
you
know
in
health
we
realize
children
don't
make
all
of
the
decisions
regarding
their
own
personal
health,
so
the
parents
are
very
important
to
us
and
we
do
have
opportunities
to
engage
and
work
with
parents
on
particular
health
needs.
So
that's
part
of
what
we're
working
through
right
now
in
this
service
expansion
arena
great.
B
A
C
We
provide
all
of
the
immunizations
that
are
either
recommended
or
required
for
child
care
or
school
entries,
so
there's
there's
numerous
over
a
dozen
immunizations
would
provide,
but
we
don't
ever
want
to
miss
an
opportunity.
So
we
certainly
want
children
to
be
in
childcare
in
school
as
needed.
So
we
provide
everything,
that's
required
for
those,
and
then
there
are
a
few
additional
recommended
vaccines
that
we
also
have
available
for
parents
to
take
advantage
of
effect.
C
Or
that's
a
great
question
with
a
service
we
provide
is
actually
at
no
cost
to
the
families,
so
we
serve
underserved
and
uninsured
children
in
the
communities
in
which
we
operate.
So
there
is
no
cost
to
the
families.
We
are
really
focused
on
removing
barriers
to
immunization,
because
we
know
it
is
set
an
important
key
to
community
health,
so
no
charge
to
our
families,
which
is
which.
A
Is
great
which
is
incredibly
important,
and
you
know
again,
we
talked
at
the
beginning
about
this
being
a
little
bit
of
a
partnership.
Joint
effort
with
Blue
Cross
and
Blue
Shield
to
reach
out
and
I
know
that
they're
very
generous
in
providing
the
in-kind
cost
of
the
administrative
part
of
running
a
foundation
which
then
allows
all
of
the
dollars
raised
to
go
at
into
programming,
which
is
a
very
unique
and
very
lucky
place
to
be.
B
We
are
in
a
very
good
place
and
for
us
to
be
able
to
say
to
potential
funders
that
every
singer,
single
dollar
that
they
provide,
does
actually
go
straight
to
those
services.
So
there's
there's
no
administrative
costs
whatsoever
taken
out
of
that
those
donor
dollars
and
as
the
executive
director
of
the
foundation
I
feel
like
I
I
can
say
to
a
potential
funder
that
we
will
be
good
stewards
of
your
money.
B
We
promise
that
what
you
give
us
will
go
to
those
kids
who
need
it
and
one
of
the
things
that
we're
talking
about
our
life-saving
vaccines
and
for
a
child
to
be
without
the
opportunity
for
a
life-saving
vaccine
in
the
state
of
Oklahoma
is
just
it's
just
not
acceptable.
So
we're
trying
to
trying
to
make
a
difference
in
that
area.
Well,.
A
And,
as
we've
said,
you
really
can
tell
that
you've
made
a
tremendous
difference.
One
of
the
fun
things
that
you
guys
do
is
put
on
an
event
every
year
to
help
raise
these
important
dollars
to
be
able
to
provide
the
services.
Tell
us
about
that
and
last
year
it
was
great
fun.
So
I'm
not
going
to
spoil
the
secret,
but
tell
us
that
was
about.
C
The
event
well,
champions
of
health
is
our
premier
annual
fundraiser,
and
this
year
is
our
tenth
year.
So
we're
looking
forward
to
a
wonderful
event.
We
actually
go
between
Oklahoma,
City
and
Tulsa,
so
this
year
in
2013,
our
event
will
be
held
in
Tulsa,
but
the
purpose
of
that
event
is
to
actually
highlight
and
celebrate
individuals
and
organizations
that
are
doing
great
things
to
improve
the
state
of
Oklahoma
Health.
C
You
know
we
talk
a
lot
about
the
negative
health
statistics
and
the
things
that
we're
suffering
from
in
our
state,
but
there
are
a
lot
of
people
who
aren't
working
very
to
make
a
difference
every
day,
so
the
event
highlights
and
celebrates
those
programs
around
the
state
and
tells
people
about
them
and
gives
opportunity
for
replication.
We
also
bring
in
a
nice
and
well-known
speaker
every
year
and
the
event
actually
serves
the
sponsorships
served
to
benefit
the
caring
foundation.
So
it's
a
wonderful
evening.
We
really
enjoy
and
it's
held
in
the
fall
perfect.
A
B
A
A
C
Website
is
probably
the
best
way
to
reach
our
contact
information
and
its
Oklahoma
caring
foundation.
Org
has
all
of
our
and
phone
numbers.
Email
addresses,
we'd
love
to
visit
with
anyone
from
the
community
who's
interested
in
what
we
provide.
We
do
have
a
few
volunteer
opportunities
that
we're
developing.
Now
we
are
serving
children,
so
there's
always
need
for
people
to
to
work
alongside
us
in
the
community,
so
we'd
love
to
hear
from
people
who
are
interested
in
our
services
great.
So
the
website
again
is
Oklahoma
caring
foundation.
Org.
A
C
C
Oh,
you,
physicians,
we're
actually
doing
a
body
mass
index,
screening
program
with
children
on
our
vans
at
childcare
facilities,
and
that's
been
a
wonderful
resource
for
parents
and
just
information
and
resource
information
they
could
provide
and
they
give
them
resources
in
the
community
where
they
may
be
able
to
be
out
with
their
families.
So
that's
our
newest
program
and
we're
actually
developing
in
talks
with
some
other
types
of
services.
A
You
know
we
know
that
we
have
a
huge
problem
with
childhood
obesity
and
those
obesity
problems,
and
lack
of
exercise
begins
to
manifest
itself
in
diabetes
and
other
health
problems
that
if
we
can
get
on
the
front
end
of
some
of
that,
you
know
we
hope
we
may
be
able
to
solve
those
problems
early
rather
than
have
it
progress
so
to
be
thinking
about.
You
know
the
idea
that
you're
out
in
these
communities
and
you're
out
working
with
kids
and
what
other
services
do
they
need
is
very
helpful.
A
So
thank
you
so
much
both
for
coming
in
today,
I
think
it's
been
very
informative
and
you
know
it's
wonderful
to
be
able
to
talk
about
a
program
where
you
actually
have
concrete
evidence
that
the
work
that
you're
doing
out
in
the
community
is
really
doing
what
you
want
it
to
do
and
benefiting
our
citizens.
So
again,
thank
you
very,
very
much
for
being
here
and.