The Methodist Hospital (TMH), one of the country’s largest private non-profit hospitals, has been a friend to the Arab American Cultural & Community Center (ACC) for a few years. We are grateful for Methodist’s commitment to our Arab- American community and the Houston community as a whole. In the 89 years since its founding, The Methodist Hospital has taken seriously its status as a faith-based organization committed to providing quality, cost-effective health care to its community.
Methodist was chosen as ACC’s Philanthropic Honoree for its comprehensive community benefits program which helps people in our community along with all Houstonians who cannot afford heath care. In addition, TMH assists the agencies that treat the medically underserved. Methodist directly supports worthy non-profits like ACC, along with 22 other community agencies. With these programs, from health clinics to health fairs, Methodist helps to ensure that even the most impoverished members of society have access to quality health care. In 2007, Methodist devoted almost $500 million in charity care and community benefits.
Last year, in conjunction with the Arab American Medical Association, TMH was instrumental in providing the core services for ACC’s 2007 Health Fair sponsored and hosted by the ACC to benefit underserved Arab and other minorities residing in the vicinity of the ACC. Undertaking health fairs is almost an annual event for ACC, and Methodist made the 2007 Health Fair much easier for the ACC staff to present.
With such charitable care, Methodist continues the legacy of the late Dr. Michael DeBakey, who practiced at Methodist for more than six decades. Dr. DeBakey, a Lebanese-American, had a strong connection to the Arab-American community as well as the Arab world as does The Methodist Hospital. Not only does TMH have many Arab-American physicians on staff, but Methodist International now is partnering with a development company to build hospitals in Dubai and throughout the Middle East and North Africa.
One special program Methodist is doing for our community is Taking Strides4Stroke, a five year campaign to raise funds for, and awareness of the dangers of stroke, the third leading cause of death in America.
Whether unemployed and homeless, uninsured and barely making ends meet, or retired and unable to pay for prescriptions, Houston’s underserved can turn to a number of Methodist-sponsored programs for both preventative and urgent care. Methodist offers health and hope to thousands of men, women and children each year through AIDS treatment, pediatric check-ups, prenatal care, preventative screenings, dental and eye care, diagnostic procedure and many other treatments.
