Caregivers Raise $320k in 11 Days to Save Peachtree Christian Health

The announcement came on November 11, 2022 that Peachtree Christian Health (PCH) would permanently close their adult day center at the end of the year due to insurmountable financial hardships caused to their business in the wake of the pandemic.

They had just opened their doors in 2019 offering adult day health services to families caring for aging loved ones, many with dementia, but less than a year later COVID-19 forced them into a three-month shutdown that caused ramifications no one could have every predicted.

PCH applied for federal subsidies, a CARES Act grant, and numerous other private grants and donations. They identified and secured caregiver respite and transportation vouchers, scholarship funds, as well as became a Medicaid Waiver and Veterans Administration provider. They strategically aligned with community partners for joint programming and referrals to serve and attract new participants. Despite all efforts, they simply were not able to increase their cashflow and grow their participant census fast enough to subsist into 2023.

When PCH caregivers heard the news, they simply were not willing to accept the fate of closure. Anne Mancini, President of PCH recounts, “As we told our families, it was absolutely heart breaking. People were pleading for us to reconsider. Many shared they had no other care options to consider but to take their loved ones home to a lonely, isolated life. There were so many tears.”

The Albrecht family says, "PCH has had a huge impact on our mother's well-being and mental state. She thrives because she is not alone at home. Before coming to PCH Mom didn't want to get out of bed and be social with anyone. Now she's up and ready to go every morning to visit with her friends at PCH. We know at PCH she is safe and cared for. The center has been a second home for mom while we work. PCH has made it possible for Mom to continue to live in her own home, delaying the need to put her in a residential care center that we simply cannot afford. We are devastated we could be facing PCH’s closure. We honestly don't know where we are going to have to place Mom next."

PCH families rallied and appealed to the staff and board to give them the opportunity to help raise funds and recruit new participants to save the center. Their wish was granted and the “Save Our Center” campaign launched with the charge to raise $500,000 and enlist 50 new participant days per week by Thanksgiving to fill in the financial gap necessary for sustainability.

In just eleven days, PCH families, staff, board members, and other community stakeholders have managed to rally and raise $320,000 from 273 donors. They’ve added 35 additional enrollment days per week to the census and have had a new transportation partner step forward committed to helping break down access barriers for Veterans.

After seeing the passion and results from the “Save Our Center” campaign, the PCH Board has agreed to extend the “Save Our Center” campaign through next Tuesday, November 29. Those five extra days will give stakeholders the opportunity to appeal to family and friends through the holiday weekend, encourage others to explore enrollment, and to make one final fundraising appeal on Giving Tuesday.

The PCH Board of Directors will meet for a special meeting on Wednesday, November 30th where a final decision will be made. An official announcement will be released on Thursday, December 1st. Board Chair Bob Dutlinger says, “We owe it to our amazing staff and those we serve to decide quickly so they can plan for the new year. We are simply blown away by the response we’ve received from the community and have hope that PCH has a future. The services we provide are like no others and it would be a tragedy for this center to close. We truly are doing everything we know to do.”

Dutlinger was sure to stress, “We want to be clear that if we don’t meet our campaign goals and must affirm the earlier decision to close the center at the end of the year, all donations to the Save Our Center Campaign will be refunded. If we are successful with our campaign and can reverse the earlier decision, we will be good stewards of the funds entrusted to us and work to fill the necessary gaps to bring us back to a state of sustainability.”

Mancini says,”We are so close. This is doable. There is hope. We will continue to fight the good fight and trust God will affirm without question the path we need to follow. We believe in miracles.”

Donations can be made to the Save Our Center Campaign at https://bit.ly/SavePCH. If you are caring for an aging loved one that could benefit from daytime activities with medical oversight, especially those living with dementia and cognitive decline, learn more about enrollment at PCH at www.pchlec.org.