John F. Kennedy said, “We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives.”
This past year, our storytelling efforts have showcased some of those difference-makers.Our yearlong series on the Changing Face of Rural Health Care has been all about highlighting everyday heroes who make life better for those around them.
The latest installment of the series is no exception. It paints a portrait of health care on a deeply personal level in Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge, where community care coordinators work with vulnerable patients to reduce barriers to health and wellness. The emphasis is on helping the housing challenged.
As one helper says, “It’s unrealistic to expect a patient to prioritize a doctor’s appointment three months from now when they don’t know where their next meal is coming from.”
In this season of Thanksgiving, we can all take a moment to acknowledge the helpers in our own lives. In that spirit, in the year ahead on these pages, look for an even greater focus on everyday people enriching the lives of others. We will seek your help identifying the great stories to tell, and we’ll provide inspiration and practical ways for readers to make a difference in their own communities.
More to come. In the meantime, may gratitude fill your Thanksgiving table.
Leon Espinoza, Editor