Our US and Belizean Partners
Our U.S. Partners
Academic partners include the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Marquette University, Concordia University of Wisconsin, the Medical College of Wisconsin, and Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. Although these institutions do not support HHCI directly financially, they provide clinical faculty support and volunteers.
The Catholic Medical Mission Board partners with us to provide a portion of the living allowance, health insurance, and travel expenses for our long-term volunteers. This includes the Medical Director and long term (six months or more) nurse and therapist volunteers. Discussions have recently been undertaken to acquire medications as well from the CCMB.
The Sisters of Mercy Ministries have supported HHCI for several years with a grant that covers a substantial portion of operating expenses. No additional grants will be available from the SMM beginning July, 2007.
The Sovereign Military Order of Malta (Knights of Malta) recently supported HHCI with the provision of a mobile communications system so that its mobile unit out in remote villages could be in communication with the Hillside Clinic base.
Private donors/benefactors have been instrumental in the building of facilities, the provision of vehicles, and sustaining clinic programs and services. Donors include church and civic groups, individual foundations and student organizations.
Individuals like you! Donations from caring individuals who believe in our mission and work keep us going. Please mail contributions to the stateside address in the “contact us” tab or contact the stateside operations officer if you would like to become a major partner in our ministry.
Our Belize Partners/Collaborators
The Belize Ministry of Health has been coordinating care with us from the beginning. We support the MOH by providing transportation for MOH village health nurses; we provide ambulance services for MOH patients and transportation services for staff, we provide free unsubsidized care for more than 8000 patients each year, free medications, educational seminars/interaction with MOH administrators and physicians, community health educational presentations and public health research. We are in daily communication with the Southern regional Medical Director, Dr. Jose Antonio Marenco and his deputy and staff at the Punta Gorda Polyclinic.
The Society of Jesus in Belize. The Jesuits operate St. Peter Claver Catholic Parish and School in Punta Gorda and host Jesuit International Volunteers. Fr. Dick Pearl has been a strong supporter in our mission. Our previous board CEO was a Jesuit International Volunteer teacher at St. John’s College in Belize City in 1984-85.
CARE-Belize (Community Agency for Rehabilitation and Education for People with Disabilities), an NGO based in Belize City, has a field officer who works with our certified therapist.
The Sisters of Nazareth Novitiate. The Sisters run a retreat center and have been very accommodating in hosting our visitors and large groups of volunteers from the states. They have been very supportive of our work.
TOLCA (The Toledo Association for Children and Adolescents). This is an agency of UNICEF in Toledo. We are currently collaborating with them on small projects that support the welfare of children. We hope to partner further with UNICEF on major projects that support children’s health in Toledo.
The Belize Family Life Association. We work closely with the BFLA for family planning services and social support for patients.
Other NGO mission groups. One group in particular we are working with is planning to build a “Children's Special Needs/Training Center” in Jacintoville, near the Hillside Clinic. We have agreed to coordinate staffing for the center when it is completed.
The Belize Council for the Visually Impaired. We are working with this organization as part of our assessment and outreach to meet the needs of the disabled in Toledo. We hope to expand our therapy services to include the blind.
Peace Corps. Our therapist works together with a Peace Corps volunteer who screens children for developmental delays due to speech/hearing impediments.
The Belize Medical College of the Central American Health Sciences University. Over the past year we have been in discussions with the leadership of the college to provide clinical clerkships for their medical students and become a long-term training site for Belizean medical student interns.
