Hearing Care for Needy Children

Dear Donors,

Thank you Global Giving donors for your generous support this year! Several donors have set up recurring donations and we appreciate this ongoing support. Thank you, too, for helping us continue to provide vision and hearing care for all eligible children requesting our help!! As we mentioned in last year’s report, in addition to meeting our goal the KEX Kids Fund had been selected to receive a National Outstanding Service Award from the NAB Education Foundation for Service to Children presented in Washington DC on June 16, 2015!! In addition to this National Award, the KEX Kids Fund received local recognition by the Oregon Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation as their Partner of the Year at their Gala Award Dinner on October 3, 2015. The award was presented by Dr. Eric Jones, Legacy Health Systems. Thank you again for your help to make this recognition possible!

So far this year your support helped us raise $38,881.08 (including payments from pledge drive) to provide both hearing and vision care for needy children in Oregon and SW Washington for our 2016 program. Most of our operating expenses for 2016 are pledged and collected during our annual Thanksgiving Fundraiser. In November 2015, we have received $112,606 be used for our $140,000 budget for 2016. We are very pleased with this support as the radio time for the fundraiser included only the four morning broadcasts and not the two afternoon commuting time broadcasts which have historically brought in $15,000 to $20,000 in pledges. Our funds are kept in one account and are used for both of our Hearing and Vision Care programs.

Hearing Care Program Services expenses for 2015 were $24,850 and the KEX Kids Fund provided care for 41 children. These children received hearing care services valued at nearly $100,000. So far in 2016, our hearing care expenses are $30,175.68 and we have provided hearing care for 51 children. We have already exceeded the number of hearing care children served in 2015 (41). Our board member, Sherry Brown, is keeping the KEX Board updated on state funding changes and suggesting ways that the KEX Kids Fund can continue to serve children in need of hearing care services. Sherry encouraged another ESD audiologist from the Salem area, Glenda Smith-Fowler to join our board and they have recruited additional audiology providers to provide services to our children to bridge some of the gaps from Oregon ESD funding cuts. Sherry and Glenda are helping us consider options for providing hearing care to needy children outside our current 16 county service area. We currently have 15 audiologists supporting our hearing program.

We recently received an $8000 request to create a bank of loaner hearing aids for children (birth to high school graduation) from all over the state. Funds will be used for a one-time purchase12 behind the ear type hearing aids and 3 bone conduction type hearing aids, including a 3 year warranty for repair and 3 year warranty for loss or damage and mailing costs.

Throughout the year we receive thank you notes and photos from our hearing care children. We are attaching copies of these items to this report. Thank you again for helping us to bring sound to needy children in Oregon and SW Washington.

• 2016 Thanksgiving Fundraiser (PDF)
  
• Sandra's Hearing Aids (PDF)
  

Dear Donors,

Thank you Global Giving donors for your generous support this year! Several donors have set up recurring donations and we appreciate this ongoing support. Thank you, too, for helping us continue to provide vision and hearing care for all eligible children requesting our help!! As we mentioned in last year’s report, in addition to meeting our goal the KEX Kids Fund had been selected to receive a National Outstanding Service Award from the NAB Education Foundation for Service to Children presented in Washington DC on June 16, 2015!! In addition to this National Award, the KEX Kids Fund received local recognition by the Oregon Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation as their Partner of the Year at their Gala Award Dinner on October 3, 2015. The award was presented by Dr. Eric Jones, Legacy Health Systems. Thank you again for your help to make this recognition possible!

So far this year your support helped us raise $29,530.36 to provide both hearing and vision care for needy children in Oregon and SW Washington for our 2016 program. Most of our operating expenses for 2016 are pledged and collected during our annual Thanksgiving Fundraiser. In November 2015, we have received $117,082 to be used for our $140,000 budget for 2016. We are very pleased with this support as the radio time for the fundraiser included only the four morning broadcasts and not the two afternoon commuting time broadcasts which have historically brought in $15,000 to $20,000 in pledges. Our funds are kept in one account and are used for both of our Hearing and Vision Care programs. 

Hearing Care Program Services expenses for 2015 were $24,850 and the KEX Kids Fund provided care for 41 children. These children received hearing care services valued at nearly $100,000. So far in 2016, our hearing care expenses are $23,532 and we have provided hearing care for 41 children. We have already exceeded the number of hearing care children served in 2015 (40). As reported previously, our Hearing Care Program has experienced changes and challenges in the recent years. In 2011, Oregon legislation impacted our hearing program in two ways. First the requirement that insurance companies to cover costs of hearing aids for children under 18 reduced our hearing program expenses. Second, cuts in education funding resulted in a reduction in staff at several of our ESD hearing care locations. In some cases, audiologists are able to continue to provide hearing exams but are no longer able to fit or dispense hearing aids. In our October 2011 board meeting, we approved reimbursement for private providers for the fitting and dispensing fees for children in this area. Private audiology providers are also offering services to our children. In 2013, the Oregon Department of Education policy reduced or eliminated support of audiology services at ESD resulting in further impacts on our hearing program. Some ESD districts have agreed to use local district resources for evaluation and dispensing hearing aids for children in their district while others are limiting services to evaluation and/or serving children 0 to 5 years of age. Our board member, Sherry Brown, is keeping the KEX Board updated on these developments and suggesting ways that the KEX Kids Fund can continue to serve children in need of hearing care services. Sherry encouraged another ESD audiologist from the Salem area, Glenda Smith-Fowler to join our board and they have recruited additional audiology providers to provide services to our children to bridge some of the gaps from Oregon ESD funding cuts. Sherry and Glenda are helping us consider options for providing hearing care to needy children outside our current 16 county service area. We currently have 15 audiologists supporting our hearing program. 

Throughout the year we receive thank you notes and photos from our hearing care children. We are attaching copies of these items to this report. Thank you again for helping us to bring sound to needy children in Oregon and SW Washington.

• Thank You Note from Idrissa (PDF)
  
• Thank You Note from Isabel (PDF)
  
• Thank You Note from Kang (PDF)
  
• Special Hearing Equipment Request (PDF)