Hearing Care for Needy Children

From January 1st to June 30^th 2013, the KEX Kids Fund received $60,526.64 from businesses, foundations, individuals, and service organizations. These funds include $34,790  in corporate sponsorships for the May 19^th golf tournament and $5,411.90 from our Sight and Sound Fundraiser started by a local Blues singer three years ago.  Most of our operating expenses for 2013 are pledged and collected during our annual Thanksgiving Fundraiser.  We received $102,504 during our November 2012 fundraiser to be used for our $190,000 budget for 2013.  Funds are kept in one account and are used for both of our Hearing Care and Vision Care Programs.

Hearing Care Program Services expenses for the first half of 2013 were $18,519.04. The KEX Kids Fund provided care for 36 children from January to June 2013.  These children received hearing care services valued at nearly $75,000.  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 one of our ESD hearing care locations.  The audiologist is able to continue to provide hearing exams but is no longer able to fit or dispense hearing aids.  In our October 2011 board meeting, we approved reimbursement of two 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 ESDs resulting in further impacts on our hearing program.  Some ESD districts have agreed to used 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.  One of our board members is knitting hats for our babies to wear to protect their hearing aids from exploring fingers.  We are attaching a photo of one of our babies with one of these hats.  We are also attaching a thank you note and drawing from a hearing care child.