Cyclists From Across the Nation Come to Berkshires to Raise Awareness of Kidney Disease; Volunteer at Railroad Street Youth P...
September 21 2011 - 9:00AM
Business Wire
DaVita Inc. (NYSE: DVA), a leading provider of kidney care
services committed to improving the quality of life for those
diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD), today announced the
completion of the remodeling of the Railroad Street Youth Project
Drop-In Center, which happened with the support of DaVita teammates
(employees) as well as $50,000 in donations: $25,000 from DaVita
and $25,000 from the K.T. Community Foundation (a foundation
started by DaVita Chairman and CEO Kent Thiry and his wife, Denise
O’Leary, which benefits charitable programs supported by DaVita
teammates and their families).
DaVita® volunteers participated in more than a dozen community
service projects in Great Barrington on September 17 as a kick-off
to Tour DaVita®, a 250-mile bicycle ride through Massachusetts and
Connecticut that raises awareness and funds in the fight against
kidney disease.
“We are excited to work with the Railroad Street Youth Project
to provide a modern, safe environment for the youth of Great
Barrington,” said Thiry. “We wanted to do more than just begin the
Tour DaVita in this beautiful town; we wanted to make a lasting
impact on the community that has warmly welcomed us.”
The Railroad Street Youth Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
organization dedicated to empowering young people by supporting the
creation of youth-generated activities that promote self-worth,
responsibility and intergenerational respect and communication. The
Drop-In Center, located in the Schneider Youth Building, serves as
a place for 14-25 year old residents of South Berkshire County to
meet, develop ideas, receive help with a crisis situation or just
hang out in a safe environment.
“The Railroad Street Youth Project is thrilled to have the
support of DaVita,” said Brenda Barlow, RSYP executive director.
“When DaVita first approached our community, I had been leading
focus groups of teens to talk about what they wanted in a Drop-In
Center. They reported wanting a space where they could be
productive – to learn new skills, create art, take a class or just
have Internet access. Thanks to DaVita, this dream is coming true!
The new Drop-In Center will have an Internet café, entertainment
lounge and homework resource center. The entire RSYP community –
including the youths – is overwhelmed at the generosity of
DaVita!”
Young people were at the forefront of designing the new Drop-In
Center. One youth in particular, 16-year-old Amanda Johnson, was
instrumental from the beginning helping the team to redesign the
new space. Her ideas for a new floor plan were embraced by the
Details, Inc. (the interior designer for the project) and she has
consulted with them every step of the way. Amanda’s talents are so
appreciated that Details, Inc. has expressed interest in taking her
on as an intern or apprentice for the fall. RSYP has a very
successful Apprenticeship Program that often makes individual
placements for young people wanting to learn a skill. This is a
perfect example of how RSYP connects the youth of Berkshire County
with business leaders in our community.
In addition to supporting the RSYP, DaVita teammates will
complete smaller service projects at Great Barrington
organizations. Projects range from building a greenhouse out of
recycled water bottles for the Flying Cloud Institute to cleaning
toys for the Berkshire South Community Center.
The fifth annual Tour DaVita began on Sept.18 and ran 250 miles
from Great Barrington, Mass. to Madison, Conn. More than 400 riders
raised a minimum of $750 to $2,000 in donations each to benefit The
Kidney TRUST, a nonprofit organization with the mission to reduce
the human and economic cost of chronic kidney disease across the
United States. Tour DaVita also aims to raise awareness for
chronic kidney disease, which affects approximately 31 million
American adults, 90 percent of whom are unaware they are suffering
from it.
DaVita and Tour DaVita are registered trademarks of DaVita Inc.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective
owners.
About DaVita
DaVita Inc., a Fortune 500® company, is a leading provider of
kidney care in the United States, delivering dialysis services to
patients with chronic kidney failure and end stage renal disease.
DaVita strives to improve patients’ quality of life by innovating
clinical care, and by offering integrated treatment plans,
personalized care teams and convenient health-management services.
As of June 30, 2011, DaVita operated or provided administrative
services at 1,669 dialysis facilities, serving approximately
131,000 patients. DaVita supports numerous programs dedicated to
creating positive, sustainable change in communities around the
world. The company’s leadership development initiatives and social
responsibility efforts have been recognized by Fortune, Modern
Healthcare, Newsweek and WorldBlu. For more information, please
visit www.davita.com.
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