Deupree House is proud to be part of the Episcopal Retirement Homes mission as a non-profit provider of senior living services. We're imbued with what we view as a sacred trust— to minister to, care for, assist and ensure the well-being of all our residents, and of seniors in the greater Cincinnati who utilize the in-home programs run from Deupree, like Meals on Wheels. But we're just as proud of our long history of charitable giving.

Many senior citizens in the Greater Cincinnati area face significant financial concerns that place them at risk of not receiving the retirement care they need.  A large part of our mission is to help those individuals who are facing such difficulties through our various charitable giving programs. This week, we'd like to spotlight ways that ERH supporters and residents of our retirement communities give back to seniors with fewer means.

The Good Samaritan Mission Fund

ERH established the Good Samaritan Mission Fund to provide ongoing funding for its charitable care efforts. Staff members, board members, community partners, residents, residents' families and other friends of ERH all come together to endeavor to raise funds. In addition to private donation drives, ERH holds an annual fundraising Gala, the proceeds of which are used to endow the fund.

The Good Samaritan Mission Fund is used to underwrite costs for a variety of services and relief programs. It supports our Meals on Wheels program and ERH’s Parish Health Ministry, in addition to providing financial aid for residents in need, emergency assistance for staff, wellness and ministry programs in our retirement communities.

The Good Samaritan Mission Fund has a vast reach, positively impacting the lives of scores of individuals in the Cincinnati area. In 2013 alone, it spent in excess of $2 million in direct support of area seniors. It also funds ongoing activities and support for the Affordable Living program, which provides quality housing and assisted living services to seniors of limited means.

The Affordable Living program is additionally augmented by an initiative, called "Better Days," launched in the spring of 2014. The Better Days fundraising initiative gets local business and members of the community at large to sponsor daily enrichment activities for seniors in the Affordable Living program. Those activities include fitness classes, wellness programs, day trips, Bible studies and other efforts to improve general quality of life; for seniors with limited means, access to similar activities might otherwise be unavailable, as they are not funded by government safety net programs like Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid.

Many of donors keep giving even when they, themselves, need retirement care.

Take, for example, the case of Dr. Elizabeth Goessel-Rule. Dr. Goessel-Rule enjoyed a long, successful career as an internal medicine specialist in New York City. Her husband was a native of Cincinnati; the couple often travelled west, in their later years, to visit his three sisters, who resided at Deupree House. When Dr. Goessel-Rule's own husband passed away, she became a member of our community as well.

Even in retirement, she has continued to serve the Cincinnati community and other residents. She is a generous annual donor to the Good Samaritan Mission Fund. In 2014, she made a large estate bequest to the program, to ensure that those of her Deupree neighbors who face financial difficulties needn't worry about continuing to receive the care they need.

It's caring individuals like Dr. Goessel-Rule— and ERH's long-standing commitment never to ask a resident to leave due to financial concerns — that provide much-needed peace of mind to our less fortunate residents and to their families. We appreciate all of our residents, and the generous donors who support them.

Want to help support our charitable mission?

• Volunteer your time. You might serve with the Deupree Meals on Wheels program as a driver or as a kitchen staffer. You could volunteer to lead a Bible study or teach a skills or crafts class at Deupree House, Marjorie P.Lee or one of our affordable living communities. Or you could assist with pledge drives or work at the annual gala.

• Consider making a one-time donation, funding an endowment, making an estate bequest or donating appreciated investment. This is an easy way to assure that residents in need will continue to receive the supportive care they need, and to reduce your tax burden. ERH is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, so donations made to it are fully tax-deductable.

• Commit to an ongoing monetary gift. This provides the Good Samaritan Mission Fund with a more predictable revenue stream and helps us to be better able to plan our charitable efforts and anticipate needs.