What Is A Medicine Box^®
& Why Is It Needed?

Contents of This Page

1. The Typical Medicine Box^®.
2. How Can You Help?
3. How Will This Project Benefit Your Congregation & Medical Missions?
4. How Do You Get Started? (Five Steps)
5. Church Bulletin Insert: "Medicine Box - Literally Lifesaving"

The Typical Medicine Box^®

   The typical I.M.A. Medicine Box^® contains 18 essential drugs and medical supplies-- enough to respond to illnesses and injuries in a population of approximately 1,000 for a period of three months. These are basic medicines and supplies needed for day-to-day treatment of the common ailments that plague babies and their mothers, children, the aging population, and adults of all ages.

   Despite the generous support of American pharmaceutical manufacturers, many clinics and hospitals do not have basic medicines available on a regular basis. However, with the help of congregations, women's/men's/youth groups, and service clubs here in the United States, Medicine Boxes will be packed and shipped to designated hospitals and clinics for use in community health clinics and emergency medical response programs overseas.

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How Can You Help?

Contribute to the Medicine Box^® Advance Special 982630 and put together the Kit portion of the Medicine Box^®.

   Your local church can develop a partnership with health care providers by assembling products for a Medicine Box^® as a medical mission project. Your participation will require collecting a Kit of seven over-the-counter products and supplies plus raising $375 to cover the costs of prescription medications that will be added to the box by I.M.A. Your $375 Advance Special contribution will cover the costs of these additional items and the transport of your Medicine Box^® to a recipient hospital or clinic.

   There are several ways in which you can involve each member of your organization. For example, the over-the-counter items can be collected by a youth group, a women's group, the choir, or families of members. Your group can take a special offering to raise the Advance Special money for the prescription drugs or hold fundraisers, such as garage sales, rummage sales, or bake sales. Your congregation will be able to come up with good ideas that work in your community. Here is one idea: "Read the story of the blue-haired pastor."

How Will This Project Benefit Your Congregation & the Medical Missions and Emergency Relief Work of the Church?

• It will provide an opportunity for you to be involved in a project that requires teamwork and gives your members hands-on experience in medical mission partnership.
• It will enable you to participate in a project in which your efforts will be matched by American pharmaceutical manufacturers. When your contribution is received, I.M.A. will acknowledge your participation in the project. Your church will also receive a certificate of participation suitable for framing from the General Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church. I.M.A. will send your congregation a follow-up report about the health center that received the Medicine Box^® because of your participation.

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How Do You Get Started?

| 1-Organizing | 2-Publicity | 3-Fundraising | 4-Collecting | 5-Shipping |

STEP 1: Organizing

• Identify four or five key people to form the project committee.
• Assign to each person responsibility for one of the following tasks:
  1. Serving as the liaison between your group and I.M.A.
  2. Handling publicity.
  3. Fundraising.
  4. Procuring the over-the-counter items for the Kit.
     (Identify someone with medical/nursing training to serve as the advisor to your group as you gather the over-the-counter items.)
• Determine a timeline. Set the project completion date and work backwards. The fundraising aspect of the project should be completed before you begin collecting over-the-counter items.

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STEP 2: Getting the Word Out

• Publicize the Medicine Box^® program in newsletters and bulletins. There is a bulletin insert you can photocopy on pp. 11-12 of the printed guide (order a free packet).
• Prepare posters to encourage all members of the organization to become involved-
• Decorate and display in a prominent area an empty box that will be used to receive and ship the items purchased over-the-counter. Put one of the Medicine Box^® posters on or near the box.
• Promote the project by making a presentation to the members of your church and putting inserts in your Sunday bulletins and church newsletter or newspaper.

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STEP 3: Fundraising

• Inform members of the need to raise $375 for the Medicine Box^® Advance Special #982630 (See instructions for sending your check.), which will guarantee the purchase of prescription drugs and supplies needed to complete the Medicine Box^®. The funds will also guarantee the shipment of the box to the recipient hospital or clinic.
• Determine if this money can be raised through normal fundraising activities.
• Plan and organize special fundraising activities (e.g.,bake sale, garage sale, rummage sale).
• Encourage contributions from the local business community.

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STEP 4: Collecting Over-the-Counter Products for the Kit

• Meet with a medically trained person who has agreed to serve as an advisor for this project before you begin collecting products. (See list of Kit items.)
• Adhere to the following specific guidelines when collecting the required over-the- counter products:
  1. The products must be new with unbroken seals.
  2. Products must carry an expiration date of at least 18 months into the future (always purchase the longest dating possible).
  3. No substitution of products or strengths is acceptable.
• Organize your members to gather the Kit products in the quantities and strengths shown. Encourage them to solicit donations of required products from the business community, e.g., the local pharmacy, supermarket, etc.

     One way to organize your members is to give each participant a slip of paper with a description of the product and the quantity needed. For example:
  Slips 1-10    Mark each slip: Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid), 325 mg (5 gr tablets). Purchase 1 bottle of 100 tablets.
  Slips 11-20    Mark each slip: Children's Acetaminophen, 80 mg tablets. Purchase 1 bottle of 30 tablets.
  Prepare similar appropriate slips for the other items.

     One person may volunteer to take more than one slip. Be sure to keep a master list showing the names of each participant and the items they have agreed to be responsible for. This will help prevent duplication or gaps in getting all of the required products in the proper quantities.

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STEP 5: Wrapping Up

• Reaffirm the project completion date (the deadline for bringing in products for the Kit).
• Plan a dedication program (involve local media whenever possible) .
• Assemble the Kit (have medical advisor check products).
• Pack products carefully in a carton for shipment by UPS to I.M.A. and attach a shipping label indicating clearly on the outside of the carton your church's address.
• Address box to:
  
     I.M.A.
     c/o The Brethren Service Center Annex
     601 Main Street
     New Windsor, MD 21776
  
  Mark on the box, "Medicine Kit enclosed."
  
• For local church and annual conference credit, please give your check to your local church treasurer, who will forward it to your annual conference treasurer. Designate your gift "Medicine Box^®, Advance #982630." Gifts may also be forwarded to:
  
     Advance GCFA
     General Board of Global Ministries
     Box 9068, GPO
     New York, NY 10087-9068.
  
  
• Complete and mail the Shipping Letter to I.M.A.
  (Interchurch Medical Assistance, Inc., P.O. Box 429, New Windsor, MD 21776)
  indicating the date the Kit was shipped, how it was shipped (we recommend UPS) , and if the completed Kit is to be designated to a program of a specific I.M.A. member, such as The United Methodist Church.
• Send the We Have Supported the Medicine Box^® Program form to:
  
     UMCOR/HWM
     Room 330
     475 Riverside Drive
     New York, NY 10115.
  
  Health and Welfare would be pleased if you would also share some of the experiences felt by members of your congregation as they participated in the project.
• Keep your congregation informed as you receive follow-up information from I.M.A.
• Commit to making this an annual project. Identify committee members and draft a target schedule for the coming year.

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See also: Contents of the Medicine Box^®