Mission
Optimal Hospice Foundation ensures hospice care & programs are available for all patients and families facing a life-limiting illness. Programs include hospice care funding for the uninsured & Kids Camp for children who have experienced the loss of a love one. The Foundation's geographic area includes the following counties in California: Santa Clara, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare, Kern, Los Angeles and Orange.
Ruling year
1979
Director
Cherie Shoemake
Main address
1227 Chester Avenue
Bakersfield, CA 93301 USA
Formerly known as
Kern Hospice Services
EIN
95-3334909
Cause area (NTEE code)
Hospice (P74)
Home Health Care (includes Visiting Nurse Associations) (E92)
IRS filing requirement
This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.
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Communication
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Access to hospice care for people who have a life limiting illness who have limited or no insurance.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Kids Camp
The loss of a loved one touches each member of the family, including children. To help young people through their bereavement, Optimal Hospice Foundation created Kids Camp. This summer camp program is specially designed for young people ages 6 - 16 that have experienced the loss of an immediate family member in the recent past. At Kids Camp, young people enjoy traditional camping activities, such as swimming and hiking, in an atmosphere where both staff and fellow campers understand their special needs. The children find healing and peace through games, activities and common fellowship with each other.Kids Camp is currently held in the Bakersfield and Fresno areas and is open to all children in the community. The child's loved one did not have to be on hospice to attend camp.This innovative experience is available at no cost to families, thanks to generous support from the community. Camp participants may be referred by school counselors, healthcare providers, family members and other individuals.
Community Outreach
The Foundation is committed to providing education regarding the importance and value of hospice care to patients and families. Losing a loved one is never easy, unfortunately most people have no idea how hospice can help or when hospice would be appropriate. Community Outreach programs whether directly provided or funded by the Foundation provide the community the information they need to make an educated decision that is best for their situation.
Direct Patient Care Funding
The Foundation works closely with Optimal Hospice Care to ensure families have access to hospice care regardless of their ability to pay or insurance status. When a patient is uninsured or their benefits have run out the Foundation pays Optimal Hospice Care a per day rate to help cover the cost of the patients care while on hospice. This ensures families are never turned away based on their insurance status. This program is provided for all of our locations - Bakersfield, Lake Isabella, Visalia, Fresno, Modesto, Stockton and Santa Clara.
Where we work
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Charting impact
Five powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
The Optimal Hospice Foundation commits its resources to ensure hospice care and other compassionate programs are available for families facing a life-limiting illness with particular emphasis on the underinsured or uninsured population.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
We utilize our relationships with the community to raise awareness about hospice care and the programs provided by the Foundation.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
The Foundation partners with the Community Education Department of Optimal Hospice Care.
How will they know if they are making progress?
Our indicators include an increase in the number of patients who use the Foundation to fund their hospice care as well as our expanding Kids Bereavement program.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
We will be working to expand our involvement in our Bereavement Programs. In the past there years we have increased our Kids Camp attendance by adding a camp in Northern California and a one day camp for children 6-9. Our one day camp has allowed us to help kids that were to young to attend our overnight camps. In 2020 we will host 6 session of Kids Camp from Kern to San Joaquin Counties.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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OPTIMAL HOSPICE FOUNDATION
Board of directorsas of 7/15/2020
Denise Boshers
Grade 6 Oil
Term: 2019 - 2021
Jim LaMar
Greenlawn Funeral Homes
Theresa Olson
Keller Williams Realty
Suzi Beaty
Fidelity National Home Warranty
Kris Simpson
Komoto Pharmacy
Cherie Payne
KCSOS
Michael Saltz
Employers Training Resource
Michelle Cooper
San Joaquin Valley Mortgage
Scott Pardue
Poso Creek Solar Partners
Denise Boshers
Grade 6 Oil
Shanna LeViner
Pro Safety and Rescue, Inc.
Jesse Soto
Kern River Holdings
Kim VanDeVenter
Kern Medical
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
-
Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Not applicable -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? GuideStar partnered on this section with CHANGE Philanthropy and Equity in the Center.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Keywords
Hospice Foundation, Kids Camp, hospice, health, human services, respite
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