Carle Faith Community Partners
For over 40 years, involvement of the local faith community has been a cornerstone at Carle BroMenn Medical Center. This enduring partnership has fostered meaningful initiatives and projects that address the needs of our communities. Together, we've expanded access to health and wellness resources within local faith settings and provided training and support for community faith leaders.If your faith community is interested in partnering with us on one of our many initiatives - or if your faith leaders are seeking health and wellness resources or training opportunities - please reach out to Rev. Christopher Schilling, Coordinator of Faith Community Relations via email or by calling (309) 268-3504.
Shared Ministry Projects
Partners in HealingA ministry in which faith communities pray or send good thoughts/blessings for patients, family, and staff in specific healthcare units or departments at Carle BroMenn Medical Center, Carle Eureka Hospital or Carle Cancer Institute Normal.
Caring Hearts Fund
The Caring Hearts Fund began with donations from team members at what was then BroMenn Healthcare to help patients and families of patients staying or receiving treatment at BroMenn. This fund allows families and patients to receive vouchers for bus fares, gasoline, lodging, food and pharmacy needs. This fund is used for patients and families of patients who are from out of town and do not have readily available resources here in Bloomington-Normal and for residents of this area who meet certain criteria.
Compassion Closet
Faith communities organize efforts to provide new sweatpants, sweatshirts, T-shirts and shorts to Carle BroMenn Medical Center and Carle Eureka Hospital. Patients without other options for obtaining clothing – most often from the Emergency Department – can leave the hospital with dignity. Faith communities also donate crocheted, knitted and other blankets for patients.
Compassion Cupboard
Patients sometimes enter our hospitals with food insecurities and are discharged with few options at home. The Compassion Cupboards at Carle BroMenn Medical Center and Carle Eureka Hospital provide a small bag of food items such as canned fruits, vegetables, proteins, grains and other miscellaneous food items to help in the short term. Information about local food pantries and support programs is also provided.
Sock it Forward
In 2024, we launched an initiative called Sock It Forward, inviting individuals from local faith communities with knitting experience to create wool socks for those in need. This program enables us to distribute warm, water-resistant wool socks during the cold winter months, handmade with care and compassion and free from moisture-absorbing cotton.
Faith Community Nurse Ministry
Provides support to congregations and Faith Community Nurses affiliated with Carle’s Faith Community Nursing program by offering consultation on nursing ministries, providing networking opportunities, and promoting care-giving teams within faith communities.
Faith Leader Training
All area faith leaders are invited to attend occasional training specifically for faith communities at Carle BroMenn Medical Center and Carle Eureka Hospital. The purpose of these gatherings is to foster relationships that promote faith, healing, and wholeness in our mutual communities. The meetings also provide leaders with a space and time to meet with other colleagues, as well as an opportunity for continuing education in the area of faith and health.
If you're a faith leader and would like to be added to our newsletter distribution list and be notified of upcoming trainings, please contact our Coordinator of Faith Community Relations.
Clergy Badges and Parking Spaces
Local clergy need to have a clergy badge to visit patients hospitalized at Carle BroMenn. There are reserved parking spaces for clergy available outside the Spiritual Care office at Carle BroMenn.
To receive a badge to use while visiting, please stop by Spiritual Care or contact our Coordinator of Faith Community Relations for more information. HIPAA and hospital visitation training is also available for a faith community’s visitation team
History
The Brokaw Mennonite Association was incorporated on April 1, 1984, to support and encourage healthcare services. The member churches previously were members of Brokaw Health Care, Inc. and of the Mennonite Hospital Association. The name changed after a 2010 merger with Advocate Health Care. On July 1, 2020, the name changed again to the Carle BroMenn Delegate Church Association. In fall 2022, the organization became the Carle Faith Community Partners to reflect our efforts to meet more of the area’s healthcare needs. Current association participants range from faith communities involved with either Brokaw or Mennonite to those who became members in 1984 and some that started participating more recently. All are welcome.