When I was a reporter for Charlotte's NPR station, I would turn to Care Ring for perspective on who was being left behind amid the health care trends I was covering. Care Ring's leaders know that better than anyone in Mecklenburg County: for 65 years, the nonprofit has played a critical role filling gaps in our health care system. 

Today, that work is more important than ever as low-income patients and people of color have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Care Ring has been doing heroic work not only to continue serving its patients, but also to reduce costs for them as they navigate what is both a health and an economic crisis. 

I am proud to serve on the nonprofit's board of directors and support it financially. Please join me in making a donation to help those in our community who otherwise may not be able to access care. Consider that $100 would help cover a primary care visit to our clinic, and $500 would provide 10 patients at-home equipment to monitor their chronic conditions between visits. 

If you'd like to learn more, please join me for a 30-minute Zoom panel on what Care Ring has learned on the front lines of health equity over the past year. The panel will also offer practical tips on how to have meaningful conversations with family and friends about health and wellness. The panel is from 11:30 to noon on Thursday, December 16. Copy and paste this link to register: 

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0od-6pqjkpGN3yLChQbKJbTTtsxwtI_X1O