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When
we give to a cause, we have certain expectations about how money
is to be used. We want to know what the goals or objectives of a
charity are; how well they achieve those goals, that is, what the
charity does with the money after it has been given. The
objectives of Texas Academy of Family Physicians Foundation have
been established and reaffirmed many times by its board of
trustees. As stated in the Foundations Bylaws, they are:
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To
stimulate and support Family Practice research, and
disseminate such research results to other physicians and the
public through seminars and other media;
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To
stimulate and support interest in the specialty of Family
Practice at all educational levels;
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To
support and encourage healthy lifestyles and the awareness and
consequences of behavior on health among all segments of
society; and
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To
encourage healthy lifestyles and personal renewal for
physicians and their families.
In
the past 10 years, the leadership of the Foundation has kept these
goals in mind as they have begun the process of building endowed
accounts to fund activities that directly support these goals. The
TAFP Foundation has been successful at establishing endowed
scholarships to aid medical school students and residents who are
interested in family practice. The membership of the TAFP has been
very generous in helping to establish and fund these scholarships.
The
downside of emphasis on raising the funds for these scholarships
has been a reduction in the dollars raised for non-restricted
uses. The challenge for the Foundation Board of Trustees at this
time is to find a way to fund student travel, research, and pay
for the operational expenses of the Foundation. Each of these is
an important function of the Foundation and together they present
an intriguing challenge to find ways of funding all of these
needs.
The
Foundation needs every member of the academy to help it find the
resources to fulfill its objectives. For some, this means an
annual contribution; for others it is monthly donations; some make
regular memorial and gifts; some of you help with our annual
fundraising event; some of you help us find corporate donors to
make donations that help us meet our needs.
The
Foundation Board of Trustees will be making plans for the next
step in our growth as a foundation. Board members will need the
support of all of the members of the academy. If you are not now
involved, please contact us. If you are now involved, find out
what else you can do to help.
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