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NEWS
RELEASE MEDIA
ADVISORY CONTACT: Brian O'Shaughnessy
HEALTH CARE CLINIC IN WEST HILL TO HOST OPENING OF LABOR-RELIGION COALITION'S 40 HOUR FAST Doctor Robert Paeglow, Director of Koinonia Health Care will be joined by students from Albany Medical College as well as religious, labor and community leaders in announcing the New York State Labor-Religion Coalition's 40 Hour Fast at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 1, 2005. Situated in the heart of Albany's poorest census tract, Koinonia Health Care serves many of Albany's neediest residents regardless of their ability to pay. Among the speakers will be Labor-Religion Co-chairs: Bishop Howard Hubbard of the Albany Roman Catholic Diocese and Thomas Y. Hobart, Jr., president of New York State United Teachers. Koinonia Health Care is located at 553 Clinton Avenue, Albany (corner of North Lake and entrance on N. Lake). "Health Care For All: the Moral Prescription" is the theme of this year's fast, the Coalition's tenth. "Any system that bankrupts one million families each year because they can't pay their medical bills needs either major transformation or replacement," said Brian O'Shaughnessy, New York State Labor-Religion Coalition Executive Director, referring to a national reality. "It should a crime that the U.S. allows 45 million Americans to live each year without health insurance. Surely it's immoral." The Fast, a statewide event, invites all New Yorkers to go without solid food for all or part of the 40 hours that begin at 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 1 and end at noon on Thursday, March 3. During this experience of hunger, fast participants are encouraged to add their voice to the current debate about health care in New York state. Interfaith services, many in heath care settings, will mark the fast across the state, coordinated by affiliates of the New York State Labor-Religion Coalition. Three events will be held in the Capital District. At 7 p.m. on March 1, there will be an opening service at St. John's Lutheran Church, 160 Central Ave.. On March 2, a Walk for Health Care Justice will move from clinic to clinic, beginning at 3:30 p.m. at Koinonia Health Center & ending at Whitney Young Health Center at 5 p.m. On March 3 at noon at Emmanuel Baptist Church, 275 State St. a breaking-the-fast lunch will focus on next steps towards health care justice.
Last Updated: 03/01/2005 |