Parkinson Association of the Carolinas

Parkinson Association of the Carolinas (PAC) serves as a resource for individuals & their families affected by Parkinson’s disease in the Carolinas, through education, community outreach & direct support”. IMPACT OF COVID-19 - SPECIFIC NEEDS: Loss of revenue from transforming our annual in person MoveIt! Walk to a virtual event is significant, & we may not be able to expand yoga, movement exercise classes or educational symposiums (free to all attendees) to areas needing that outreach. Financial Donations Requested: We are estimated to lose around $46,000 from our Walk due to not being able to function as the usual in person fundraising event. This amount goes towards paying for: a staff person to answer our resource line, 72 yoga classes held throughout the year ($8,000), 45 Dance for Parkinson's classes throughout the year (10,000), other exercise classes ($4,000) and educational symposiums $24,000 The organization uses their resources and expertise to support, educate and empower those impacted by the Disease. They give patients the tools needed to better manage the Disease and to allow them to maintain the highest quality of life, for as long as possible. PAC currently does this in the following ways: -We offer free yoga, dance for parkinson's and educational symposiums -We maintain a website and distribute an electronic monthly newsletter which includes community resources, support group meetings, events and a variety of other topics. -We create and strengthen opportunities for a peer-to-peer support network for patients and care partners to give and receive emotional and practical support to others who are in the same situation. -We maintain a speakers bureau of individuals and organizations who are willing to speak to patients, care partners or large support groups about the challenges that people with Parkinson's encounter during their journey with the Disease. -We partner with several major medical centers and other organizations to offer educational symposiums for patients and their families.