9/27/2010

For three Bend sisters getting Central Oregon's first mobile medical unit up and running is a top priority.

Through their non-profit called Helpful Hearts, the girls, ages 7, 13 and 15 are fund raising to furnish the inside of the van, known as Project Mobile Connect.

"People out there really need to be helped and it's really just cool to help them. Yeah know it could change their lives," says Maddie Peterson, Helpful Hearts.

The donated van will travel around Central Oregon offering free medical and dental care to the homeless and those struggling to get by.

It's the first of it's kind in Central Oregon, an idea 5 years in the making and it's scheduled to make it's first run at the end of October.

"It's particularly important because we are coming into the winter season and we don't want to have happen again this winter what happened last winter when one veteran died in his tent," says Chuck Hemingway, Central Oregon Veterans Outreach.

Central Oregon's Veterans Outreach or COVO has taken the lead on the project.
As the three young ladies fund-raise for medical supplies by hand making greeting cards.

15 year old Brittany who has Cerebral Palsy came up with the idea for Helpful Hearts. She says the girls are not strangers to charitable work, but they've never been a part of a project this big.

"I've never see anything like this before. They're so dedicated and innovative and so excited it just thrills us and makes us want to hurry up and get this project going," says Hemingway.

COVO already makes weekly trips to homeless camps with food and camping supplies. But organizers say there's a huge need for medical care.

So Helping Hearts says they'll do whatever they can to help.

"Just help people and make them feel good, yeah just make them feel good," says Eliza Peterson, Helpful Hearts.

For more information on Helpful Hearts visit www.helpfulhearts.org