WOW Health Van Getting Needed Renovations

DANBURY – A grant from The Perrin Family Foundation will allow Danbury Hospital to renovate and buy new equipment for its Wellness On Wheels Mobile Health Program, more commonly called The WOW Van.

The WOW Van is a collaboration of the hospital, Danbury Visiting Nurse Association (VNA), the City of Danbury and the state of Connecticut to provide medical services to those in need in the greater Danbury area on a mobile basis.

 For the past nine years, The WOW Van has been very well utilized, providing primary medical care to about 2,000 adults and children a year who might not otherwise have access to health care.

The $24,690 grant from The Perrin Family Foundation, based in Ridgefield, will allow the hospital to update the van with new flooring, countertops, window coverings, handrails, a new generator and air conditioning unit, as well as add laptop computers, software, hand-held mobile devices, and a printer/scanner/copier, according to Ann Faraguna, RN, MPH, director, Visiting Nurse Association, whose agency staffs and coordinates The WOW Van.

“This is the first time we’ve been granted money to make physical improvements on the van,” said Jack Fong, MD, chairman, Department of Pediatrics at Danbury Hospital. These improvements, he said, will extend the life of the van for at least another three years.

“We’re very grateful to The Perrin Family Foundation,” said Jean Steinmetz, APRN, program coordinator. “It helps us to continue to break the barriers to accessible, affordable health care by bringing the van twice a week to various neighborhoods in the greater Danbury area.”

The van provides well-child care and immunizations, and primary care for sick children, in addition to flu immunization clinics and adult care.

The Perrin Family Foundation, which supports efforts that give opportunities to children and young adults to lead safe, productive and creative lives, felt that The WOW Van was compatible with the foundation’s mission. The foundation supports Fairfield County programs that foster social services and social change in the areas of adult advocacy, youth activism, physical and mental health services for children, afterschool programming, parenting and workforce prep skills, expansion of literacy, creation of artistic experiences and promotion of environmental education.