“Family Links” addresses health-related social conditions that impact children’s wellness

Jacksonville, Florida, August 8, 2022 – As part of an ongoing effort to reach beyond the walls of the hospital to address health needs and barriers in the community, Wolfson Children’s Hospital has launched a new program called “Family Links” to help connect families with resources to promote children’s health and well-being.

Family Links is a child- and family-centered support program, made possible by The Jim & Tabitha Furyk Foundation, that addresses health-related social conditions impacting the quality of children’s overall health. In addition to funding the program, the Furyk Foundation will donate 100% of general admission ticket proceeds from the Constellation FURYK & FRIENDS tournament, presented by Circle K, to Family Links when purchased using the code “FAMILYLINKS.” The PGA TOUR Champions event will take place October 3-9, 2022, at Timuquana Country Club.

Family Links takes a three-prong approach to assisting families by:

1. Identifying social needs affecting the family’s health
2. Expanding access to supportive community resources
3. Empowering family decision-making to lead to better health outcomes for children

Families seeking help are assigned a Resource Navigator with THE PLAYERS Center for Child Health at Wolfson Children’s Hospital who guides them through the process and provides them with information, education and connections to local community resources. By linking families with community organizations and the services they need, Family Links is help able to address some of the social determinants of good health, which include:

• Food security
• Transportation
• Housing needs
• Employment support
• Childcare
• Legal assistance
• Access to basic household goods and supplies

“We know only a small fraction of children’s overall wellness is attributed to care they receive in a health care setting, which is why it’s important to make a difference where they live, play and learn,” said Michael D. Aubin, FACHE, president of Wolfson Children’s Hospital and chief philanthropy officer of the Baptist Health Foundation. “We’re grateful for the tremendous generosity and continued support of Jim and Tabitha Furyk to make a difference in the lives of children in Northeast Florida and beyond.”

Tabitha Furyk, co-founder of The Jim and Tabitha Furyk Foundation, said, “This is exactly the type of program that Jim and I had in mind when we began the Foundation and when we launched the Constellation FURYK & FRIENDS. Baptist Health and Wolfson Children’s Hospital play such an important role in the greater Jacksonville area. There are so many children and families that need extra assistance in our community and we are proud to help through the Family Links program.”

The resources provided through Family Links complement services already offered through THE PLAYERS Center for Child Health at Wolfson Children’s Hospital, which include assistance with Medicaid enrollment, maternal health support and child safety education.

Megan Denk, executive director of THE PLAYERS Center for Child Health, said, “For a decade, we’ve been seeking new ways to improve the health of children and families in Northeast Florida by meeting them where they are: in their own communities. Family Links dives into the needs of families in our area and provides support and resources to promote long-term health and wellness for all.”

To learn more about Family Links, click here or call 904.202.9355. Click here for the digital media toolkit.

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Wolfson Children’s Hospital relies on the generosity of members of our community. To support Wolfson Children’s Hospital, please visit wolfsonchildrens.com.

About Wolfson Children’s Hospital of Jacksonville
Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida, is a part of Baptist Health, Northeast Florida’s most comprehensive health system serving every stage of life. Wolfson Children’s is the only children’s hospital in Northeast Florida and serves as the pediatric referral center for North Florida, South Georgia and beyond. Staffed 24/7 by pediatric nurses and other healthcare professionals specially trained to work with children, the 276-bed, patient- and family-centered hospital features the latest pediatric medical technology in a welcoming, child-friendly environment. At Wolfson Children’s, nationally recognized pediatric specialists representing nearly every medical and surgical specialty work with pediatricians to provide care for children of all ages with congenital heart conditions, cancer, neurological disorders, diabetes and endocrinology disorders, orthopedic conditions, behavioral health conditions, traumatic injuries, and more. Wolfson Children’s pediatric institutional partners include Nemours Children’s Health, Jacksonville, UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, the University of Florida College of Medicine — Jacksonville and  Mayo Clinic Florida. A Magnet™-designated hospital since 2010, Wolfson Children’s Hospital has been named among the U.S. News & World Report 50 Best Children’s Hospitals year after year, and in 2021, was selected as one of only 8 children’s hospitals in the country as a Leapfrog Top Children’s Hospital, a recognition of patient quality and safety. For additional information, please visit wolfsonchildrens.com.

ABOUT THE JIM & TABITHA FURYK FOUNDATION

The Jim & Tabitha Furyk Foundation was created in 2010 to help children and families in need. This Jacksonville based non-profit partners with charities across North Florida to provide project specific funding and essential programing. The annual Constellation FURYK & FRIENDS presented by Circle K, created to raise charity dollars to support these partnerships, brings the community together to increase awareness and funding for programs that support education, healthcare, nutrition and safety for at risk children and families. Programs created from the support of the Jim & Tabitha Furyk Foundation in the Jacksonville Community include: Hope for the Holidays which packs over 5,000 bags filled with a holiday meal for at risk families, Operation Shower which provides car seats, strollers and baby essentials to active military families, Blessings in a Backpack, which feeds thousands of food insecure children each week of the school year and Childcare specialists and services to provide medically complex children care through Wolfson’s and Community PedsCare. The Jim & Tabitha Furyk Foundation is dedicated to bringing our community together to improve the lives of the children and families who live on the First Coast through all these programs and many more.

ABOUT CONSTELLATION FURYK & FRIENDS PRESENTED BY CIRCLE K

The event will feature a 78-player field competing for a $2 million purse. The no-cut event will include Pro-Ams on Monday, October 3, Wednesday, October 5, and Thursday, October 6, followed by three rounds of tournament play October 7-9. In 2021, the tournament generated more than $1.17 million for local charities and looks to grow that number in the future. All three rounds of the Constellation FURYK & FRIENDS presented by Circle K will be broadcast live on Golf Channel, the exclusive cable provider of PGA TOUR Champions. More information on the event can be found online at www.ConstellationFurykAndFriends.com.