Today we’d like to introduce you to Taylor Mendenhall.
Hi Taylor, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
In 2003 two friends, Brent Skinner and Bill Betz, set out to “save the world”. This started by pooling their money together, buying a van, filling it with medical supplies, and driving to El Salvador to help survivors the devastating mudslide. A hobby and passion for helping disadvantaged populations turned into a full-time effort in 2021 when he hired a retired fire chief (Doug Fullmer) to get the foundation off the ground. At the beginning of the effort, we focused on providing sustainable medical resources for underdeveloped countries. At the same time Doug was hired, and understanding iHelp’s mission to improve lives through service, education, and empowerment, I asked the team if I could partner with them and develop medical humanitarian missions to Uganda and Guatemala where I had previously formed relationships with other non-profit groups.
So in September of 2021, the modern era of iHelp was reborn, this time with more resources and time to allocate towards the mission. We started planning an inaugural trip to Uganda and launched in February of 2022. We took 25 local volunteers with us (physicians, nurses, and non-medical volunteers) for two weeks and treated thousands of patients in the Kyampisi and Jinja villages. The most rewarding experience of the mission was being able to work side by side with other Ugandan physicians, nurses, and volunteers and learn from them. Our motto is that Ugandans know Ugandans best, and so forth for every country.
Simultaneously while coordinating a medical mission to Uganda, Brent Skinner, whose passion lies with providing clean drinking water for these Ugandan communities, began coordinating efforts to drill and refurbish wells. At this point in time iHelp has assisted in the development and re-establishment of over 16 wells.
After a successful mission to Uganda, we launched another mission to Guatemala in May of 2022. We are excited to continue conducting medical and humanitarian missions with our partners in these locations every six months as well as adding additional countries as new partnerships arise.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
If anyone that is a part of a start up, especially a non-profit start up has had a smooth road full of roses, I’d love to meet that person.
There have certainly been challenges in the past year as we have tried to get our name out there and conduct meaningful missions. This past September, we had a team ready to head to Uganda again for another medical and humanitarian mission. Five days before our mission, news broke of a new Ebola outbreak near Kampala, Uganda (capitol). As we closely watched the progression of Ebola and the raising cases, twenty-four hours before our plane was to leave SLC we determined it was not safe for our team to travel.
With so much excitement built on this trip being our first return mission, we were obviously devastated. Not only did it put the breaks on our momentum, but also hurt us financially as we have tried to recuperate funds from airlines and other accommodations.
Just as “most” things in life, challenges provide opportunities for growth, reflection, and reorientation.
When we cancelled the trip and let our Ugandan counterparts know that we would not be traveling there, they asked if they can proceed with the medical camps as they had already coordinated with their Uganda volunteers to be with us. We said absolutely, and helped fund those camps. As the dust settled and we were able to analyze the events that transpired, we realized that we were much closer to achieving our sustainability mission. Although these medical missions we conduct are valuable to these communities, we want to get to a point where we can hire the local physicians and nurses to be at our clinics year-round to provide continuity of care.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
We have always claimed that there are four pillars to iHelp:
-Global Medicine
-Water
-Disaster Relief
-Education
We strive to fulfill our mission “improve live through service, education, and empowerment” locally as well as through education. We hold Basic Life Support (CPR) classes and a Basic Emergency Medical Technician (EMTB) course for the general public, all in an effort to create a more educated community on basic trauma and healthcare principles.
What I would say I am most proud of is the free health clinic we hold here locally in Cache Valley for immigrants, refugees, and victims of abuse. Thanks to our amazing partner, Living Tree Medical Group, we are able to treat patients from these disadvantaged backgrounds at no cost twice a month.
I believe the aspect that set iHelp apart from other organizations is our sustainability model. There are a lot of groups that do humanitarian missions and medical missions but we pride ourselves in the quality of contacts we have in these developing countries that allow us to help them grow their clinics and serve a larger population base.
Personally, I am a pre-medical student that has applied to medical school hoping to matriculate in the fall of 2023. I am the Executive Director of Global Affairs and a Board Member here at The iHelp Foundation. My responsibility is to help in the development of our international clinics and missions, find and develop new contacts, and coordinate and carry out or free health clinic locally.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
We would love the support of anyone.
-If you have your own humanitarian project, contact us and we would love to help you take that desire to do good and make it a reality.
-If you want to join us on a mission trip, come! The greatest misconception is that you have to be medical or have medical training to come on the mission. That is not true. We need help in a variety of ways. Within the next year we are hoping to fundraise enough to construct a new school house and rehabilitation center for our partner in Uganda. We will need many volunteers that are willing to pick up a shovel or a paintbrush.
-If you want to learn basic medical principles, come take a CPR or EMTB class.
-And you can always donate. 0% of your donation goes to administration, meaning 100% goes to helping individuals locally and abroad.
Donations can be made at www.ihelpfoundation.org.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ihelpfoundation.org
- Instagram: ihelp_foundation
- Facebook: IHELP Foundation
Image Credits
The iHelp Foundation
