Community Benefits: Donations

	Donations
	Maryland Hospitals Support Hurricane Relief Efforts In the wake of the devastating storms that affected the Gulf Coast Region during the 2005 hurricane season, Maryland hospitals overwhelmingly responded to the needs of the displaced victims with medical staff, various supplies and equipment, and monetary donations. Maryland hospitals’ response to the Gulf region is ongoing as the needs continue. In August, 2005, Shore Health System of Easton, launched Operation Shore Cares, undertaking one of the most comprehensive efforts in the state. Shore Health System employees, volunteers and physicians have raised money for the American Red Cross. Shore Health System also adopted Slidell Memorial Hospital in Slidell, LA and began collecting items to help the staff and their families. As of September 30, Shore Health System’s employees, volunteers, medial staff, and community members had raised $24,429.50 for the American Red Cross. Shore Health System matched this amount. Employees, community members and other businesses filed two tractor trailers full of clothing, canned goods, toys, diapers, personal items, toothpaste, etc. for the employees of Slidell Memorial. A team of 4 executives from Shore Health System went to Slidell Memorial Hospital to meet Slidell Hospital employees and to help unload the tractor trailers. A number of additional fundraising efforts are planned to benefit Slidell Hospital employees. The system’s goal is both for immediate relief and longer term support for the employees affected there. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina’s devastation, Adventist HealthCare, Montgomery County, formalized channels to enable employees to volunteer their time and services by adjusting leave procedures for those who want to provide aid and setting up a matching fund for donations. Adventist HealthCare offered a dollar-for-dollar match, up to $100,000 of employee contributions made by payroll deduction to the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, or the Adventist Development and Relief Agency. Maryland hospitals included in the Adventist HealthCare system are Shady Grove Adventist Hospital, Washington Adventist Hospital, Potomac Ridge Behavioral Health, and Adventist Rehabilitation Hospital. Atlantic General Hospital, Berlin, sent two nurses for two weeks to the affected Gulf region and donated $1,896 worth of medicine and medical supplies. The hospital dispatched its Wellmobile, a medical RV used to provide health care in rural areas, to the Gulf region. The Wellmobile is jointly maintained by the University of Maryland School of Nursing and the Worcester County Health Department and is staffed by a nurse practitioner from the School of Nursing. The victims of Hurricane Katrina received donated medications worth nearly $3,500 including antibiotics, inhalers, antibacterial ointments and creams from the Baltimore Washington Medical Center (BWMC), Glen Burnie. BWMC’s foundation also donated $500 to aid an effort by the Anne Arundel County Economic Development Corporation to stock an aircraft carrier with supplies for victims. Dr. Lisa Fronc, a pediatric hospitalist at BWMC went to Jefferson Parish for two weeks where she provided medical aid, distributed food and water, and helped establish community clinics. Carroll Hospital Center in Carroll County has sent $1,600 worth of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies for hurricane relief and has committed to sending additional supplies as needed up to $5,000. The hospital also has sent tetanus and diphtheria toxoid vaccine. In addition, the entire hospital center community partnered with the Community Foundation of Carroll to collect non-perishable food items, bottled water, unopened over-the-counter medications, personal hygiene items, baby supplies, batteries and flashlights, blankets and clothing, and monetary donations. The donations were sent as part of a five-tractor trailer shipment of items delivered by The Partnership to a FEMA distribution center in Livingston, Louisiana and to two churches –one in Mississippi and the other in Louisiana. Working with the Department of Homeland Security and the National Emergency Resource Registry, the Greater Baltimore Medical Center (GBMC), Baltimore sent more than $3,000 worth of medical supplies for transport to the hurricane-affected area. The supplies included bandages, dressings, gloves, needles, and syringes. Also, the staff of the GBMC Women’s Surgical Center donated $625 which will go to help victims. Holy Cross Hospital, Silver Springs employees responded to a call from its parent company, Trinity Health, for monetary donations to help the hurricane victims. Hospitals under the Trinity Health umbrella donated $200,000 which was matched dollar for dollar. The funds will be distributed to agencies and programs that are directly involved in long-term relief efforts in affected regions. Johns Hopkins Health System, Baltimore deployed two medical teams—totaling 29 medical professionals—including nurses, physicians, and mental health experts to the affected Gulf Region. The teams consisted of health professionals from Johns Hopkins Hospital, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Howard County General, and Johns Hopkins Home Care Group. The teams are providing medical care to hundreds of patients a day in a makeshift clinic the group established near New Orleans. Even though the individuals volunteered their services, Hopkins paid their salaries for the time they were in Louisiana, and paid to have their work duties at the hospital covered while they were gone. Associates at St. Agnes Hospital raised more than $60,000 in ‘Katrina Relief’ funds that went to Providence Hospital, St. Agnes’ sister hospital, and a member of Ascension Health in Mobile Alabama. The funds were used to support those in need who were affected by Katrina’s devastation. Funds were raised at St. Agnes Hospital in various ways, including direct donations of cash and checks, contributions collected in donation jars placed in the hospital’s cafeteria, and donations of Personal Time Off, which was converted to its monetary equivalent by the hospital. The St. Agnes Foundation matched all hospital employee donations. In addition to the financial contributions collected at the hospital, many St. Agnes employees worked with local community groups such as the Elkridge Food Bank, the Cub Scouts, and the Coffee Junction in Catonsville to collect and arrange for transportation of supplies and food. Other health care workers traveled to the Gulf to work directly with hurricane victims through the Maryland Department of Health and FEMA St. Mary's Hospital in Leonardtown decided to forgo the annual hospital picnic. While this event is an employee favorite, it was decided that the resources set aside for the picnic could be more appropriately utilized by relief effort organizations. Hospital administrators also amended the employee leave donation program to allow staff members to donate the monetary profits of their vacation time to hurricane relief. This announcement brought on a surge of generosity as dozens of employees gave thousands of dollars worth of annual leave. To date, a grand total of $32,516 has been donated to the hospital's cumulative hurricane relief effort. Half of all funds collected will be sent to The CareFund-an organization assisting displaced hospital employees and their families. One hundred percent of all proceeds given to this group go directly to help those in need. The remaining half of the hospital's donation will be sent to the American Red Cross Hurricane Relief Effort. St. Mary's Hospital also offered medical staff members and employees the opportunity to travel to the affected areas and work in the federal emergency medical shelters and hospitals, and agreed to compensate those individuals traveling to the affected areas for up to two weeks. The hospital also is participating in the St. Mary's County Hurricane Emergency Relief council. By meeting with other local agencies, the hospital is working to ensure its own preparedness and assisting other organizations in the area. Union Hospital President and CEO Kenneth S. Lewis, M.D., offered to reimburse employees 50 percent of their banked vacation and holiday pay, up to 40 hours, if they wanted to assist in Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. The Elkton hospital, whose foundation donated $10,000 to the cause, signed up 16 employee volunteers, although only one was called to serve. Susan Rockey, an emergency room technician, spent 11 days in Jefferson Parrish, La., where she was part of the Maryland Defense Force that took over an abandoned hospital in the area. The group organized six teams to go out into the community to set up health clinics. Also, Family Practitioner John Mulvey, M.D., left his Cecil County practice to join relief workers. Dr. Mulvey reported to the Belle Chasse Naval Air Station, in Belle Chasse, La. There he was given responsibility for coordinating helicopter evacuations from New Orleans and southern Louisiana, deploying assistance as needed. Dr. Mulvey was present when another Category 5 hurricane-Rita-struck a month later. He continued to manage all movement of medical helicopters for southern Louisiana. Working with FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), he flew several missions himself.

Donations

Maryland Hospitals Support Hurricane Relief Efforts

In the wake of the devastating storms that affected the Gulf Coast Region during the 2005 hurricane season, Maryland hospitals overwhelmingly responded to the needs of the displaced victims with medical staff, various supplies and equipment, and monetary donations. Maryland hospitals’ response to the Gulf region is ongoing as the needs continue.

In August, 2005, Shore Health System of Easton, launched Operation Shore Cares, undertaking one of the most comprehensive efforts in the state. Shore Health System employees, volunteers and physicians have raised money for the American Red Cross. Shore Health System also adopted Slidell Memorial Hospital in Slidell, LA and began collecting items to help the staff and their families. As of September 30, Shore Health System’s employees, volunteers, medial staff, and community members had raised $24,429.50 for the American Red Cross. Shore Health System matched this amount. Employees, community members and other businesses filed two tractor trailers full of clothing, canned goods, toys, diapers, personal items, toothpaste, etc. for the employees of Slidell Memorial. A team of 4 executives from Shore Health System went to Slidell Memorial Hospital to meet Slidell Hospital employees and to help unload the tractor trailers. A number of additional fundraising efforts are planned to benefit Slidell Hospital employees. The system’s goal is both for immediate relief and longer term support for the employees affected there.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina’s devastation, Adventist HealthCare, Montgomery County, formalized channels to enable employees to volunteer their time and services by adjusting leave procedures for those who want to provide aid and setting up a matching fund for donations. Adventist HealthCare offered a dollar-for-dollar match, up to $100,000 of employee contributions made by payroll deduction to the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, or the Adventist Development and Relief Agency. Maryland hospitals included in the Adventist HealthCare system are Shady Grove Adventist Hospital, Washington Adventist Hospital, Potomac Ridge Behavioral Health, and Adventist Rehabilitation Hospital.
Atlantic General Hospital, Berlin, sent two nurses for two weeks to the affected Gulf region and donated $1,896 worth of medicine and medical supplies. The hospital dispatched its Wellmobile, a medical RV used to provide health care in rural areas, to the Gulf region. The Wellmobile is jointly maintained by the University of Maryland School of Nursing and the Worcester County Health Department and is staffed by a nurse practitioner from the School of Nursing.
The victims of Hurricane Katrina received donated medications worth nearly $3,500 including antibiotics, inhalers, antibacterial ointments and creams from the Baltimore Washington Medical Center (BWMC), Glen Burnie. BWMC’s foundation also donated $500 to aid an effort by the Anne Arundel County Economic Development Corporation to stock an aircraft carrier with supplies for victims. Dr. Lisa Fronc, a pediatric hospitalist at BWMC went to Jefferson Parish for two weeks where she provided medical aid, distributed food and water, and helped establish community clinics.
Carroll Hospital Center in Carroll County has sent $1,600 worth of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies for hurricane relief and has committed to sending additional supplies as needed up to $5,000. The hospital also has sent tetanus and diphtheria toxoid vaccine. In addition, the entire hospital center community partnered with the Community Foundation of Carroll to collect non-perishable food items, bottled water, unopened over-the-counter medications, personal hygiene items, baby supplies, batteries and flashlights, blankets and clothing, and monetary donations. The donations were sent as part of a five-tractor trailer shipment of items delivered by The Partnership to a FEMA distribution center in Livingston, Louisiana and to two churches –one in Mississippi and the other in Louisiana.
Working with the Department of Homeland Security and the National Emergency Resource Registry, the Greater Baltimore Medical Center (GBMC), Baltimore sent more than $3,000 worth of medical supplies for transport to the hurricane-affected area. The supplies included bandages, dressings, gloves, needles, and syringes. Also, the staff of the GBMC Women’s Surgical Center donated $625 which will go to help victims.
Holy Cross Hospital, Silver Springs employees responded to a call from its parent company, Trinity Health, for monetary donations to help the hurricane victims. Hospitals under the Trinity Health umbrella donated $200,000 which was matched dollar for dollar. The funds will be distributed to agencies and programs that are directly involved in long-term relief efforts in affected regions.
Johns Hopkins Health System, Baltimore deployed two medical teams—totaling 29 medical professionals—including nurses, physicians, and mental health experts to the affected Gulf Region. The teams consisted of health professionals from Johns Hopkins Hospital, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Howard County General, and Johns Hopkins Home Care Group. The teams are providing medical care to hundreds of patients a day in a makeshift clinic the group established near New Orleans. Even though the individuals volunteered their services, Hopkins paid their salaries for the time they were in Louisiana, and paid to have their work duties at the hospital covered while they were gone.
Associates at St. Agnes Hospital raised more than $60,000 in ‘Katrina Relief’ funds that went to Providence Hospital, St. Agnes’ sister hospital, and a member of Ascension Health in Mobile Alabama. The funds were used to support those in need who were affected by Katrina’s devastation. Funds were raised at St. Agnes Hospital in various ways, including direct donations of cash and checks, contributions collected in donation jars placed in the hospital’s cafeteria, and donations of Personal Time Off, which was converted to its monetary equivalent by the hospital. The St. Agnes Foundation matched all hospital employee donations.

In addition to the financial contributions collected at the hospital, many St. Agnes employees worked with local community groups such as the Elkridge Food Bank, the Cub Scouts, and the Coffee Junction in Catonsville to collect and arrange for transportation of supplies and food. Other health care workers traveled to the Gulf to work directly with hurricane victims through the Maryland Department of Health and FEMA
St. Mary's Hospital in Leonardtown decided to forgo the annual hospital picnic. While this event is an employee favorite, it was decided that the resources set aside for the picnic could be more appropriately utilized by relief effort organizations. Hospital administrators also amended the employee leave donation program to allow staff members to donate the monetary profits of their vacation time to hurricane relief. This announcement brought on a surge of generosity as dozens of employees gave thousands of dollars worth of annual leave. To date, a grand total of $32,516 has been donated to the hospital's cumulative hurricane relief effort. Half of all funds collected will be sent to The CareFund-an organization assisting displaced hospital employees and their families. One hundred percent of all proceeds given to this group go directly to help those in need. The remaining half of the hospital's donation will be sent to the American Red Cross Hurricane Relief Effort.
St. Mary's Hospital also offered medical staff members and employees the opportunity to travel to the affected areas and work in the federal emergency medical shelters and hospitals, and agreed to compensate those individuals traveling to the affected areas for up to two weeks.

The hospital also is participating in the St. Mary's County Hurricane Emergency Relief council. By meeting with other local agencies, the hospital is working to ensure its own preparedness and assisting other organizations in the area.
Union Hospital President and CEO Kenneth S. Lewis, M.D., offered to reimburse employees 50 percent of their banked vacation and holiday pay, up to 40 hours, if they wanted to assist in Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

The Elkton hospital, whose foundation donated $10,000 to the cause, signed up 16 employee volunteers, although only one was called to serve. Susan Rockey, an emergency room technician, spent 11 days in Jefferson Parrish, La., where she was part of the Maryland Defense Force that took over an abandoned hospital in the area. The group organized six teams to go out into the community to set up health clinics.

Also, Family Practitioner John Mulvey, M.D., left his Cecil County practice to join relief workers. Dr. Mulvey reported to the Belle Chasse Naval Air Station, in Belle Chasse, La. There he was given responsibility for coordinating helicopter evacuations from New Orleans and southern Louisiana, deploying assistance as needed. Dr. Mulvey was present when another Category 5 hurricane-Rita-struck a month later. He continued to manage all movement of medical helicopters for southern Louisiana. Working with FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), he flew several missions himself.