Employee-run charity receives record number of donations to provide
financial
aid for fellow colleagues during coronavirus pandemic
NASHVILLE, Tenn., April 8, 2020 –
The HCA Healthcare Hope Fund, a 501(c)(3) charity that helps HCA Healthcare
employees and their immediate families who are affected by financial
hardship, announced today that the Frist Foundation has donated $1 million
to support colleagues affected by the coronavirus pandemic. The Frist
Foundation was established in 1982, by two of HCA Healthcare’s founders –
Dr. Thomas Frist, Sr. and Dr. Thomas Frist, Jr.
In the last three weeks, more than 700 HCA Healthcare colleagues have
turned to the
HCA Healthcare Hope Fund for help as they have experienced the loss of a
spouse’s employment or other unexpected financial challenges due to the
COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to assisting with critical household expenses
as it always has, the fund recently announced a special financial program to
help working parents with childcare costs due to temporary school
closures.
“We are grateful for the Frist family’s steadfast support of our colleagues
during this difficult time,” said Sam Hazen, chief executive officer of HCA Healthcare. “This is just one
example of how HCA Healthcare rallies around one another to provide support
when devastation strikes.”
Last week, Hazen announced that he will donate 100 percent of his April and
May pay to the HCA Healthcare Hope Fund. Additionally, every one of the
27-member senior leadership team has either done the same or increased their
contributions substantially. Hospital CEOs and their leadership teams across
the company have also stepped up and answered the challenge to join in the
effort. The HCA Healthcare Board of Directors has also waived their cash
compensation for the remainder of the year, allowing the company to make
additional contributions to the
HCA Healthcare Hope Fund.
“We are honored to support our HCA Healthcare family through these
unprecedented times,” said Dr. Thomas Frist, Jr. “Their constant focus on
providing expert and compassionate care for our communities is always
inspiring, but even more so now.”
Since the onset of COVID-19, the HCA Healthcare Hope Fund has experienced
three times as many requests for grants, of which approximately 70 percent
are related to loss of a spouse’s income, 20 percent are for childcare
assistance, and 10 percent are illness related.
The HCA Healthcare Hope Fund is governed by an independent Board of
Directors comprised of employees from across the country.
Since inception, it has helped HCA Healthcare colleagues by providing more
than $58 million through 36,000 grants.
For more information on the HCA Healthcare Hope Fund, visit www.hcahopefund.com.
About HCA Healthcare Hope Fund
The HCA Healthcare Hope Fund is an employee-run, employee-supported 501(c)3
public charity with the goal of helping HCA Healthcare employees and their
immediate families who are affected by financial hardship. This includes
disaster, extended illness/injury, domestic violence, death of a loved one,
and other special situations. HCA Healthcare employees, vendors, affiliated
physicians, patients and the general public can make a tax-deductible
donation to the fund where 100% of donations go directly to helping
colleagues in need. Since its inception in 2005, the HCA Healthcare Hope
Fund has given more than $58 million to colleagues in crisis with the help
of more than 33,000 employee donors annually. The
HCA Healthcare Hope Fund is governed by an independent Board of Directors
comprised of employees from across the country. For more information on the
HCA Healthcare Hope Fund, visit
hcahopefund.com.
###
All references to “Company,” “HCA” and “HCA Healthcare” as used
throughout this document
refer to HCA Healthcare, Inc. and its affiliates.