Staff Reports
AT&T is donating $25,000 to the Jackson Health Foundation Pandemic Relief Fund to help provide food and personal protective equipment (PPE) to frontline health care workers.
Jackson Health Foundation is the 501(c)(3) fundraising arm of Jackson Health System in South Florida.
“As our healthcare heroes across South Florida continue to fight COVID-19 on the frontlines, it’s critically important that we continue to support them,” said Charmaine Gatlin, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Jackson Health Foundation.
“When good corporate citizens like AT&T step up and donate, we’re able to provide much-needed personal protective equipment to help nurses, therapists, doctors and other caregivers continue the fight.”
Hospitals and health care workers have warned about PPE shortages for months as Florida and the rest of the nation work to combat the novel coronavirus.
Social distancing measures have worked to slow the spread in Florida. While it’s unclear how the virus will react in the month ahead, Gov. Ron DeSantis has announced the beginning of a phased reopening of the state starting Monday.
Still, health care workers are being called upon to treat those Floridians still suffering from the virus. That’s what drove AT&T to put forward the $25,000, according to AT&T Florida President Joe York.
“The COVID-19 pandemic is challenging daily life as we know it, and Florida’s healthcare professionals are operating on the frontlines of this crisis,” York said.
“With those in mind that leave their families every day to help others, AT&T is proud to support the Jackson Health Foundation and their programs to feed Florida’s medical professionals, expand hospital childcare and provide the additional personal protective equipment that is critical for the safety of our doctors and nurses. These brave men and women represent the best of us and we are pleased to offer our support.”
Jackson Health has been one of several hospital systems impacted by the virus — not just due to its spread, but also due to restrictions on nonessential procedures. The reduction in cash flow caused Jackson to flirt with furloughs and pay cuts for executives and other employees not responsible for patient care.
Jackson eventually pulled back on those cuts. The Governor’s recent Executive Order allows for those elective procedures to resume provided PPE and other safety methods are available.
