As health systems continue to experience patient surges, shortages of both material as well as human resources are occurring like never before. On April 30, 2020, BAPS Charities presented a grant of $20,000 to St. Alexius Medical Center and Alexian Brothers Medical Center, hospitals part of the AMITA Health group in Chicago.
This grant will be used by the system to provide support in the management of COVID-19 patients, and in particular, for acquiring personal protective equipment (PPE) such as N95 respirators. Dia Nicholas, President and CEO of Alexian Brothers Medical Center, accepted the donation on behalf of AMITA Health Group and expressed immense gratitude. “We really thank you all for this donation. It’s powerful. It’s massive. It’s so needed. Specifically, it’s going to go to some much-needed equipment that we have, and more broadly in this time of COVID-19, it’s going to go a long way to helping us make sure we have the proper PPE for our staff, for our nurses, for our respiratory therapists, for our housekeepers, the folks on the front lines and the physicians. Relative to the lunches that you all have been providing it goes a long way by boosting morale for the staff. We thank you” said President Nicholas.
Regarding the partnership amongst communities like BAPS Charities, President Nicholas further stated, “It is all about community partnerships; we can’t do this alone. AMITA has resources, and we have folks that we lean on within the system, but healthcare is local. Healthcare is about the community. So, the community partnerships are so powerful and so important that these are things we just couldn’t do on our own. That’s really what the partnership means.”
Appreciative of BAPS Charities’ continuous support, Dr. Samir Kumar, Chief Medical Officer at Alexian Brothers Medical Center, said, “The staff here are greatly appreciative. As you know, they’re working under increased levels of stress. Many of them are putting in extra hours, extra shifts. So when partners such as BAPS come forward with these measures, it means a lot to them. It provides them with an opportunity to get away from the hard work they are doing and enjoy something they would not have otherwise enjoyed. So we are greatly, greatly appreciative of your partnership, and it means a lot to all of our associates. Your support is very greatly appreciated.”
Through this contribution and other efforts world-wide, BAPS Charities and its volunteers aim to help communities remain strong and maintain unity as we emerge together from the pandemic.
As healthcare professionals continue to support patients in their fight against COVID-19, BAPS Charities will continue to provide local organizations and healthcare providers support and resources to show their gratitude and highlight the importance of service and volunteerism in our local communities. For more details about BAPS Charities COVID-19 Relief efforts, please visit https://www.bapscharities.org/covid-19/.
