Community Catalyst Grant Program

Community Catalyst Grant Program is sponsored by HCA Florida Healthcare. Grants supporting organizations addressing community needs, including food insecurity, in Sarasota and DeSoto counties.

HCA Florida Healthcare announced today that the HCA Healthcare Foundation has awarded a $25,000 grant to All Faiths Food Bank to support its mission of providing healthy solutions to end hunger in our community as part of its Community Catalyst Grant Program. The funding is through the HCA Healthcare Foundation’s Healthier Tomorrow Fund, a community impact fund that addresses high-priority community needs.

All Faiths Food Bank distributed 20. 4 million meals to children, families, veterans, and those in crisis last year. One innovative initiative, the _Food is Medicine_ program, exemplifies the critical link between nutrition and health, aiming to improve health outcomes by integrating food access into healthcare.

Leaders from HCA Florida Englewood Hospital and HCA Florida Sarasota Doctors Hospital recently presented All Faiths Food Bank with the check. Colleagues from the hospitals also volunteered to assemble food backpacks. This is part of a program that provides students with bags of healthy food to take home on weekends and during holiday breaks to supplement the free and reduced meal program provided by local public schools.

“We know access to nutritious food is critical to good health. Grants like this allow us to care for our community beyond the walls of the hospital and will help families in the Sarasota and DeSoto County area build healthier lives,” said Joe Rudisill, CEO of HCA Florida Sarasota Doctors Hospital. CEO Kelly Lindsay of HCA Florida Englewood Hospital echoed that sentiment, highlighting the broader impact of partnerships like this one.

“At HCA Florida Healthcare, we believe health starts with access to nutritious food. Partnering with All Faiths Food Bank through this grant reflects our commitment to addressing barriers to wellness. Together, we can help create a healthier tomorrow for our community.

” “We are deeply grateful for this meaningful investment in our community,” said Nelle S. Miller, president and CEO of All Faiths Food Bank. “Access to nutritious food is foundational to good health, and this support from the HCA Healthcare Foundation strengthens our ability to provide fresh, wholesome food to our neighbors who need it most.

Partnerships like this are essential to building a healthier, more food-secure future for Sarasota and DeSoto counties. ” Launched in August 2023, the Community Catalyst Grant Program aims to support and strengthen community health efforts by providing operating support to organizations working to decrease health barriers in their communities.

This year, the grants were given to nonprofits addressing food insecurity and providing access to healthy foods across the country. Funding the Healthier Tomorrow Fund at the HCA Healthcare Foundation is one example of the many ways HCA Healthcare is making a positive impact in the communities it serves. In 2024, HCA Healthcare provided charity care, uninsured discounts, and other uncompensated care at an estimated cost of $4.

4 billion. Additionally, HCA Healthcare continues to invest in the ongoing education and development of its colleagues and, as an enterprise, contributed more than $48. 5 million to community organizations in 2024.

This year, HCA Florida Healthcare has contributed over $117,000 to food banks from as far north as Citrus County along the West Coast of Florida to Lee County.