Memorial Health Meadows Hospital, as a part of HCA Healthcare, announced today that the HCA Healthcare Foundation has awarded a $25,000 grant to the Boys & Girls Club of Toombs County. These dollars will be used to launch a new program to encourage healthy eating for families in our area. The funding is part of the HCA Healthcare Foundation’s Healthier Tomorrow Fund, a community impact fund with an initial investment of $75 million focused on addressing high priority community needs and health equity.
“The Boys & Girls Club of Toombs County offers many great programs for children and teens in our community,” said Matt Hasbrouck, CEO of Memorial Health Meadows Hospital. “I am so proud that our HCA Healthcare Foundation recognizes the importance of their work and is making a significant donation to our local Boys & Girls Club. I’m excited to see how they use these funds to benefit young people and their families in Toombs County.”
The $25,000 grant from the HCA Healthcare Foundation will be used to start a “healthy community cooking program” at the Boys & Girls Club of Toombs County. The goal of the program is to teach basic cooking concepts to parents and teens so that they can prepare and enjoy a nutritious home-cooked meal at a reasonable price. The healthy community cooking program will meet on Saturday mornings so that it is convenient for families to attend together. Local chefs and cooks will also be invited to come and demonstrate cooking a healthy recipe to the class.
“We know that good food brings people together. Our hope is that the healthy community cooking program will strengthen families and help them to make good food choices,” said Ralph Goethe, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Toombs County. “We believe there is a great need for this program in our community and we are grateful to the HCA Healthcare Foundation for partnering with us to make this program a reality.”
The mission of the Boys & Girls Club of Toombs County is “To enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.” The Club offers affordable after-school and out-of-school programs for children and teens at locations in Vidalia and Lyons. Their programs challenge and develop the
mind and body of their students, helping them establish a firm foundation on which to build moral and ethical values through a wide-range of educational and social programs.
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 2022, HCA Healthcare provided charity care, uninsured discounts and other uncompensated care at an estimated cost of $3.5 billion. Additionally, HCA Healthcare continues to invest in the ongoing education and development of its colleagues and, as an enterprise, contributed $44.2 million to community organizations in 2022. Memorial Health Meadows Hospital is also making a significant impact on our communities. Since joining HCA Healthcare, Meadows Hospital has provided more than $20.4 million in charity care to improve the health and well-being of the people of Vidalia and surrounding communities. Meadows Hospital is also contributing $250,000 over a 5-year period for community initiatives.
“At HCA Healthcare, we believe partnerships are essential to advancing our mission to care for and improve human life,” said Joanne Pulles, president of the HCA Healthcare Foundation. “Partnering with organizations like the Boys and Girls Club of Toombs County allows us to do more for our communities than we can do separately.
For more information visit the HCA Healthcare Foundation website.