Note this post was updated Dec. 14, 2017 to include a thank you letter from the Red Cross. See below.
From the wildfires that scorched the Western U.S. to the hurricanes that battered the Gulf Coast and the Caribbean, this has been a year of one cataclysmic natural disaster after another. We saw entire communities destroyed in the blink of an eye, rendering countless individuals vulnerable, with nowhere to go and without basic necessities.
True to form, caregivers across Providence St. Joseph Health responded in a spirit of compassion and generosity. Together, we raised more than $1 million to support devastated communities. I want to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who donated, as well as share our latest fundraising totals with you.
California wildfires
When 152 of our own caregivers lost their homes in the Northern California wildfires, other caregivers across our family of organizations stepped up to help, raising $463,678 to support displaced colleagues in a desperate time of need. Total funds raised to date are as follows:
|
PSJH initial seed donation |
$50,000 |
|
Sonoma County |
$381,877 |
|
Napa County |
$15,516 |
|
Orange County |
$6,235 |
|
Other |
$10,050 |
|
Total |
$463,678 |
More recently in Southern California, several large wildfires burned simultaneously and scorched nearly 300,000 acres this month. Sadly, a few caregivers lost their homes and more were displaced as a result of the fires. Southern California caregivers have come to the aid of fellow caregivers in need, recently starting to raise funds to support them.
Other disaster relief efforts
In addition, our caregivers gave generously to help victims of other major disasters, including the hurricanes that struck Houston, Puerto Rico and other Caribbean islands, and the wildfires in Montana, Oregon and Washington. A breakdown of the total funds raised are as follows.
|
Caregiver donations |
PSJH match |
Other donations |
PSJH system donation |
Total |
|
|
Harvey |
$171,388 |
$171,388 |
$20,013 |
$50,000 |
$412,789 |
|
Irma |
$19,896 |
$19,896 |
$24,259 |
$64,051 |
|
|
Maria |
$32,051 |
$32,051 |
|
$64,102 |
|
|
Mexico Earthquake |
$2,435 |
$2,435 |
|
$4,870 |
|
|
Wildfires (disaster relief) |
$14,335 |
$14,335 |
|
|
$28,670 |
|
Where needed most |
$7,735 |
$7,735 |
|
|
$15,470 |
|
Total |
|
$589,952 |
Thank you again to everyone who gave so generously. Your compassion embodies the spirit of our organization, and your gift will help individuals faced with unimaginable devastation begin to rebuild their lives. Our hearts continue to be with all the victims of these disasters, especially our caregivers in Northern California.
A message from the Red Cross
I want to share this message from the American Red Cross thanking our caregivers for their generosity. You can read the full thank you letter here.
"With Providence St. Joseph’s contribution, thousands of Red Cross volunteers were there to provide lifesaving refuge in emergency shelters for families who had nowhere else to stay. Many fled with nothing but the clothes on their backs, and your commitment also provided essentials like meals, snacks and hygiene items, as well as health services and emotional support for those who needed care.
After skies cleared and families began returning to ravaged neighborhoods, Providence St. Joseph’s donation delivered ongoing support, enabling workers to distribute food, water, cleanup supplies and other relief items to people cleaning out their homes. In addition, compassionate volunteers have also worked one-on-one with storm and earthquake survivors to connect them with available resources for their recovery."
