MARION COUNTY, FL (352today.com) – In the spirit of giving back during the holidays, colleagues from HCA Florida Ocala Hospital and HCA Florida West Marion Hospital contributed their time and talent to help the less fortunate in our community with days of service at Interfaith Emergency Services in Ocala.
On Dec. 1 and again on Dec. 4, two dozen hospital colleagues worked with staff at Interfaith to help ease its burden, which has surged dramatically in recent weeks, especially with requests for food assistance.
“The motto of HCA Healthcare is ‘We Show Up,’ and we at HCA Florida Ocala Hospital and HCA Florida West Marion Hospital were thrilled to show up for these two days of service to help Interfaith carry out its mission to care for those in need,” said Isaiah Zirkle, chief executive officer of HCA Florida West Marion Hospital. “Interfaith is dedicated to serving some our community’s most vulnerable residents, and we wanted its team to know that they are not alone in helping those facing difficult circumstances.”
On the first day, HCA Florida Ocala Hospital and HCA Florida West Marion Hospital staff volunteered to distribute food to underprivileged families, sort and arrange clothes for Interfaith’s thrift store, and welcome and engage with some of Interfaith’s clients. On the second day, HCA Florida Ocala Hospital and HCA Florida West Marion Hospital colleagues helped inventory, inspect, and prepare food for distribution to the 1,500 school children in Marion County enrolled in Interfaith’s Food 4 Kids program, which ensures at-risk children have enough food at home through weekends.
“At Interfaith, we are always grateful for the support we receive from residents and businesses in Marion County. That support, as shown by HCA Florida Ocala Hospital and HCA Florida West Marion Hospital, is especially meaningful at this time of year,” said Karla Greenway, chief executive officer of Interfaith. “Donations of food, clothing, and hygiene items, as well as the volunteer labor supplied by community partners, such as HCA Florida Ocala Hospital and HCA Florida West Marion Hospital, help us ensure that no Interfaith client goes without.”
As Florida’s leading healthcare network, HCA Florida Healthcare is committed to creating healthier tomorrows for communities across the state by volunteering our time, making charitable donations, and partnering with other organizations. In 2024, HCA Florida Healthcare colleagues from 650 facilities volunteered more than 38,000 hours and committed nearly $1.2 million to community partner organizations in the Sunshine State.