Baptist Health employees show they care for their community

Lincoln Mendez (left), CEO South Miami Hospital, Commissioner Walter Harris, Mayor Phillip Stoddard and Jeanette Stone, Vice President at South Miami Hospital

As part of Baptist Health South Florida “Caring for Our Community” campaign, Baptist Health employees and their families volunteered their time to make a difference in the communities Baptist Health serves by partnering and beautifying local elementary schools, community centers, and parks.

“Baptist Health South Florida has a history of giving back to the communities we serve,” said Phillis Oeters, corporate vice president of Government and Community Relations for Baptist Health South Florida. “The Caring for Our Community campaign is one of the many ways that our employees band together each year to improve the lives of our neighbors in South Florida.”

The campaign served several areas in the community, including:

South Miami: Residents living around All America Park located in the City of South Miami joined in the efforts to remove invasive plants and vines, trim greenery, rake, shovel, and clean their community park. Mayor of South Miami Phillip Stoddard, Vice Mayor Josh Liebman, Commissioner Walter Harris, South Miami Hospital employees and family members worked to bring splendor to the park where their community spends its free time.

Kendall: Baptist Health volunteers offered their landscaping, painting and labor skills to the Community Habilitation Center (CHC), so students can have a more enjoyable environment. Throughout the past 37 years, CHC Inc. has provided an array of support, programs and activities to mentally challenged and developmentally disabled adults. CHC aims to provide people with developmental disabilities the support to lead meaningful, healthy and productive lives.

West Kendall: Seven elementary schools in the area were given a special and healthy treat when West Kendall Baptist Hospital employees spent an entire day at each school planting healthy gardens for the kids. This is only the first step of the West Kendall Baptist Hospital Project. In weeks to come, a Baptist Health registered dietician will visit each school to educate the children about healthy eating habits. Later on, Baptist Health chefs will show kids, first hand, how to create a healthy and delicious meal they can enjoy. Partners include West Kendall Home Depot, West Kendall Publix, West Kendall Lexus/Toyota Dealership and West Kendall Walgreens.

Coral Gables: Coral Gables Preparatory Academy students were surprised one Monday morning as they were greeted by a newly cultivated school thanks to Coral Gables Mayor Jim Cason and the Doctors Hospital team’s work to mulch, rake and paint the school. Their efforts that weekend gave students a whole new learning environment they could enjoy.

Homestead: Homestead Hospital volunteers and community partners joined forces to paint 10,000 feet of wall space for the children and families of PATCHES (Pediatric Alternative Treatment Care, Housing and Evaluation Services, Care Center). The center believes every child deserves to live in a world free of pain. Because of PATCHES, babies and children are able to leave the hospital sooner and spend the day in a safe, enriching environment where they can thrive physically, developmentally and socially. Partners include Home Depot, Glidden Paint and Portofino Coal Fired Pizza. Commissioner Lynda Bell and Senator Dwight Bullard both lent a helping hand at this special project.

Homestead: Baptist Health South Florida employees, family and friends came together to landscape, paint and beautify Jordan Commons’ community room. Jordan Commons in located in Homestead and is part of a Habitat for Humanity community that consists of 184 homes. The community center serves as an after school facility Monday through Friday for the children in the community in grades K-3. In addition, the center is utilized by the Good Samaritan Clinic which provides healthcare to residents. The center also provides recreational and educational programs for the community

Baptist Health South Florida is the largest faith-based, not-for-profit healthcare organization in the region. Baptist Health includes Baptist Hospital, South Miami Hospital, Baptist Children’s Hospital, Baptist Cardiac & Vascular Institute, Mariners Hospital, Homestead Hospital, Doctors Hospital, West Kendall Baptist Hospital and Baptist Outpatient Services.

Baptist Health Foundation, the organization’s fundraising arm, supports services at all hospitals and facilities affiliated with Baptist Health.

For more information, visit BaptistHealth.net, and connect with BaptistHealthSF on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.


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