The coronavirus pandemic has left millions of workers without jobs and significantly reduced wages for many. Residents at a Florida long-term care community are working to ensure that their staff members remain financially secure during the crisis.
Residents at Cypress Cove, a Florida-based community that offers skilled nursing, assisted living and home health care services, raised more than $140,000 for an Emergency Disaster Fund.
The emergency fund was originally created last year by the Community Advancement Committee, which is a resident-led group at Cypress Cove. The fundraiser effort started in early April to help employees facing economic hardships as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“They had the vision last year to create the fund, never imagining at the time what an important role it would play in what may be the most significant worldwide disaster in most of our lifetimes,” Cypress Cove Executive Director Tim Ficker said.
About 200 residents and staff members donated to help expand the program and increased the fund’s balance from $5,000 to $145,000. More than 300 staff members were gifted tax-free grants thanks to the donations.
“It’s a community that seems to continually rise to the occasion in caring and philanthropic ways. We are truly amazed and impressed by the response. It is obvious that they really care about the well-being of our staff,” Ficker added.
