Group of HCA Healthcare leaders present Gather with a symbolic "big check" for $25,000.
Portsmouth Regional Hospital announced today that the HCA Healthcare Foundation has awarded a $25,000 grant to Gather, a nonprofit organization that provides healthy food options to residents in need on New Hampshire's Seacoast, as part of its Health Equity Catalyst Grant Program.
The grant is through the HCA Healthcare Foundation's Healthier Tomorrow Fund, a community impact fund focused on addressing high-priority community needs and health equity.
“Gather does incredible work throughout the Seacoast, helping so many individuals and families who cannot put food on their table,” said John Skevington, interim CEO at Portsmouth Regional Hospital. “We are proud to provide Gather with this grant to help them further their mission. Together, we can make a difference for our community and we applaud their commitment to creating equitable access to nutrient-rich food, education and resources.”
The funding will help the organization provide nutritious food and prepared meals through Gather's pantry market, mobile markets and innovative food access programs to those experiencing hunger throughout the Seacoast Region.
“We are incredibly grateful for this timely grant as it will help us continue addressing the historic rise in demand we've witnessed throughout the year and the urgent food insecurity needs of our community,” said Gather's executive director, Anne Hayes. “Our organization relies on monetary donations to ensure we have adequate resources to purchase food and distribute to our neighbors in need. This grant will go a long way toward helping us feed more families.”
Launched in August 2023, the Health Equity Catalyst Grant provides a one-time operating grant to support organizations and collaboratives addressing health inequities in a defined focus area to advance or accelerate efforts to:
- Provide culturally and structurally competent services
- Advance high-impact health equity programming
- Support collaborative health equity efforts and/or
- Address root causes of health inequities
This year, the grants were given to nonprofits that address food insecurity and provide access to healthy foods across the country.
The Healthier Tomorrow Fund at the HCA Healthcare Foundation is one example of how HCA Healthcare is positively impacting the communities it serves. In 2023, HCA Healthcare provided charity care, uninsured discounts and other uncompensated care at an estimated cost of $3.7 billion. Additionally, HCA Healthcare contributed more than $43 million to community organizations in 2023.