Thank You for Helping Us
Make a Difference
Together, our philanthropic impact continues to touch countless lives of Sharp patients, staff, caregivers, and members of our greater community.
A Message from
Our Senior Vice President and
Chief Executive Officer
Dear Valued Friends and Supporters,
For our entire existence, Sharp HealthCare has been a partnership with the San Diego community. This has never been more evident than in our fight against COVID-19.
On behalf of the entire Sharp family — nurses, staff, physicians, leaders, board directors, I want to thank you — and all of San Diego — for such extraordinary generosity. And what a difference your gifts have made. Together, we've funded new technology, training for intensive care nurses, additional testing, research, and of course supplies and resources to ensure patient and caregiver safety.
That adds up to incredible stories of survival — patients spending weeks in the Intensive Care Unit on ventilators — ultimately going home to begin a new life. We truly are among heroes — patients and their skilled and dedicated caregivers.
Sharp HealthCare is one of San Diego’s most important — and valued — community assets. More than 20,000 employees, physicians, volunteers and leaders caring for our community 24 hours a day, 365 days a year — no matter the crisis.
Thank you for being here during our time of need — so we can always be here in yours.
With Appreciation,
Neighbors, coworkers, family members and friends — compassionate individuals like you are uniting to ensure that our community receives the very best care and support during these unprecedented times.
Here is a look at what we've accomplished together since establishing the Sharp COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund:
Conrad Prebys Foundation Challenge Grant
Dollar for dollar, your donation to support Sharp's COVID-19 response was doubled through a matching opportunity, raising:
$350,000
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Enhancing Telehealth
More than ever before, Sharp patients are receiving care via technology. Telehealth visits have skyrocketed from 200 visits per month prior to the pandemic to more than 10,000 per month. Funds donated by the community will offset costs not reimbursed by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Sharp's investment to increase and enhance our telehealth program related to COVID-19 totals more than:
$500,000
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Technology
Dedicated to ensuring our hospitals remain virus-free during the pandemic, your donations helped purchase five Xenex LightStrike™ Germ-Zapping™ robots (each with a cost of $100,000):
$500,000
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Strengthening Sharp's COVID-19 Nursing Workforce
Through the Terrence and Barbara Caster Institute for Nursing Excellence and the COVID-19 Workforce Development Initiative, we are underwriting the cost of advanced training and clinical education to re-skill and up-skill registered nurses with previous Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Progressive Care Unit (PCU) experience:
Over 350 nurses & 4,000+ hours
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Research and Innovation for COVID-19 Testing
The study of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and antibody (serology) tests, led by Sharp's Highly Infectious Disease Committee:
$100,000
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Safeguarding Vulnerable Populations
Funding provided to Sharp Rees-Stealy for increased screening and testing for vulnerable populations, providing at-home health kits, and other health resources:
$500,000
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Front-Line Caregiver Support
Services and goods such as meals, groceries, PPE, and supplies were provided to our health care heroes, thanks to generous donations from the community:
850+ in-kind donations
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Health Care Employee Emergency Assistance Funds
Provided by Sharp employees through the donation of their “vacation days” to help co-workers in their time of need. The largest single contribution of paid time off by employees in our organization’s history raised more than:
13,000 hours of PTO
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Total COVID-19 Emergency Funding Donated:
$6 million
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From 4,000 contributors
Supporting Our Needs for Essential Equipment During COVID-19
The coronavirus pandemic created the greatest need for medical resources in our nation’s history. While Sharp has always retained a sufficient amount of personal protective equipment (PPE) in our supply chain, our goal was to ensure that we could continue to enable our caregivers to safely treat every patient in every hospital and clinic in our system.
The Foundations of Sharp HealthCare are collaborating with Sharp's Finance Department to provide funding for COVID-19 expenses that will not be reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) through the CARES Act. Upwards of 40 percent of philanthropic funding is related to PPE and ventilator acquisition.
Sharp's purchase of PPE and other critical supplies includes:
- Bouffant caps: 100,000
- Face masks: 2 million
- Face shields: 100,000
- Hand sanitizer: 1,000+ gallons
- Shoe covers: 50,000
- Surgeons gloves: 100,000
- Universal viral transport (UVT) kits and nares swabs: 40,000
On Behalf of Our Front-line Caregivers, Thank You
The people of Sharp — our physicians, nurses, caregivers, laboratory professionals, environmental services teams, security, and staff — are some of the most dedicated and bravest among us. We are forever grateful to the hundreds of individuals, families and corporations who helped support our Sharp Healthcare Heroes.
At every level of giving, your generosity is instrumental in our ability to face this crisis
A Gift Close to the Heart
Bob Campbell and Becci Rocco have been incredible supporters of Sharp Coronado Hospital for more than 15 years. To help provide the safest hospital environment during the coronavirus outbreak, Bob and Becci funded the purchase of Coronado's second advanced cleaning and disinfecting Xenex robot, Ava. Ava is affectionately named in loving memory of Bob and Becci’s dog who passed away in April 2019.
At Sharp Memorial Hospital, another Xenex robot, Carole, works alongside the "light strike team." Made possible by a generous gift, Carole provides extra confidence for our front-line staff.
“It is so cool to see that it is being utilized in so many areas! We’ve really appreciated that not only are the patient care areas being treated, but even the Emergency break room was sterilized by the UV robot. It made us all feel much safer while we take a needed break.” — Heather Rodrigues, RN-CNS
“It felt like an added bonus to help us keep our ED rooms decontaminated. We always wipe down the surfaces after treating a possible sick COVID patient, but we felt much better knowing the room was flash sterilized by the UV robot. It has been much appreciated by the Trauma team!” — Jennifer Hites, Lead Trauma RN
A Commitment to Our Community
In this face of adversity, generous supporters of Grossmont Hospital Foundation, Frank and Linda Riolo, knew they wanted to support the nurses, physicians and staff working tirelessly to keep our East County San Diego community safe and healthy.
Through a donor-advised fund (DAF), the Riolo's charitable donation provided effective funds to support Sharp Grossmont Hospital and front-line caregivers in the fight against COVID-19.
"We just wanted to do something to support everyone at Sharp Grossmont Hospital as they continue to work hard to support all of us through these uncertain times." - Frank and Linda Riolo
Despite facing the most overwhelming and unprecedented of events, the best parts of humanity — particularly generosity, care and gratitude toward others — have emerged in our community. We could not be more heartened or thankful.
Every day, our Sharp health care heroes are honored through your extraordinary generosity
The world has been reminded this year that health care workers are not only essential, they are heroes. Heroes who run toward danger, ever mindful of the risks but determined to help in whatever way they can." — Sharp HealthCare President and CEO Chris Howard
A Legacy to Help Save Lives
Dean and Eleanor Payne were long-time patients of Sharp Rees-Stealy, as well as donors who on several occasions recognized their physicians as Guardian Angels. Following their passing, however, Dean and Eleanor’s philanthropy was just beginning.
Dean and Eleanor Payne made very generous gifts to Sharp Rees-Stealy through their estate. While planning was underway for the best use of the funds, COVID-19 hit. Working with the trustee for Payne family, Dean and Eleanor’s gifts went directly to support our COVID-19 efforts.
"On behalf of the Payne Family Trust, its Successor Trustees, and myself, please let your staff know that those of us who are not on the front-lines of this war have nothing but admiration, respect and humility at the selflessness by which those first responders are doing their jobs for the benefit of the rest of us. They do this work at substantial expense and risk to themselves and their own families. Their sacrifice is not unnoticed or unappreciated."
"Their efforts once again show that real heroes do not seek the limelight or ask for acknowledgement of the glory they earn. They show up and do their jobs because they can, because they honor the duties they took on, and mostly because they want to. Real heroes need no incentive, they simply do what must be done."
Russ T. Gold, Attorney for the Successor Trustees to The Payne Family Trust
The Result: the physicians and staff of Sharp Rees-Stealy provided hundreds of health kits for patients unable to visit the clinic for regular health screenings and grocery cards for patients isolated at home, lacking transportation and dealing with food insecurity as a result of COVID-19.
Sharp COVID-19 Employee Emergency Assistance Fund
"When we combine employee giving with support from the San Diego community, we’re hopeful we can make a difference for our employees in need." — Lisa Allen, Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Talent Management
Making a Difference Together
The most successful employee giving campaign in our organization’s history.
Employee giving during the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund campaign, led by the Foundations of Sharp HealthCare, far exceeded what we could have imagined. Nearly 600 Sharp colleagues donated more than 13,000 hours of PTO.
Combined with cash gifts and unrestricted COVID-19 funds, the Foundations will provide $1 million in employee emergency assistance – one thousand $1,000 grants. An incredible testament to the generosity of our colleagues.
"I try to do my small part in assisting my fellow Sharp employees through this tough time, especially those who aren’t able to work or may not be able to take home a full paycheck due to lack of PTO hours.” — Ed Stewart, Supervisor, Purchasing, Sharp Coronado Hospital