The community of Chatham-Kent is getting praise from officials with the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance Foundation for its generosity.
On March 23, the foundation launched the COVID-19 Healthcare Relief Fund to help support the urgent and highest priority needs of the hospitals in Chatham and Wallaceburg as frontline employees to continue to fight the virus.
According to Mary Lou Crowley, foundation CEO, residents from across Chatham-Kent have come out in full force to raise approximately $240,000 so far.
Crowley said she and all the staff at the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance Foundation (CKHAF) are over the moon with what the response has been like so far. She added that it's especially inspiring to see how much was raised in less than two months' time.
"It's actually quite phenomenal," she said. "But as I say Chatham-Kent, when there's a need, when people's health and well being is at the forefront, everyone has come together and rallied to support [the fight against] COVID-19."
The money raised has gone toward specific pieces of equipment to help both staff and employees during the COVID-19 crisis. According to Crowley, this includes vital sign monitors, Nocospray to disinfect rooms, hospital beds and ventilators.
She said it's all making a major positive impact.
"I can say wholeheartedly that the dollars are well being used right now with the pieces of equipment and our frontline staff. It's been truly remarkable," she exclaimed.
The CKHAF didn't set out a specific goal when they initially launched the fund. According to Crowley, the donations have ranged in size from a few dollars to a couple thousand.
Besides monetary contributions, Crowley said the hospitals have received donations of personal protective equipment, food donations from local restaurants and in-kind donations of vital items.
"We've received iPads from a generous man in our community, which have been outstanding for those patients who are in the hospital in isolation," she said. "We've received baby monitors, which allows the nurses to stay communicating with one other."
https://twitter.com/ckhafoundation/status/1260671965100150784
Crowley said the needs and the situation is changing rapidly from day-to-day.
"The curve is flattening, as we know. We don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. As we've said all along as well as our assessment centre and the emergency departments, right now Chatham-Kent has been in pretty good shape. We have a limited number of cases but it changes...we really don't know what it has in store for us," said Crowley. "So we continue to do our work, we continue to ensure that our frontline workers have the necessary equipment. "
Donations can be made by visiting the CKHAF website or by calling the foundation office at 519-436-2538.