HCA Florida Citrus Hospital donates to Citrus County Blessings

Inverness, FL – HCA Florida Citrus Hospital is proud to announce the successful conclusion of its “Healthy Food for Healthier Tomorrows” food drive to benefit Citrus County Blessings. The two-week drive amongst hospital caregivers resulted in an overall donation of 616.89 pounds of Pop Tarts – that’s 5,849 individual toaster pastries – along with a $10,000 donation to the local nonprofit dedicated to combating childhood hunger.  

“Our charity of choice for this year’s drive was once again Citrus County Blessings, a local program that provides 3,000 local students across 31 schools with food to take home every Friday during the school year as well as over holiday breaks,” said HCA Florida Citrus Hospital CEO Lisa Nummi. “Our colleagues' unwavering support has made an incredible impact on the families served by Citrus County Blessings. Not only did we provide much-needed food, but were able to generate even more funds to help fight hunger in our community. This initiative is a true reflection of the caring spirit of our team and the power of coming together for a common cause."

Before the Pop Tarts were donated to Blessings, hospital caregivers used the boxes to create a sculpture. 

“The sculpture of colleague donations, crafted entirely of Pop Tarts, was a tribute to Optimus Prime from Transformers. Just as Optimus transforms to help others, we work with Citrus County Blessings to transform the lives of children in our community, said the hospital’s Director of Communications and Community Engagement Katie Myers. “Once the display was dismantled, the Pop Tarts were provided to children in need through the Citrus County Blessings program, serving as a special treat for them to enjoy over their school break.”

The sculpture was entered into a contest among other HCA Florida Healthcare West Florida Division hospitals and won first place: an additional $10,000 donation to Citrus County Blessings. 

“We are deeply thankful to HCA Florida Citrus Hospital for their extraordinary generosity,” said Citrus County Blessings Executive Director Christina Reed. “The donation of food and the additional $10,000 grant will directly benefit the children and families who rely on our services. This partnership demonstrates the incredible difference we can make when we work together to address food insecurity in our community.”