HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital donates turkeys to help feed families in need

HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital, a 435-bed full-service acute care facility and part of HCA Florida Healthcare, the largest healthcare system in the state, is pleased to announce its donation of more than 500 frozen turkeys to feed hundreds of families throughout the Treasure Coast.

For ten years, Lawnwood Hospital has proudly provided Thanksgiving turkeys to the Big Heart Brigade of The Treasure Coast.

“Supporting the Big Heart Brigade’s hot Thanksgiving Day dinner has become an annual holiday tradition for us here at Lawnwood Hospital,” said HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital Chief Executive Officer Eric Goldman. “We are incredibly proud to support families in the communities we serve throughout the Treasure Coast.”

Once the organization received Lawnwood Hospital’s donation, local firefighters, friends, and family members worked around the clock to prepare and cook the turkeys for distribution on Thanksgiving morning. More than 100 volunteers gathered to pack and deliver hot meals.

“We are grateful for the support we have received from HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital,” said Brenda Smith of the St. Lucie County Fire District. “The annual holiday meal is a way of not only feeding those who are hungry or lonely but also a show of kindness and support to those who are feeling the pain of poverty and misfortune.”

The frozen turkey provided by Lawnwood Hospital, combined with donations from around the community, allowed the Big Heart Brigade to distribute 1,130 frozen turkeys, cook 270 turkeys, and pack and deliver more than 1,300 hot meals in 2023.