HCA Healthcare’s grant supports Seminole County students

Sanford, FL – HCA Florida Lake Monroe Hospital and Oviedo Medical Center, as part of HCA Florida Healthcare, last week presented the first $20,000 of a three-year, $60,000 grant to the Foundation for Seminole County Schools to expand healthcare career opportunities for students. The grant will support a new Allied Health Professional Employment Gateway program at the district’s Academy of Healthcare Careers at Seminole High School. This project provides specific support to reduce barriers for program participation, such as funding for transportation to internships and licensure exams for students, so they can quickly attain job-ready professional health certifications including Certified Nursing Assistant, Certified Medical Assistant and Patient Care Technician.

The grant is provided by the HCA Healthcare Foundation, which, through its Healthier Tomorrow Fund, is donating $1 million over the next three years to the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations (Consortium) to help fund its Career Pathways to a Healthier Florida program, which aims to help create and expand healthcare career pathways for underserved high school students across the state.

“HCA Florida Healthcare is committed to creating healthier tomorrows for our communities,” said John Gerhold, chief executive officer, HCA Florida Lake Monroe Hospital. “Our partnership with the Consortium of Education Foundations helps to ensure every student who is passionate about a career in healthcare has the opportunity to pursue their dreams.”

“An important part of HCA Florida Healthcare’s commitment to the communities we serve is our work to strengthen the talent pipeline of qualified healthcare providers,” said KC Donahey, CEO of Oviedo Medical Center. “We look forward to taking an active role in preparing these students for their future careers.”

The Florida Chamber Foundation’s Workforce Needs Study estimates a shortage of approximately 463,000 healthcare workers by the end of 2024. Through the Career Pathways to a Healthier Florida program, the Consortium is managing a grant process which allows local education foundations to apply for funds in support of local projects that foster healthcare career pathways. The program will fund 15 local education foundations in Florida over the next three years, including the Foundation for Seminole County Public Schools, focusing on activities that lead to nursing or allied health tracks and include work-based learning, healthcare career exploration activities and industry certifications.

“Thank you to the HCA Healthcare Foundation for providing a pathway for students to achieve hands-on training in healthcare careers,” said Jean Vansmith, executive director of the Foundation for Seminole County Public Schools. “This partnership between the HCA Healthcare Foundation, Seminole County Public Schools and the Foundation for Seminole County Public Schools will expand the healthcare workforce in Central Florida by helping students attain job-ready certifications so they can begin working in clinical settings right after high school.”

The Healthier Tomorrow Fund is a community impact fund focused on addressing high-priority community needs and health equity. Since its launch in 2021, the Fund has committed more than $20 million in communities where HCA Healthcare has a presence and made grants to 90 nonprofit organizations.

"We are thrilled to partner with the HCA Healthcare Foundation on this transformative initiative. This generous grant not only addresses a critical workforce need by fostering healthcare careers among Florida's youth, but also leverages our capacity to connect students to their communities for meaningful and potentially life-changing learning opportunities,” said Mary Chance, president & CEO of the Consortium. “Together, we're paving the way for a healthier, more prosperous future for Florida.”

HCA Healthcare and the HCA Healthcare Foundation have a strong history of collaboration with the Consortium and its members. HCA Healthcare has also partnered with several of Florida’s local education foundations through the Consortium’s Explore & Excel in Healthcare Careers program, which allows students to visit local hospitals for tours and learn more about education pathways that lead to healthcare careers and provides healthcare equipment for hands-on learning in classrooms. HCA Healthcare colleagues are also active as board members and volunteers with local education foundations.