Ocala Hospital and West Marion Hospital award $60,000 grant to Public Education Foundation
Funds will support healthcare career exploration opportunities.
Ocala, FL — HCA Florida Ocala Hospital and HCA Florida West Marion Hospital today announced the HCA Healthcare Foundation, through its Healthier Tomorrow Fund, will donate $1 million over the next three years to the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations to help fund its Career Pathways to a Healthier Florida program. The Career Pathways to a Healthier Florida program helps create and expand healthcare career pathways for economically disadvantaged high school students across the state.
As part of this grant, the Public Education Foundation of Marion County was awarded $60,000 over the next three years to support students in Belleview High School, Lake Weir High School, North Marion High School, and West Port High School. This funding will provide students opportunities to delve into healthcare careers through specialized training, clinical experience, preparation for certification exams, and internships and externships. The project will also result in new levels of engagement between HCA Florida Healthcare and the district focusing on improving students’ healthcare certification completion rate.
“The future healthcare professionals of tomorrow are currently studying in our local schools, and we are committed to assisting students aspiring to pursue a healthcare career in the north central Florida area,” said Alan Keesee, chief executive officer of HCA Florida Ocala Hospital. “We are dedicated to fostering healthier tomorrows for our communities, and a key aspect of this mission is supporting local talent development.”
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 develops and manages a grant process which allows local education foundations to apply for funds to support projects that foster healthcare career pathways. The program will fund 15 local education foundations in Florida over the next three years, focusing on activities that lead to nursing or allied health tracks and include work-based learning, healthcare career exploration activities and industry certifications.
The Career Pathways to a Healthier Florida program grant is funded through the Healthier Tomorrow Fund, a community impact fund that addresses 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 launch this partnership with HCA Healthcare Foundation and our local HCA Florida Healthcare hospitals,” said Meghan Magamoll, executive director of the Public Education Foundation of MarionCounty. “Their investment not only aims to better equip students for careers in healthcare fields, but also addresses the increasing demand for a skilled healthcare workforce in our community.”
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. This program allows students to visit local hospitals for tours and learn more about healthcare careers and provides healthcare equipment for hands-on learning. HCA Healthcare colleagues are also active as board members and volunteers with local education foundations.
HCA Florida Ocala Hospital and HCA Florida West Marion Hospital have been long-time partners of the Public Education Foundation of Marion County in supporting local students. HCA Florida Ocala Hospital sponsors the HCA Jumpstart to Healthcare Scholarship for seven high school seniors, the Take Stock in Children program, scholarships for HOSA national conference, West Port High School’s school business partner, College Park Elementary, a Community Partnership School with United Way of Marion County, Mission Bus Brigade School Supply Drive sponsored by the Marion County Public Schools Homeless/Needy Children Program, and Thank A Teacher award, which celebrates outstanding teachers in Marion County.