The New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) today joined with Memorial Hospital of Gulfport in the unveiling a new immunization van purchased with funds donated by HHC employees and matched by Pfizer, Inc. in the wake of hurricane Katrina.
Shortly after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, HHC employees banded together to collect more $173,000 to aid their colleagues at public hospitals in hurricane-stricken Mississippi and Louisiana. Pfizer, Inc. agreed to match every HHC employee dollar raised with two more. Together, a total contribution of approximately $500,000 was donated to Louisiana State University- Health Care Services of New Orleans and Memorial Hospital at Gulfport. Memorial received $250,000.
“Memorial Hospital is grateful to our friends at HHC and Pfizer for this gift. We also want to recognize the Memorial Auxiliary and our local partners, Hancock Bank and the Health Department for their many years of support to the operations of this van. This new immunization van will continue to bring much needed preventative services to all parts of our community,” said Gary Marchand, Memorial President and CEO.
Prior to its’ destruction in the hurricane, the van provided free childhood immunizations, adult screenings and general health information throughout Mississippi's Harrison County for 13 years.
“I salute the staunch performance of our colleagues at Memorial Hospital. As one of the foremost safety-net public hospitals on the Gulf Coast, they have served the needs of this community for more than 60 years and have never yielded to the storm,” said HHC President Alan D. Aviles. “New York City's public hospital system shares a mission with Memorial that begins with the commitment to deliver healthcare with excellence to all. We all know well that frontline medicine - whether in the Bronx or the Gulf -- has a great deal to do with the kind of solutions that the Memorial Immunization Van represents. It is often said that no one on earth handles crisis like New Yorkers. But from the days of deluge to the months of seemingly hopeless aftermath to the slow rebuilding and the restoration of faith, Gulfport's leaders, residents and our friends and colleagues here at Memorial have demonstrated extraordinary and inspiring heroism, determination, and resilience. HHC is proud to be part of your efforts to go the distance for a healthier community.”
Memorial’s new van began offering free immunizations in Gulfport on April 23, 2007.
Source: The New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC)
