Valleywise Health Foundation awarded $500,000 in response to COVID-19 From Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust
Valleywise Health among Maricopa County hospital systems benefitting from $2.9 million in emergency grants awarded by Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust
Phoenix – August 3, 2020
In April 2020, Valleywise Health Foundation was awarded $500,000 by Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust to support COVID-19 emergency needs at Valleywise Health, Arizona’s public teaching health system. Piper Trust awarded $2.9 million to Maricopa County hospital systems to support frontline providers and cover hospital needs such as supplies, equipment, or services for healthcare professionals and staff.
“Valleywise Health Foundation and our frontline medical professionals at Valleywise Health could not be more grateful for this incredibly generous support at such a critical time,” said Valleywise Health Foundation CEO Nate Lowrie. “Piper Trust’s quick response to serve community need, and our ability to use this funding for the most critical needs provided “real” emergency relief during this crisis.”
In March, Valleywise Health moved quickly to implement an organization-wide plan and new emergency procedures for various COVID-19 relief needs. Valleywise Health used the grant from Piper Trust to support COVID-19 personnel-related costs for a vast array of essential services that were put into place, including:
- Educating and training care teams and support staff about the virus, best practice therapies, and personal and patient protection from transmission
- Developing in-house COVID-19 testing to provide a quicker turnaround time for results
- Creating a telehealth platform for virtual visits with patients for medical and behavioral health appointments, helping ensure access to care during the pandemic
- Securing additional Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and medications essential for COVID-19
- Installing bedside technology for patient and family contact
“Valleywise Health Foundation has exemplified such resilience amidst the trials of this pandemic. Their quick actions to implement strong supports for hospital staff is a testament to the value of unrestricted grant funds at this critical time,” said Mary Jane Rynd, president and CEO of Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust.
Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust supports organizations that enrich health, well-being, and opportunity for the people of Maricopa County.
To learn more about COVID-19 relief needs at Valleywise Health, contact Kate Fassett at kfassett@valleywisehealthfoundation.org or visit valleywisehealthfoundation.org/donate.
About Valleywise Health and Valleywise Health Foundation
Valleywise Health Foundation is the Phoenix-based 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to providing financial support for critical patient and program needs at Valleywise Health, Arizona’s public teaching health system. The Valleywise Health mission is to provide exceptional care, without exception, every patient, every time – regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. Valleywise is home to the Arizona Burn Center, the only Trauma Center in Maricopa County nationally verified by the American College of Surgeons to care for both adults and children, the largest provider of inpatient psychiatric care in Arizona, the first and largest provider of HIV primary care in Arizona, one of Arizona’s longest running and largest physician training programs, now under the umbrella of the Creighton University Arizona Health Education Alliance, and home to the Refugee Women’s Health Clinic, providing care to patients from 58 different countries speaking more than 49 languages. The Valleywise Health system includes Valleywise Health Medical Center, Behavioral Health Centers in Mesa, Phoenix and Maryvale, a comprehensive health center and 11 community health centers throughout Maricopa County. More than 65 percent of Valleywise Health patients are financially vulnerable.
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Contact: Valleywise Health Foundation
Marcia Scott – 602-451-4550
MScott@ValleywiseHealthFoundation.org