Stratum/Tidewell partners with Sysco to bring discounted groceries to front-line health workers

Stratum Health System — the parent company of Tidewell Hospice — and Sysco West Coast Florida are partnering to offer a grocery distribution program for Stratum/Tidewell staff, volunteers and community partners as they continue caring for patients amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this partnership, Stratum colleagues and associates throughout southwest Florida will be able to safely purchase food and hard-to-find products from Sysco at wholesale prices.

Long hours, exposure to patients experiencing illness and other pandemic-related demands have made grocery shopping difficult and risky for health care workers nationwide. Stratum is working to ensure that its colleagues are supported throughout this time with safe access to the goods they need to maintain their own well-being and provide high-quality care to the more than 3,500 patients served through its network of companies. Sysco’s program allows Stratum colleagues and associates to place their orders through email and pick up their groceries at specific locations on designated dates and times.

The next pick-up event is set for 2-5 p.m. Friday, May 8, at Stratum/Tidewell’s Lakewood Ranch administration building, 6310 Capital Drive. The event is open to the public. Participants may place their orders before midnight Wednesday, May 6, at https://shopwestcoastflorida.sysco.com.

Stratum Health System is a nonprofit, integrated network providing care and support to people facing chronic or advanced illness. The Stratum family of companies helps patients live as comfortably and meaningfully as possible, while offering assistance to their families and caregivers along the way. Additionally, Stratum offers a layer of medical and emotional support services that provides compassionate care to all its patients.

“The tremendous generosity and innovation Sysco has poured into this platform is helping to ensure our colleagues are able to care for themselves while they continue to provide world-class care for our patients and their families and loved ones,” said Jonathan Fleece, President and CEO of Stratum Health System and Tidewell Hospice. “COVID-19 has created significant challenges our colleagues heroically face daily in their dedicated service to our community. Stratum Health System and Tidewell Hospice are committed to matching their unwavering courage and dedication during this pandemic, and we sincerely appreciate Sysco’s efforts to strengthen that commitment with this incredible resource.”

Sysco, whose customers include restaurants, health care and educational facilities, and lodging establishments across the globe, is collaborating with organizations like Stratum/Tidewell in addition to local governments and other nonprofit organizations to find creative ways to deliver its products to communities in the global regions it serves.

“We are honored to support the local heroes working at Tidewell/Stratum,” said Will Fulghom,
president of Sysco West Coast Florida. “What started as an urgent need for personal protective
equipment turned into a great partnership where we are setting up pop-up events for Tidewell’s
associates that provide an easy way to shop online as well as restaurant-quality and other hard-to-find products.”

Pictured above, Director of Professional Relations Ashley Mateer-Piercy, EVP/Chief Human Resources Officer Julie Schilson and VP of Professional Relations Christina Speir welcome shoppers at a previous Sysco market partnership event at Tidewell’s Lakewood Ranch administration building.