Tidewell Foundation seeks support for storm-affected colleagues of Tidewell Hospice and Empath Home Health

Donations and volunteer support are urgently needed for Tidewell Hospice and Empath Home Health colleagues affected by Hurricane Ian, and to support response and temporary operations for facilities in affected areas. Tidewell Foundation has established a Tidewell Hurricane Ian Fund and is seeking volunteer groups to help organize and transport supplies.

Empath Health and Tidewell Hospice President Jonathan Fleece said, “for more than 40 years, our not-for-profit Tidewell Hospice has appreciated the generous support of our donor community as we walked beside patients, families and communities.

“Our Tidewell Hospice and Empath Home Health colleagues in DeSoto, Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Collier, Lee, Glades and other counties were deeply impacted. We hope donors who can help us will do so. This will be a long recovery for our entire organization across southwest Florida. We remain committed to providing world-class, full-life care to all, even if that means doing so from temporary locations, and as we support our colleagues to stabilize after their own impact.”

The care and compassion demonstrated daily by colleagues of Tidewell Hospice and Empath Home Health were evident despite the destructive force of Hurricane Ian. Teams of nurses, social workers and others connected with families and patients first by telephone, and when and where it was safe to do so, in person at patients’ homes, long-term care centers, hospitals, Tidewell facilities and even in emergency shelters.

“On Wednesday, even as the hurricane made landfall, Tidewell nurses were in touch with patients supporting them,” said Debbie Mason, president of Tidewell Foundation. “Many of our working colleagues had no idea what had happened to their own homes until days later. Even then, despite daunting personal challenges many did then and continue to do everything they could to return to caring for their patients.”

Tidewell Hospice and Empath Home Health are part of Empath Health, the largest not-for-profit hospice and home health organization in the country. Together, Tidewell Hospice and Empath Home Health currently serve more than 2,100 individuals in care.

How you can help:

• Donate for all Hurricane Ian-related needs at TidewellFoundation.org/donate
• Donate to the Colleague Assistance Fund. After clicking the link, selected Colleague Assistance Fund in the Designation section at the top of the page.
• Donate over the phone, with a credit card:
  • 8 a.m.-5 p.m. EDT – (941) 552-7597
  • After 5 p.m. EDT – (941) 236-2997
• Donate clean, gently used household items to the Tidewell Treasures resale stores (Treasures Sarasota to reopen Monday, Oct. 10; Treasures Venice Pending.)
• Provide groups who can lift, sort and drive needed supplies, including water, canned goods and household items to locations in Charlotte, Lee and Collier counties: Lorraine Constantino at LConstantino@TidewellFoundation or (941) 552-7546.

Tidewell Treasures locations:

Tidewell Treasures Sarasota (tentative reopening Oct. 10)
5441 Palmer Crossing Circle
Sarasota, FL 34238
(941) 552-7555

Tidewell Treasures Venice (reopening pending)
523 Venice Bypass (Bird Bay Plaza)
Venice, FL 34285
(941) 882-4467

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About Empath Health
Empath Health is the country’s largest not-for-profit health system delivering non-acute care and services through its skilled, medical and holistic programs to individuals with chronic, advanced and terminal illnesses and those experiencing grief. The Empath Health integrated network of care provides expert medical, counseling and support services including hospice; home health; palliative care; grief services; all-inclusive elder care; HIV/STI prevention services and support; primary care; physician services; and full-service pharmacy and durable medical equipment (DME). Empath Health is honored to have more than 22,000 people enrolled in our Full Life Care services in north central, west central and southwest Florida. We have nearly 90 combined years of experience serving individuals during some of their most vulnerable times. Our wide variety of community-based programs reflects our commitment to the preservation of our charitable mission.