Baptist Health helping communities affected by flood

Baptist Health and its employees are rounding up medical and household supplies to assist healthcare providers and families in Letcher and Clay counties – two areas battered by torrential rainfall and massive flooding that has swept away homes, businesses, and resulted in a tragic loss of lives.

Baptist Health, Kentucky’s largest healthcare system, has three hospitals that serve the eastern Kentucky communities affected by the flooding – Baptist Health Corbin, Baptist Health Lexington and Baptist Health Richmond. In addition to assisting fellow employees affected by the flooding, the Baptist Health system and its staff will be providing support to residents in Whitesburg and Fleming-Neon in Letcher County and Manchester in Clay County.

“Thanks to Supply Chain, Materials Management, and Baptist Health hospital teams for their quick response to the needs of these communities and to staff members who are helping Baptist Health fulfill its mission of demonstrating the love of Christ to improve health in our communities,” said CEO Gerard Colman.

Baptist Health Corbin will deploy staff and supplies to Fleming-Neon.

The Baptist Health Hardin Wellness on Wheels (WOW) van is being prepared and loaded with supplies in Elizabethtown before making the trip to eastern Kentucky. The WOW van will be set up at a middle school in Fleming-Neon, as a temporary clinic, and Baptist Health Corbin is organizing staffing to provide care.

Once the WOW unit arrives, Baptist Health Corbin will staff it from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm daily through next Wednesday.

A number of employees and providers from both Baptist Health Corbin and Baptist Health Medical Group Corbin have volunteered to travel to Fleming-Neon each day to provide medical and support services to those in need.

“We are happy to be able to assist this community and provide supplies and medical assistance. Their community has been devastated by this massive flooding,” stated Baptist Health Corbin President Anthony Powers. “We will support them however we can.”

Powers added, “We were able to fully staff the WOW van for the week in less than one hour after requesting volunteers. I am proud that so many of our employees from all areas within the hospital and BHMG have come forward to help.”

Baptist Health is also partnering with established organizations, such as Louisville-based SOS (formerly known as Supplies Over Seas International), to deliver assistance where it is most needed.

Employees, hospitals pitch in

Baptist Health employees at each hospital are rounding up much-needed baby food, baby formula, paper products, personal hygiene products, bottled water, and non-perishable food.

In addition, the Baptist Health Foundation Emergency Assistance Fund has been expanded to assist not only staff members affected by the flood, but also the communities in need.

Donations to the Baptist Health Foundation may be made at this link: www.SupportBaptistHealth.org/emergencyassistance. The Foundation’s Emergency Assistance Fund will support those affected with current, as well as with long-term needs.

The public is encouraged to donate to the Foundation (link noted above), which will be assisting those most affected, or to donate to organizations with a proven track record such as the state’s Team Eastern Kentucky Flood Relief Fund.