What it means to give to hospitals during COVID-19

As a donor, are you wondering where your support goes when you give to hospital foundations? We spoke with an expert to provide some perspective. 

The demand on health care services has spiked due to COVID-19. Health care workers are bravely meeting these needs and continuing to provide essential services, particularly to patients coming through the hospital door. Across Canada, to date, 702 cases of COVID-19 have been hospitalized, including 204 in intensive care.

We spoke with Paola Coronado Hass, Associate Director, Major Gifts at the Vancouver General Hospital (VGH) & University of British Columbia (UBC) Hospital Foundation on how donors can make a difference right now. 

Charitable Impact: Could you tell me briefly why it’s important to support hospital foundations at this time? 

Paola Coronado Hass: Hospital foundations such as VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation are the direct link between donors and the health care professionals who are fighting for our lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. Supporting the foundation means providing essential support to the very people on the frontlines, the most vulnerable patients who need it most, and the researchers who are striving to uncover new treatments and a cure to this disease.

CI: How are hospitals being impacted by this crisis? 

PCH: Hospitals are seeing unprecedented changes during this time and preparing for a surge of COVID-19 infected patients. 

Hospital beds have been made available for COVID-19 patients in B.C. after the province ordered non-urgent elective surgeries to be cancelled. There are COVID-19 patients with severe cases in our ICUs and hospitals right now and more are expected to come.

Currently, only essential staff are on-site at the hospitals, with non-medical personnel working from home as much as possible. For those staff on-site, COVID-19 remains top of mind. This has changed how we currently care for patients, including implementing extra protections and limiting visitor access.

Researchers have also placed COVID-19 as a top priority, supporting the global community during this time to help uncover new treatments and potentially a cure to help our global community.

These are major changes to our health care system that are only made possible through great teamwork and resolve by all.

CI: What would you like donors to know about giving to hospital foundations like VGH at this critical time?

PCH: Everyone is already making a big difference by committing to staying at home and limiting contact with others. That is crucial in flattening the curve, and preventing our health care system from becoming overwhelmed. 

The Vancouver Coastal Health team is strategically managing the needs of patients while remaining vigilant about what is likely to come. They are proactively preparing to operate at their highest capacity. 

We are directing COVID-19 Response gifts to a fund which is designed to be flexible and nimble to allow our VCH partners to rapidly deploy funding to support the thousands of health care workers providing world-class care across our facilities and community.

Your gift directly supports the very people who are there for us. Your gift today can be used to support patients now, as well as invest in the research needed to uncover new treatments and cures for this disease. 

By supporting hospital foundations such as VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation, you are helping the health care professionals, the patients, and the global community as we all fight to stop COVID-19. 

CI: Anything else you would like to share?​

PCH: Any gift no matter the size is important. Whatever you can give can mean the difference. Thank you.

If you’d like to give to support this or any other cause, we are here to support you. If you can, now is the time to act. Most charities are currently facing very high needs. Still, you don’t need to know where to give to start supporting change. Open an Impact Account online and start investing in your generosity and vision for change. We are here to help guide you through your giving, your way by email at [email protected], phone at 1-877-531-0580, or chat (www.charitableimpact.com).

More about what we do: Through Charitable Impact’s online giving platform, you can give to any of the over 85,000 registered charities across Canada. By setting up a free Impact Account, our powerful search engine will connect you to charities — from familiar favourites to new discoveries. Plus, get recommendations through your account. You can add funds to your account, take the time and space needed to plan your impact, and then send gifts to the causes you care about.