In response to the devastating earthquake that hit the Republic of Haiti on Tuesday, January 12, Provena St. Mary’s Hospital, Kankakee, has donated $15,000 worth of supplies and medication to Hospitals for Humanity. Additionally, a drop-off location for relief items has been established at Provena St. Mary’s “2nds to Go” resale store in the Meadowview Shopping Center.

Furthermore, Rodney Alford, M.D., Eddie Jones, M.D. and Donald Roland, M.D., all on staff at Provena St. Mary’s, have travelled to Haiti with a team of medical volunteers from Hospitals for Humanity to provide medical assistance to earthquake victims.

The Provena Health system has made a $10,000 contribution to support the relief efforts being organized by Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach, a Springfield, Illinois-based Catholic ministry which works with healthcare organizations to recover and responsibly redistribute medical equipment and supplies to people in need around the world. Mission Outreach has long served the people of Haiti through their humanitarian efforts, and is responding to the crisis by sending blankets, hygiene kits and immediate medical supplies to Haiti.

Provena’s ministries have supported Mission Outreach through donations of surplus medical equipment and supplies and have contributed over $500,000 worth of medical supplies and equipment since 2006.

Elsewhere, other Provena Health ministries are also supporting Mission Outreach. In central Illinois, Provena Covenant Medical Center, Urbana, and Provena United Samaritans Medical Center, Danville, have contributed over $10,000 in equipment and supplies. Provena employees of the corporate offices and  senior and home care ministries are wearing jeans to work in exchange for a monetary donation. To secure donations from employees and visitors wishing to help, spare change collected at the gift shop, cafeteria and bistro at Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center, Joliet will support Mission Outreach.

Staff at Provena Mercy Medical Center, Aurora, and Provena Saint Joseph Hospital, Elgin, are partaking in similar efforts with their funds going to Catholic Relief Services.

“Provena employees truly live our Mission of compassionately responding to human need each and every day,” explained Guy Wiebking, President and CEO. “Together, we hope our heartfelt efforts will help to ease the great suffering right now by the people of Haiti.”