Outpouring of Support from Community to CalvertHealth during COVID-19 Crisis

During challenging times, the spirit of community is often stronger than ever – Calvert County has shown this spirit in unprecedented ways as neighbors and businesses have rallied together during this global pandemic. CalvertHealth Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the CalvertHealth Medical Center has been fortunate to have received donations for our front-line workers. From donations of personal protective equipment and hand-sewn masks to meals and donations to the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, the local community has shown its support to CalvertHealth Medical Center and the team of dedicated workers.

The CalvertHealth Foundation Board of Trustees has also led efforts to assist the hospital. Board Trustee Frank Smith and his wife, Linda Sinagara-Smith, owners of Idea Solutions in Huntingtown, along with Vice Chair Cindy Parlett and her husband, Tim, owners of Wilson & Parlett a law firm in Upper Marlboro, have conducted matching gift challenges for the community. They have each committed to match incoming gifts to the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund. Contributions to this fund help the CalvertHealth Foundation respond to critical funding needs that are arising and will continue to rise as we provide care to our community through the COVID-19 outbreak.

Foundation Board member and Second Vice Chair Marianne Harms challenged her group of volunteers to a sew 5,000 cloth masks. “Knowing how important personal protective equipment is to the front-line healthcare workers, I wanted to do all I could for our beloved community hospital,” Harms stated. She did just that by rallying the community to make masks. While there were many women involved in this extensive donation, there are a few who stood out for their exceptional service. Newly appointed Foundation Board Member Dixie Miller and Paula Gray joined efforts to precut and package the fabric, elastic and sewing instructions in groups of 50 masks for the volunteers. Meanwhile, Janet Addiss from the Calvert Marine Museum, along with Adele Maguire and Vicki Geneva from the Calvert Garden Club, helped spread the word and recruited the volunteers to sew the masks. Additional recognition goes to the members of Jesus the Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Owings, MD and their Shepherds Hands Pottery Group. This network of volunteers helped reach the goal of making 5,000 cloth masks. Marianne Harms, who funded the purchase of the materials, said, “We have seen an extraordinary response from the community. In Southern Maryland, there are always people willing to help.”

Many of the CalvertHealth Foundation Board of Trustees have shown incredible generosity through making personal donations to the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, and they continue to look for new and creative ways to support the hospital during this critical time.

(L to R) Second Vice Chair of the CalvertHealth Foundation Board of Trustees Marianne Harms, CalvertHealth Patient Advocate Elizabeth Chandlee, Vice President of Strategy & Business Development Kasia Sweeney and Associate Vice President of Corporate Communication & Philanthropy Theresa Johnson