The Frist Foundation Gives $1 Million to the HCA Healthcare Hope Fund in Support of Colleagues Impacted by COVID-19

Employee-run charity receives record number of donations to provide financial aid for fellow colleagues during coronavirus pandemic

NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The HCA Healthcare Hope Fund, a 501(c)(3) charity that helps HCA Healthcare employees and their immediate families who are affected by financial hardship, announced today that the Frist Foundation has donated $1 million to support colleagues affected by the coronavirus pandemic. The Frist Foundation was established in 1982, by two of HCA Healthcare’s founders – Dr. Thomas Frist, Sr. and Dr. Thomas Frist, Jr.

In the last three weeks, more than 700 HCA Healthcare colleagues have turned to the HCA Healthcare Hope Fund for help as they have experienced the loss of a spouse’s employment or other unexpected financial challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to assisting with critical household expenses as it always has, the fund recently announced a special financial program to help working parents with childcare costs due to temporary school closures.

“We are grateful for the Frist family’s steadfast support of our colleagues during this difficult time,” said Sam Hazen, chief executive officer of HCA Healthcare. “This is just one example of how HCA Healthcare rallies around one another to provide support when devastation strikes.”

Last week, Hazen announced that he will donate 100 percent of his April and May pay to the HCA Healthcare Hope Fund. Additionally, every one of the 27-member senior leadership team has either done the same or increased their contributions substantially. Hospital CEOs and their leadership teams across the company have also stepped up and answered the challenge to join in the effort. The HCA Healthcare Board of Directors has also waived their cash compensation for the remainder of the year, allowing the company to make additional contributions to the HCA Healthcare Hope Fund.

“We are honored to support our HCA Healthcare family through these unprecedented times,” said Dr. Thomas Frist, Jr. “Their constant focus on providing expert and compassionate care for our communities is always inspiring, but even more so now.”

Since the onset of COVID-19, the HCA Healthcare Hope Fund has experienced three times as many requests for grants, of which approximately 70 percent are related to loss of a spouse’s income, 20 percent are for childcare assistance, and 10 percent are illness related.

The HCA Healthcare Hope Fund is governed by an independent Board of Directors comprised of employees from across the country. Since inception, it has helped HCA Healthcare colleagues by providing more than $58 million through 36,000 grants.

For more information on the HCA Healthcare Hope Fund, visit www.hcahopefund.com.

About HCA Healthcare Hope Fund

The HCA Healthcare Hope Fund is an employee-run, employee-supported 501(c)3 public charity with the goal of helping HCA Healthcare employees and their immediate families who are affected by financial hardship. This includes disaster, extended illness/injury, domestic violence, death of a loved one, and other special situations. HCA Healthcare employees, vendors, affiliated physicians, patients and the general public can make a tax-deductible donation to the fund where 100% of donations go directly to helping colleagues in need. Since its inception in 2005, the HCA Healthcare Hope Fund has given more than $58 million to colleagues in crisis with the help of more than 33,000 employee donors annually. The HCA Healthcare Hope Fund is governed by an independent Board of Directors comprised of employees from across the country. For more information on the HCA Healthcare Hope Fund, visit hcahopefund.com.

All references to “Company,” “HCA” and “HCA Healthcare” as used throughout this document
refer to HCA Healthcare, Inc. and its affiliates.