Lee Memorial employee crisis fund helps out during difficult times

Donna Page was faced with eviction when her fiancé died. Marie Burda was at wits end on how to pay the bills when she underwent foot surgery only to have her husband break his leg in a car accident the following day.

Both women found help with the Lee Memorial Health System employee crisis fund.

"No one would help," said Ms. Page, 61. "My boss heard I was having some difficulties and she came to me. She knew he had died, we didn't have the money and my lot rent was due. They gave me the money for the lot rent." Her fiance's children came up for the money for the funeral, she added.

The employee crisis fund was started after Hurricane Charley affected about 20 percent of LMHS staff in 2004. "So many people were struggling with trying to make homes livable," said Larry Altier, system director of food and nutrition, and chairman of the employee crisis committee. "FEMA wasn't moving fast enough. We created a disaster relief program for Lee Memorial staff. We helped quite a few folks from that project."

And they had $250,000 left over.

By 2005, officials decided to use the leftover funds to seed a program that could help any LMHS employee experiencing difficulty. A 10-person committee reviews each case.

Some $176,000 has since been distributed in the form of gifts or grants, with an average of $3,381 per month from July 2005 to January 2008.

However, the need has increased substantially. Since January, the fund has been giving out about $9,240 per month.

In order to replenish the coffers, LMHS held the Great American Picnic on Oct. 30. Various vendors donated food, and $5 tickets were sold at hospital cafeterias. Although organizers had hoped to raise $15,000 to $20,000, they're still pleased with the $7,375 that was generated "We are thrilled and pleased with the participation," said Karen Krieger, LMHS spokeswoman.

Previous recipients of money from the employee crisis fund say they didn't know what they would have done without the funding that was provided by LMHS and through the system's foundation. "I really appreciate what they did to help us," said Ms. Burda, 57.