Joseph’s Hospitals Foundation
OUR THANKS FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP
Kate C. Sawa
President, St. Joseph’s Hospitals Foundation and St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital Foundation
Dear Friends and Supporters,
It is with profound gratitude that we share our 2025 St. Joseph’s Hospitals Foundation Annual Report. 2025 was a continuation of the remarkable momentum and impact for St. Joseph’s Hospitals, and reflects the deep partnership with our steadfast donors, community partners and supporters. Your generosity enables our mission and ensures that St. Joseph’s Hospitals will continue to provide healing, support, and hope for our patients.
Our team remains energized by our community’s engagement in the promise offered by the new, freestanding Pagidipati Children’s Hospital at St. Joseph’s, set to open in 2030. Because of your sustained support, what was once simply a dream is now drawing closer to reality. We move forward with the knowledge that your investment in our community will pay dividends for generations to come.
In this year’s report, you’ll learn about the ways we partnered with donors to empower the next generation of healthcare breakthroughs and support the ongoing needs of patients and caregivers. We are inspired by the vision of our donors and your purposeful partnership as we fuel innovation and medical excellence at each of our St. Joseph’s Hospitals.
As we look to the future, we are poised to continue our growth journey and our tireless dedication to the incredible healthcare professionals of our community. Your support ensures that our hospitals can recruit and retain top physicians and nurses, and provide the resources needed to deliver the highest standard of care in West Central Florida.
On behalf of the Foundation team, thank you for your belief in our mission and your dedication to ensure a brighter future for all we serve.
With
Gratitude, Scott Fink Chairman of the Board
Scott Fink, Chairman of the Board
Kate C. Sawa, President,
St. Joseph’s Hospitals Foundation and St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital Foundation
Who We Are
ABOUT ST. JOSEPH’S HOSPITALS FOUNDATION
St. Joseph’s Hospitals Foundation is a qualified 501(c)(3) charitable organization, whose role is to secure, receive and administer philanthropic resources on behalf of and to benefit the five St. Joseph’s Hospitals throughout the greater Tampa Bay area: St. Joseph’s Hospital, St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital, St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital-North and St. Joseph’s Hospital-South.
The Foundation inspires the Tampa Bay community to engage in charitable investment to preserve and advance St. Joseph’s Hospitals’ tradition of caring, fuel innovation and clinical excellence, and enhance facilities, programs and services to better serve our patient’s medical, emotional and spiritual needs.
The community’s generous support of the Foundation reflects the deep trust generations of families have placed in St. Joseph’s Hospitals, allowing us to carry forward our tradition of providing compassionate, exceptional care.
History
THE FRANCISCAN SISTERS OF ALLEGANY
Father Pamfilo, one of the friars of St. Bonaventure College, established the Franciscan Sisters as a teaching community in 1859, and opened St. Elizabeth Academy the following year to educate young women in the area. Sister Mary Teresa O’Neil, the first Superior General of the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany, guided its growth as new schools were opened in Connecticut, New York, and other eastern states. The original education mission expanded in 1883 to include hospital administration and health care, homes for the young and elderly, pastoral and social work, and many other ministries. All of these were firmly rooted in the Franciscan philosophy of respect, hospitality, and compassion to all, regardless of faith.
The Franciscan Sisters’ healing ministry was brought to our community in 1934 with the founding of St. Joseph’s Hospital near downtown Tampa.
ST. JOSEPH’S HOSPITALS HISTORY
The original 40-bed hospital established near downtown Tampa in 1934 by the Franciscan Sisters has grown today to over 500 beds, and four additional hospitals across our community. Some of the most complex medical conditions are treated at the hospital, which is a part of BayCare Health System, and through the years, the dedicated centers of excellence have become renowned for providing world-class care. Countless lives have been touched and healed by St. Joseph’s Hospital’s staff, who carry on the Franciscan tradition of offering hope and compassion, while ensuring each person’s medical, spiritual, and emotional needs are met.
Board of Directors
The St. Joseph’s Hospitals Foundation is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors comprised of dedicated community leaders. The Board sets policies related to grant-making, geographic focus, spending, investment, management, governance and professional standards, internal and independent audits, and compensation and performance reviews. The Foundation strives to be a model in donor and gift stewardship, privacy and financial management. We conduct an annual independent audit of our financial position, subscribe to the Donor Bill of Rights, and adhere to HIPAA privacy standards and regulations.
2025 Board of Trustees
Scott Fink CHAIRMAN
Bennett Barrow, CFP VICE CHAIRMAN
H. Brian Adcock TREASURER
William Stainton, Esq. SECRETARY
Donna Jordan MEMBER AT LARGE
Deanna Bayless
Elizabeth Carrere
Arlene DiBenigno
Paul Dolcimascolo, CFP
Lorraine Dutkowsky
Laurice Hachem
Eilam M. Isaak, Esq.
Kasey Shimberg Kelly
Anne Nelson
David Osterweil
Thomas Payant
Tad Phelps
Cherie Schonbrun
Jenny S. Swindal
William O. West
Sr. Pat Tyre
Marilyn Lusher
Phil Minden
Jeff Settano EX-OFFICIO
Kate Sawa PRESIDENT
PROVIDING WORLD-CLASS CARE TO OUR COMMUNITY
ONGOING RECOGNITION FOR ST. JOSEPH’S CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL CARE
St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital is the largest provider of pediatric care to families in West Central Florida. The nationally recognized hospital is home to the 24-hour Steinbrenner Children’s Emergency and Trauma Center, Bayless Cancer Institute, and the Patel Children’s Heart Institute, the largest congenital heart disease program in West Central Florida. St. Joseph’s Hospital-South in Riverview also specializes in pediatrics.
Here are some of St. Joseph’s Hospitals’ achievements and highlights in pediatric care this year:
CELEBRATING JOHN’S 2ND BIRTHDAY
Born at just 23 weeks and weighing barely over a pound, John’s life began with uncertainty – but also with fierce love and determination. After spending 17 months in the care of St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital and St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital, he’s now home, thriving, and this year, celebrated a milestone once thought impossible: his 2nd birthday. Throughout his time in the NICU and PICU, John became part of a hospital family who celebrated his every victory –cheering him on at his first birthday party and lining the hallways for a tearful clap-out when he was finally discharged.
BAYLESS CANCER INSTITUTE RECEIVES HYUNDAI HOPE ON WHEELS GRANT
Hyundai Hope on Wheels executives and Suncoast-area Hyundai dealers presented St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital and Dr. Don Eslin, Medical Director, Pediatric Hematology/ Oncology, with a $200,000 Hyundai Hope on Wheels Impact Grant in June. The funds will be used to increase psychosocial services provided by oncology social workers to families facing a pediatric cancer diagnosis. It also will help fund clinical research trials in the hospital. The new pediatric oncology social workers will provide a wide range of support and counseling to children and their families as they cope with cancer diagnosis, treatment and survivorship.
ST. JOSEPH’S CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL CELEBRATES FIRST GRADUATING CLASS OF PEDIATRIC RESIDENTS
St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital celebrated the first graduating class of eight pediatric residents in June with a keynote address featuring Sidd Pagidipati. The pediatrics residency was the second program offered by the institutional-sponsored Graduate Medical Education program at BayCare. We are grateful to the program faculty including Dr. Jennifer Casatelli and Dr. Juan Carlos Abanses for their leadership.
St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital is home to a medical team of more than 200 physicians with close to 100 pediatric specialists representing nearly all major pediatric subspecialties.
ST. JOSEPH’S CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL FIRST IN SOUTHEAST UNITED STATES TO IMPLANT NEW CARDIAC STENT FOR INFANTS
The Patel Children’s Heart Institute at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital was the first in the southeastern United States to implant a new stent specifically created to enlarge narrowed blood vessels in the hearts of newborns and babies. Dr. Jeremy Ringewald performed the Minima stent procedure on 14-month-old Layla Lebovic, who was born with Tetralogy of Fallot, pulmonary atresia and major aorto-pulmonary collaterals. During Layla’s procedure, Dr. Ringewald advanced several sequential Minima stents through a vein in her leg to her right pulmonary artery. The procedure was a success, and Layla was discharged after only one day.
Leadership in Heart Care
St. Joseph’s Hospitals continued to be nationally recognized for its quality of heart care in 2025.
A HEARTFELT RECOVERY
For David Stanbra, heart health became an urgent priority when he was diagnosed with severe blockages requiring surgical intervention. What began as a routine medical evaluation quickly turned into a life-changing journey—one that led him to St. Joseph’s Hospital and the care of Dr. Phillips B. Harrington. On the day of the procedure, David placed his trust in the hands of Dr. Harrington and the expert medical team at St. Joseph’s Hospital, who successfully performed his life-saving triple bypass surgery. “My experience was excellent,” David said. “The care I received was top-notch.”
ST. JOSEPH’S HOSPITAL EARNS TRANSCATHETER VALVE PROGRAM RECERTIFICATION
St. Joseph’s Hospital’s Structural Heart and Valve Program was recertified by the American College of Cardiology (ACC), reflecting its sustained excellence in patient care and ongoing commitment to exceeding national standards. The ACC’s Transcatheter Valve Certification is an external review process that pairs with established national clinical databases to monitor patient safety and real-world outcomes.
St. Joseph’s Hospitals’ Clinical Excellence Awards and Accolades
St. Joseph’s Hospitals continued to rank well nationally among health systems for clinical quality and outcomes, safety and patient experience.
A LEADER IN HEART AND STROKE CARE
In February, St. Joseph’s Hospital was identified as one of the nation’s 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals® according to an independent quality analysis provided by Premier, Inc. The BayCare Heart and Vascular Institute at St. Joseph’s Hospital is the only hospital in Tampa to earn this prestigious honor.
St. Joseph’s Hospitals’ stroke programs received multiple American Heart Association’s Get With the Guidelines Quality Achievement Awards:
• Get With the Guidelines– Stroke Gold Plus with Target (Stroke Honor Roll Elite with Advanced Therapy): St. Joseph’s Hospital
• Get With the Guidelines– Stroke Gold Plus with Target (Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus): St. Joseph’s Hospital-South
• Get With the Guidelines– Stroke Bronze: St. Joseph’s Hospital-North
HEALTHGRADES RECOGNITION FOR CLINICAL OUTCOMES
St. Joseph’s Hospitals received numerous awards for exceptional performance in specific areas of care from Healthgrades, which rates hospitals based on clinical outcomes across 31 conditions and procedures. The analyses are based on 45+ million Medicare medical claims at over 4,500 hospitals nationwide for the most recent three-year period.
ST. JOSEPH’S HOSPITALS:
• Outstanding Patient Experience Award™
• America’s 50 Best Hospitals for Surgical Excellence Award™
• America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Spine Surgery Award™
• Stroke Care Excellence Award™
• Vascular Surgery Excellence Award™
EARNING A’S FOR PATIENT SAFETY
St. Joseph’s Hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital-North and St. Joseph’s HospitalSouth earned “A” grades in the 2025 Leapfrog Safety Grades, all of which earned Leapfrog’s elite “Straight A” designation – an “A” – in at least five consecutive cycles of the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade. Leapfrog is a national nonprofit organization that collects and analyzes data about infections, accidents, injuries and errors at nearly 3,000 general hospitals, and releases the grades publicly each spring and fall.
Top-Rated Maternal Care
Maternal Levels of Care Verification is a voluntary certification through The Joint Commission.
St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital is a Level IV maternal careverified facility, the highest level of certification in maternal care offered by The Joint Commission in collaboration with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).
St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital is also a Level IV neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), providing a maternal/fetal program that offers the security expectant mothers need.
Minden
ADDRESS/PHONE
3001 W. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Tampa, Florida 33607
813-870-4000
For more information: BayCare.org/SJH
St. Joseph’s Hospital
In July, the state of Florida designated St. Joseph’s Hospital as a statutory teaching hospital, in recognition of its investment in graduate medical education. The Agency for Health Care Administration’s designation encompasses all five facilities under the St. Joseph’s name including St. Joseph’s Hospital, St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital and St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital, all located in Tampa; St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz; and St. Joseph’s Hospital-South in Riverview.
The formal recognition comes as BayCare has dramatically increased the size of its graduate medical education (GME) programs. Nearly 300 residents will train across BayCare this coming academic year.
PRESIDENT
Sarah Naumowich
FOUNDED
1990
ADDRESS/PHONE
3001 W. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Tampa, FL 33607 813-554-8500
For more information: BayCare.org/SJCH
St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital
2025 HIGHLIGHT:
In July, St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital was named a Level 1 Children’s Surgery Center by the American College of Surgeons (ACS). This notable designation by the ACS Children’s Surgery Verification Quality Improvement Program is a testament to St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital’s commitment to providing high-quality care for pediatric patients.
“Children have unique needs before, during and after surgery. It’s critical that their care is provided by doctors, nurses and other supportive clinicians who exclusively specialize in treating pediatric patients,” said Dr. Grant Geissler, BayCare Medical Group pediatric surgeon and medical director of children’s surgery at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital.
PRESIDENT
Sarah Naumowich
FOUNDED 1974
ADDRESS/PHONE
3030 W. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Tampa, Florida 33607 813-879-4730
For more information: BayCare.org/SJWH
St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital
2025 HIGHLIGHT:
In May, the new Ronald McDonald House at St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital opened. The new space is located on the fourth floor, less than 100 steps away from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), and features 11 bedrooms with private bathrooms, a full kitchen and dining area, a study for remote work, a parent’s lounge, a laundry center, a playroom, and a fitness and well-being center. Whether hospitalized for weeks, months or just a few days, the goal is to make patients and families as comfortable as possible during what is often a stressful time.
PRESIDENT
Sara Dodds
FOUNDED
ADDRESS/PHONE
4211 Van Dyke Road
Lutz, FL 33558
813-443-7000
For more information: BayCare.org/SJHN
St. Joseph’s Hospital-North
2025 HIGHLIGHT:
In July, St. Joseph’s Hospital-North opened a $2 million, 5,431-square-foot, eight-bed NICU with innovative NICU couplet care rooms. The NICU has two private couplet care rooms, each measuring 525 square feet, where mothers and babies are cared for together. Normally, mothers and babies are separated when babies need to go to the NICU.
“It’s emotionally challenging to have your baby out of your sight when you know they are sick,” said Dr. Alisa Pierce-Kee, a BayCare Medical Group pediatrician affiliated with St. Joseph’s Hospital-North. “Couplet rooms are so important, to allow the parents respite, and to allow the mother to heal, while seeing with her own eyes that her newborn is getting the best care possible.”
PRESIDENT
Patrick Downes
FOUNDED
2015
ADDRESS/PHONE
6901 Simmons Loop Riverview, FL 33578 813-302-8000
For more information: BayCare.org/SJHS
St. Joseph’s Hospital-South
2025 HIGHLIGHT:
St. Joseph’s Hospital-South celebrated its 10th anniversary in February, marking tremendous growth and expansion to serve the communities of south Hillsborough and northern Manatee counties. St. Joseph’s HospitalSouth opened as a 90-bed facility in 2015 and now operates as a 223-bed facility, more than doubling its licensed bed capacity in less than a decade.
St. Joseph’s Hospital-South provides comprehensive inpatient and outpatient medical and surgical services in more than 20 specialties including bariatrics/weight management, breast health, cancer, gastroenterology, heart and vascular, interventional radiology, maternity, orthopedics, surgery and urology. Most recently, the hospital added a 20bed observation unit in January 2025.
Financial Summary
In 2024, St. Joseph’s Hospitals Foundation kicked off the Empower Tomorrows Capital Campaign to raise funds for the new Pagidipati Children’s Hospital at St. Joseph’s. In 2025, St. Joseph’s Hospitals Foundation raised $32.3 million in total public support. During 2025, the Foundation granted $5.3 million to our hospitals to fund patient care programs and services, clinical education, equipment and technology. In comparison, in 2024 the Foundation granted $4.8 million to our hospitals for similar programs, education, equipment and technology.
Fundraising Revenue (In Millions)
Growth in Net Assets (In Millions)
Total $51,735,768
RECOGNIZING THE POWER OF YOUR GIVING
Behind every medical breakthrough, every piece of lifesaving equipment, and every moment of exceptional care is a donor who believed in something greater. Philanthropic giving powers our mission — turning compassion into action and community support into tangible, life-changing results for patients and families across the Tampa Bay region.
A Game-Changing Gift for Tampa’s Youngest Patients
In February, the Steinbrenner family, long-time philanthropists and principal owners of the New York Yankees, donated $5 million to support the new Pagidipati Children’s Hospital at St. Joseph’s.
The Steinbrenner family’s donation provides funds to expand the preexisting Steinbrenner Children’s Emergency and Trauma Center and enhance the services of the hospital’s emergency department as part of the new, free-standing, dedicated children’s hospital facility.
“As a family, we are honored to support St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital and its mission to provide world-class pediatric care,” said Jennifer Steinbrenner Swindal. “Being able to positively impact the prospects of those facing adversity was a point of pride for my father, and naturally he gravitated toward charitable efforts that benefitted the welfare of children.”
This transformative gift reaffirms the family’s ongoing commitment to pediatric health care and expands their multigenerational support of the hospital’s emergency and trauma services.
A Sanctuary for Healing: A Gift of Hope and Faith
In a deeply meaningful contribution to the future of pediatric health care in Tampa Bay, the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany committed a generous $1 million gift to St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital Foundation in May to support the creation of a dedicated chapel at the future Pagidipati Children’s Hospital at St. Joseph’s.
The chapel will offer a peaceful and sacred sanctuary where patients, families, and staff can reflect, pray, and find solace during times of hardship and healing. While the current children’s hospital shares a chapel with the adult campus, this generous gift ensures that the new facility will include a spiritual haven thoughtfully designed for children and their families—one that meets the unique emotional and spiritual needs of those navigating pediatric care.
“The new chapel in the children’s hospital will be a sacred place,” said Sister Pat Shirley of the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany. “A place where parents and children can gather before their God and ask for healing. A place where they can pray in thanksgiving for the healing work that has happened. A place of quiet in times of turmoil and fear. And a place where joy and relief can be shared in the presence of their God.”
Founded in 1859, the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany began as a teaching congregation and quickly grew to include health care, pastoral work, homes for the vulnerable, and other vital services in Jamaica, West Indies, Bolivia, Brazil, Mozambique and the United States—always rooted in the Franciscan values of respect, hospitality, and compassion for all, regardless of faith.
Future Healing Garden to Bring Hope and Comfort to Young Patients
In May, Vik and Sneha Patel made a generous $3 million gift to name the future Healing Garden at the Pagidipati Children’s Hospital at St. Joseph’s. Planned as a serene space for recreation and rest, the garden will serve children of all ages and their families who come to the hospital for care or to visit a loved one.
With strong values about giving back, to Vik and Sneha, people are the driving force in their business and motivate and inspire them to contribute to the community that has contributed to their success. Vik credits his philosophy of giving to his grandmother.
“As parents of two young girls, it is a comfort to know that this wonderful hospital is right here in our community and can take care of anything from a broken bone to an unexpected emergency,” said Vik and Sneha. “We are so impressed by the caliber of the clinical team, the kindness they show to everyone and the vision for the future. It is an honor to play a role in this lifesaving project.”
Vik and Sneha also chaired the 2024 Heroes Ball, which brought together nearly 800 members of the Tampa Bay community to raise $1.5 million in support of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital.
House Opens at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital
In May, St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital held a ribbon cutting for the opening of the new on-site Ronald McDonald House. St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital is Tampa Bay’s largest provider of children’s health services, and the on-campus Ronald McDonald House expands the resources and support available to families of hospitalized children when they need it the most.
The new 10,100-square-foot house is conveniently located on the fourth floor of St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital, less than 100 steps away from the neonatal intensive care unit. The new house features 11 bedrooms with private bathrooms, a full kitchen and dining area, a study for remote work, a parent’s lounge, a laundry center, a playroom, and a fitness and well-being center.
“We are honored to partner with Ronald McDonald House Charities in opening the first-ever house on our campus,” said Sarah Naumowich, president of St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital and St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital. “Caring for our community is part of our DNA, and this milestone opening is an extension of our mission to improve the health of all we serve.”
St. Joseph’s Hospitals Foundation was proud to support the new Ronald McDonald House with a $750,000 contribution to the project.
St. Joseph’s Hospitals Auxiliary Extends Legacy of Generosity
For almost seven decades, the St. Joseph’s Hospitals Auxiliary has served as a beacon of care and support for the St. Joseph’s Hospitals community. The Auxiliary’s work on behalf of the hospitals first began in October 1957 on the site of the original St. Joseph’s facility. A year later, the Auxiliary opened the first gift shop, now a centerpiece of the group’s fundraising efforts.
Reflecting their years of faithful service, St. Joseph’s Hospitals Foundation announced in December that the Auxiliary has donated $1 million to support the construction of the Pagidipati Children’s Hospital at St. Joseph’s.
The Auxiliary Board of Directors was deeply impressed by the plans for the new freestanding facility and knew that supporting the future of healthcare for Tampa Bay’s children was a priority.
“The new facility will help St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital expand the range of services offered and aid in recruiting top physicians. The gift has motivated our volunteers and allows them to see the impact of their work,” said Tony Abbott, Treasurer of the Auxiliary.
New Ronald McDonald
St. Joseph’s Hospital Continues Progress Toward Opening New Proton Therapy Center
In October, the key piece of equipment needed to launch the BayCare Cancer Institute’s new proton therapy center arrived in Tampa and was lowered into place at St. Joseph’s Hospital. The arrival of the proton
accelerator is a milestone in BayCare’s push to bring the most advanced cancer-fighting treatment to West Central Florida. The new center, located within the Fred J. Woods Radiation Therapy Center, represents a significant investment in advanced cancer care. We are thrilled to be part of this groundbreaking initiative that will enhance cancer treatment services across BayCare’s network, with the first patients anticipated to be treated in mid-2026.
Philanthropic Women of St. Joseph’s Support “Women of All Ages”
“Women of All Ages” was selected as the recipient of the 2025 Philanthropic Women of St. Joseph’s grant. With a record-breaking $492,000 awarded, this impactful package included vital equipment such as a state-ofthe-art Birthing Simulator, the DEXA system and the Shimberg Breast Center at St. Joseph’s Hospital-South expansion. Each project will enhance care for women and families across St. Joseph’s Hospitals.
Thank you to our dedicated Philanthropic Women of St. Joseph’s members and generous donors for making this incredible project possible.
HUMANITY AT WORK
Team Member Giving
Our St. Joseph’s Hospitals team members make a difference in the lives of their patients, coworkers and community every single day. Through the Team Member Giving campaign, our team members are making an impact on each other’s lives by providing patient care programs and services, education, technology, and equipment. Team members can give to the campaign through online donations, continuous payroll deductions, one-time gift payroll deductions, or by donating Paid Time Off (PTO).
In 2025, over $410,000 was raised by team members to help fund Humanity Grants, educational scholarships and the Team Member Emergency Fund. More than $413,000 was granted back to team members through these programs.
Humanity Grants
Team Member Emergency Fund
The Team Member Emergency Fund was created to assist with expenses such as rent, utilities and groceries at a time of financial hardship due to illness, accidents and other unexpected events.
When a personal crisis or tragedy impacts a team member, such as a house fire or serious illness, the Team Member Emergency Fund helps by providing financial support. On average, $60,000 a year is distributed to team members in need.
$71,904
Total Disbursed in 2025
34 Humanity Grants Awarded in 2025 $254,016 Humanity Grant Funds Awarded in 2025
Through the Humanity Grants program, St. Joseph’s Hospitals Foundation invests in projects and ideas generated by team members that will bring care and comfort to patients and their families.
The Humanity Grants program is funded by donations made to St. Joseph’s Hospitals Foundation through the Team Member Giving campaign and philanthropic gifts made by patients and community members.
From funding the purchase of the Neufit Device that helps enhance recovery of bone, muscle and other tissue to help our outpatient rehabilitation patients heal faster to Project Superhero that provides capes to our pediatric patients to ease their mind and give them confidence as they go into surgery, Humanity Grants bring to life the ideas team members feel would enhance the compassionate care provided to our patients.
Educational Scholarships
Educational scholarships are awarded through St. Joseph’s Hospitals Foundation to help team members pursue their professional education through advanced degrees or attending conferences. Team members may also apply for clinical discipline scholarships or to attend professional conferences to advance their clinical knowledge.
24 Educational Scholarships Awarded in 2025 13 Conference Scholarships Awarded in 2025 $87,555 Scholarship Funds Awarded in 2025
SPECIAL PROJECTS
Creative & Expressive Arts Therapy
This program consists of a team of therapists who use art, music, yoga, massage and gaming to meet the physical, mental, emotional, social, and medical needs of kids in the hospital. The therapists can meet with the patient, a group or a family, and these therapies help kids and families heal, deal with pain, and gain coping skills.
This team is a complementary team to our Child Life team, who support the emotional and psychological well-being of children and families at our hospitals. In 2025, the Foundation provided $12,500 to art therapy, $27,000 to massage therapy, $6,500 to music therapy, $13,000 to yoga and $45,000 to gaming therapy. These therapies are possible at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital because of the generosity of our donors.
Da Vinci Surgical Robot
In 2025, the Foundation contributed $200,000 toward St. Joseph’s Hospital-South’s third Da Vinci surgical robot. The addition of the third robot will enable surgeons to use this critical surgical tool on a 24/7 basis.
St. Joseph’s Hospital-South performs the most robotic surgeries out of the five St. Joseph’s Hospitals. In 2025, St. Joseph’s Hospital-South set a new hospital record for number of robotic surgeries in a year by performing 1,180 procedures.
St. Joseph’s Hospital Epilepsy Program
The Foundation funded $800,000 in 2025 to provide the final remaining equipment needed for St. Joseph’s Hospital to become an adult and pediatric Epilepsy Center. This included a robotic system called Brainlab for the neurosurgeons, who were highly engaged in selecting the tool and six epilepsy monitoring units to determine treatment planning for patients.
A LOOK BACK AT 2025
Our Annual Signature Events
Heroes Ball
Over 800 guests attended the 2025 Heroes Ball, supporting St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital and the Nurse Navigator program. Thanks to the incredible generosity of our supporters, including Presenting Sponsor Robins & Morton, the 2025 Heroes Ball raised a record-breaking $2.6 million. A special thanks to our event co-chairs, Sam and Casey Ellison, whose leadership and dedication led the way. At the event, we were proud to honor our 2025 Community Heroes, Ronald and Joyce Wanek, for their unwavering dedication to children’s health care, education and community support.
Hooked on Health Care Fishing Tournament
Our annual Hooked on Health Care Fishing Tournament was a huge success! Together, we raised more than $185,000, benefiting St. Joseph’s Hospital. A special thank you to our Presenting Sponsor Dorado Communications and all of our other generous sponsors. Thank you to Chris Bailey for his leadership on the Fishing Tournament committee.
Christmas in July Donation Drive
This year’s Christmas in July was a festive, merry celebration for the kids of St. Joseph’s Hospitals. Because of the incredible generosity of our community, we raised over $416,000 in monetary and toy donations, setting a new record. Notably, AmeriLife donated over 7,400 toys, and KAM Roofing matched donations as our “Up on the Rooftop” Sponsor. These contributions directly support the Child Life teams at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital and St. Joseph’s Hospital-South, helping bring comfort and joy to pediatric patients year-round.
St. Joseph’s Golf Classic
Our annual St. Joseph’s Golf Classic was simply un-fore-gettable! Clear skies and low humidity made for a great day on the greens at Old Memorial Golf Club. Thanks to the generous support of our Presenting Sponsor, Robins & Morton, and all of our sponsors, we raised over $245,000 to benefit St. Joseph’s Hospital. We are grateful to Bill Lutes and the golf committee for their outstanding leadership in making this event a standout success.
Holiday Fashion Show
Nearly 900 of Tampa Bay’s most stylish and generous supporters came together at the JW Marriott Tampa Water Street for the 2025 Holiday Fashion Show benefiting St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital. Thanks to the leadership of Chairs Morgan Molinari and Stacey Crum—and support from Presenting Sponsors Sims Crane & Equipment and Sims Heavy Duty Moving Solutions—this record-breaking event raised over $580,000. These funds will provide lifesaving resources for St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital High-Risk Maternity Unit, where mothers facing complex health challenges receive the specialized care they deserve. Thanks to your support, our team will be equipped with state-ofthe-art imaging technology that delivers the most precise and detailed images to improve outcomes for both moms and babies.
JOIN OUR MISSION
Our community can contribute to St. Joseph’s Hospitals in numerous ways: through donations, event participation, launching fundraisers, volunteering, and more. These generous gifts help maintain the exceptional, personalized care that defines St. Joseph’s Hospitals, care that is deeply meaningful to the patients we serve.
One-time Donations or Monthly Gifts
Supporters can contribute to St. Joseph’s Hospitals through one-time donations by credit card, check, or cash, or arrange recurring monthly gifts.
Tribute Gifts
A tribute gift is a meaningful way to preserve the memory of a loved one, celebrate a special occasion, or thank an outstanding caregiver.
HONOR THE MEMORY OF A LOVED ONE:
When we lose a loved one, friend, or colleague, we often seek meaningful ways to preserve their legacy. Supporting St. Joseph’s Hospitals provides a fitting opportunity to honor those who have passed. Memorial gifts create an enduring tribute while giving family and friends the comfort of knowing their contribution will benefit the St. Joseph’s Hospitals community.
CELEBRATE A SPECIAL MOMENT OR INDIVIDUAL:
Whether you are celebrating the birth of a baby, a special anniversary, or commemorating the successful recovery of a patient, making a gift to St. Joseph’s Hospitals is a gratifying way to give back.
DEDICATE A GIFT TO A CAREGIVER:
Expressing gratitude can sometimes go beyond words, especially for those who cared for you at St. Joseph’s Hospitals or helped you through difficult moments. A gift made in honor of a physician, nurse, team member, or volunteer is a meaningful way to sustain our mission.
Planned Gifts
Planned gifts provide an innovative opportunity to support St. Joseph’s Hospitals Foundation while benefiting both you and your loved ones. Through thoughtful planning, these strategic gifts create a mutually beneficial arrangement for donors and the Foundation alike. You can contribute to St. Joseph’s Hospitals Foundation without affecting your current lifestyle or daily finances.
SISTER MARIE CELESTE SOCIETY
Named in admiration, gratitude and honor of the vision and determination of St. Joseph’s former Chief Executive, and in tribute to our founders, the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany, the Sister Marie Celeste Society is a fellowship of benefactors who have named St. Joseph’s Hospitals Foundation as a beneficiary of a planned gift. Such gifts might include a bequest, appreciated securities, gifts of retirement accounts, gifts of life insurance and/or charitable income gifts, such as charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder unitrusts, charitable remainder annuity trusts.
In addition to making a lasting contribution to our long-term success, benefits of membership in the Sister Marie Celeste Society include invitations to special events, opportunities to learn more about the hospitals and a subscription to our newsletter.
DONATE CRYPTOCURRENCY
Donating cryptocurrency is a non-taxable event, meaning you do not owe capital gains tax on the appreciated amount and can deduct it on your taxes. This makes Bitcoin, Ethereum and other cryptocurrency donations one of the most tax efficient ways to support the Foundation.
Peer-to-Peer Fundraisers
Whether someone wants to dedicate a milestone birthday or anniversary, train with a purpose for a race, or pay tribute to a loved one, we’re grateful for the support of our community. By starting a fundraiser, supporters can use their creativity and passion to raise funds that can be directed to a specific area of need or to wherever the need is greatest. The Foundation can provide an easy-to-use personal fundraising page so they can share their story, collect and track donations, and build their own fundraising team.
Philanthropic Women of St. Joseph’s
With the mission to change and save lives in the Tampa Bay community, the Philanthropic Women of St. Joseph’s is a leadership network of community-minded women who invest annual membership gifts to support the health of women, children, and families at St. Joseph’s Hospitals.