HCA Healthcare is proud to announce that the HCA Healthcare Foundation donated $35,000 to West Valley Community Services through its Healthier Tomorrow Fund to reduce food insecurity and expand access to nutritious food for families throughout Santa Clara County. The donation was facilitated by Good Samaritan Hospital and will support food distribution, nutritional access and wrap-around services for individuals and households struggling to put enough food on the table.
“Access to nutritious food is one of the most basic building blocks of health and well-being,” said Patrick Rohan, CEO of Good Samaritan Hospital. “This donation ensures that West Valley Community Services can reach more neighbors experiencing hardship, strengthening food access and dignity for families right here in our community.”
Thousands of Santa Clara County residents struggle to consistently afford food. Recent estimates show that more than 27,400 children live in food-insecure households, and more than 8% of adults report periods when they did not have enough to eat due to limited resources. CalFresh’s enrollment is at its highest level since 2014, reflecting the escalating need for food assistance across the region.
West Valley Community Services will use the funds to expand its food distribution efforts, including mobile pantries and supplemental grocery programs, and to enhance services tailored to the cultural and nutritional needs of diverse community members.
“Reliable access to food changes lives,” said Sujatha Venkatraman, Executive Director of West Valley Community Services. “This generous donation enables us to reach more individuals and families facing food insecurity, which in turn improves health outcomes and builds hope where it’s needed most.”
This year’s contribution was made possible through Good Samaritan Hospital’s winning entry in HCA Healthcare’s Healthier Foods for Healthier Tomorrows food drive sculpture competition. The hospital earned the top national honor with its “We Show Up House,” a life-sized structure built from more than 1,000 canned goods and inspired by the iconic home in the movie “Up.” The colorful display, complete with balloons and a cameo from “Dug,” portrayed by one of the hospital’s pet therapy animals, symbolized the power of showing up for neighbors in need. All canned goods used in the sculpture will be donated to West Valley Community Services to support local food access programs.
“This isn’t just about giving food, it’s about strengthening families and making sure that everyone in our community has the resources they need to thrive,” Rohan added.