Cypress Cove Residents Donate to Employee Cause

(Fort Myers, FL – May 4, 2020) – Residents of Cypress Cove, known for their generosity and support to many Southwest Florida causes, gave employees of their HealthPark Florida Life Plan community a reason to smile this week – raising about $140,000 for the Employee Disaster Fund.

Residents began adding to the emergency fund just four weeks ago when reports of employee economic hardships – a result of the on-going COVID-19 crisis – began to surface. Causes for employee financial difficulties have been many, but mostly because of diverse family crises or that those with children were having added issues because of school and daycare closings.

As the crisis began to impact our economy, Cypress Cove management knew that staff would be directly affected. Sure enough, their families were hit with unemployment, closed schools and daycare centers, food insecurity, and mounting bills. It became a perfect fiscal storm of stress for employees.

Fortunately, daycare and childcare issues were quickly resolved for most employees when Cypress Cove contracted with the nearby Heights Center and Glad Kids to care for employee children from 6 weeks to 14 years of age.
Germinating at the same moment was the employee emergency fund program which had been created last year by the resident-led Community Advancement Committee. Perhaps the word “bloom” might better describe what has transpired in the past five weeks. Nearly 200 residents and staff dug deep into their pockets and helped expand the emergency fund for employees from $5,000 to $145,000 through a campaign dubbed as the “S.O.S.” – Support Our Staff.

Residents of Cypress Cove say it is just the family of this HealthPark Florida community caring for their family members. But Cypress Cove Executive Director Tim Ficker sees it differently. “It’s a community that seems to continually rise to the occasion in caring and philanthropic ways. We are truly amazed and impressed by the response. It is obvious that they (residents) really care about the well-being of our staff.”
Because the residents were so generous, over 300 staff members in need received thank you gifts in the form of tax-free grants.

Ficker commended the resident committee’s efforts. “They had the vision last year to create the fund, never imagining at the time what an important role it would play in what may be the most significant worldwide disaster in most of our lifetimes.”

The gifts, explains Ficker, communicate the sentiments from residents and family members to employees that they are valued and essential.

About Cypress Cove

Cypress Cove—a not-for-profit organization, opened in 1999—is a well-established, highly-respected, Life Plan Community (formerly known as a continuing care retirement community) with regional and national recognition. Located on a beautiful 48-acre campus at HealthPark Florida in South Fort Myers, Cypress Cove is home to more than 600 residents and offers a full complement (529) of quality living options (independent living, home health, assisted living, skilled nursing, memory care assisted living and rehabilitative care).

For More Information:
Ed Stransenback, Public Relations Coordinator
Email: EStransenback@cchpf.net
Phone (239) 415-1838
Fax: (239) 415-1840