Bank of America Invests a Quarter-Million in Mercy Hospital Southwest Expansion Project
BAKERSFIELD, CA - December 13, 2019 -
The Friends of Mercy Foundation announced a generous gift of $250,000 from Bank of America. This grant represents the largest grant ever awarded by Bank of America in the region.
“We could not be more humbled and grateful to Bank of America and its local leadership for their generous donation in support of our new Mercy Tower expansion,” stated Bruce Peters, president/CEO of Mercy Hospitals Bakersfield. “To receive their largest gift ever in our county is an amazing indication of the support they have for the health and welfare of our community. We are thankful for their generous support of the Mercy Tower project which will provide for many patients and their families for years to come.”
The area around Mercy Hospital Southwest is projected to grow by 7% in the next 5 years. “The region has experienced tremendous and exciting growth over the decades, but with that comes the need to expand critical services like hospitals and health resources to meet greater demands. That is why Bank of America looks to make strategic investments that enables long-term sustainable growth, especially for major institutions like Dignity Health and its transformative Tower building expansion,” said Karen Zuber, Senior Vice President, Bank of America in Bakersfield.
“With this quarter-million dollar investment, the bank’s largest philanthropic award to a Kern county organization to date, we can help spark the additional investments needed to get the capital campaign over the finish line and bring more jobs and highly skilled medical professionals - as well as much needed health services – to our community,” Zuber adds.
Bank of America’s significant investment to the Friends of Mercy Foundation will help improve the health and wellbeing of our community for generations to come. The Tower Expansion Project at Mercy Hospital Southwest will include:
- 106 Private Patient Rooms
- A New 24 Room Intensive Care Unit
- 18 Private Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Rooms
- State-of-the-Art Cardiac Catheterization Suites
- Expanded Neurosurgery Capabilities
- 6 additional Operating Rooms
- Specialized Oncology and Orthopedic Units
- Expanded Emergency Department
- Additional Parking and Campus Redesign
Along with remodeled admitting, imaging, and public areas, the hospital plans to hire additional physicians, specialists, nurses, and other clinical and non-clinical staff, creating hundreds of new jobs to the area.
For additional information or questions, please contact Jessica Neeley, Communications Specialist, at (661) 327-4647 ext. 4400 or [email protected].
About Mercy Hospital Bakersfield
Founded by the Sisters of Mercy, Mercy Hospitals have a history of caring for our community that goes back more than 100 years. We provide a broad range of medical and surgical services including minimally invasive and outpatient options. Our family of services includes the area's only inpatient oncology unit, the Orthopedic, Spine, and Hand Center, Family Birth Center, the Lactation Support Center and retail store, and many others. Mercy Hospital Downtown is a 194-bed facility located in downtown Bakersfield. Mercy Hospital Southwest is a 78-bed facility and the only hospital located in the rapidly growing area west of Highway 99. Mercy Hospital is a member of Dignity Health and is a trusted community partner, serving residents of Bakersfield and Kern County with quality, compassionate care since 1910.
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Publish date:
Friday, December 13, 2019