Spectrum Health Employees Receive the Gift of Art

Hospital foundation donors team up with Artworks for class vouchers.

BIG RAPIDS, Mich., Feb. 22, 2021 – Spectrum Health Foundation Big Rapids and Reed City Hospitals has joined forces with Artworks to provide Spectrum Health employees with the gift of art.

“This is a thank you for the care and service hospital employees have given our communities the past year,” said foundation board member Jane Torry. “We think spending creative time at Artworks will bring relaxation and joy to hospital staff—a treat they certainly deserve.”

Big Rapids and Reed City Hospital staff members will be able to utilize a $40 voucher at Artworks in 2021 for classes in painting, pottery glazing, stained glass, photography and more.

“What a lovely gesture by our local hospital foundation,” commented Andrea Leslie, president of Spectrum Health Big Rapids, Reed City, United and Kelsey hospitals. “This gift recognizes the incredible effort our staff members have made during the pandemic. I’m touched by the generosity of our foundation donors.”

Up to $20,000 was approved to fund the program.

Matt Hildebrand, executive director of Artworks, said the partnership with Spectrum Health is exciting for the Artworks staff and class instructors.

“We know the arts provide therapeutic benefits for participants, so it’s nice that our health care workers will gain that benefit themselves by participating in the classes,” he said. “We’re excited to see new faces at the sessions starting in March.”

Spectrum Health Big Rapids and Reed City Hospital employees can sign up by following instructions in the hospital’s Colleague Connection Link newsletter.

Other employers interested in offering discounted Artworks vouchers for their employees can contact Heidi Lloyd at 231.796.2420 or complete an inquiry form at https://www.artworksinbigrapids.org/private-art-parties to arrange a group session. There is a six-person minimum for private sessions, with no more than 10 due to current COVID-19 restrictions.

Spectrum Health System, a not-for-profit, integrated health system, is committed to improving the health and wellness of our communities. We live our mission every day with 31,000 compassionate professionals, 4,600 medical staff experts, 3,300 committed volunteers and a health plan serving 1 million members. Our talented physicians and caregivers are privileged to offer a full continuum of care and wellness services to our communities through 14 hospitals, including Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, 150 ambulatory sites and telehealth offerings. We pursue health care solutions for today and tomorrow that diversify our offerings. Locally-governed and based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, our health system provided $550 million in community benefit in calendar year 2019. Thanks to the generosity of our communities, we also received $37 million in philanthropy during calendar year 2019 to support research, academics, innovation and clinical care. Spectrum Health has been recognized as one of the nation’s 15 Top Health Systems by Truven Health Analytics®, part of IBM Watson Health^TM.

Contact:
John Norton
Corporate Communications Manager
Office: 231.592.4387
Mobile: 231.580.1079
Email: john.norton@corewellhealth.org