Community Building Activities

In Fiscal Year 2011, the Community Building activities that Bridgeport Hospital provided totaled $234,900 dollars. Highlights of these activities are included below.

Physical Improvements and Housing - Hospital leadership continued to participate on two City of Bridgeport Neighborhood Revitalization Zone strategic planning committees serving the East End and East Side of Bridgeport. These committees were formed as part of an ongoing citywide urban renewal effort and have resulted in comprehensive plans for community enhancement for the neighborhoods.

As part of National Nurses Week, nurses from Bridgeport Hospital participated in a clean-up project at Seaside Park in Bridgeport. Approximately 20 staff members and their families participated in the event, which was held in May 2011 in collaboration with the City’s Parks and Recreation Department. Over 10 bags of loose garbage plus larger items were collected at the site. The 375 acre park, which was registered on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982, was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted.

Economic Development – Bridgeport Hospital is one of the largest employers in the City of Bridgeport. In Fiscal Year 2011, the Hospital employed 2,538 people. Members of the Hospital’s leadership and management staff also support economic development by serving on the boards of the Bridgeport Regional Business Council, Bridgeport Chamber of Commerce and participating in the Rotary Clubs in both Bridgeport and Trumbull. Through these organizations, Bridgeport Hospital advocates for and facilitates increased economic development for the area.

Community Support - Bridgeport Hospital is one of the largest employers in the City of Bridgeport and therefore has taken a leadership role in improving the health in the community it serves. There is considerable research linking the impact of socioeconomic conditions to one’s health. Social determinants of health include housing, education, employment/employability and neighborhood conditions.

The Hospital developed a unique program called the Bridgeport Hospital Adopt-a-Block Community Partnership, which is part of an effort launched over four years ago to implement measurable and sustainable quality-of-life enhancements in the neighborhoods directly surrounding the Hospital. Over 900 neighborhood residents receive invitations to attend the Hospital-sponsored meetings. The residents identified issues or concerns they had related to their neighborhood, and the Hospital worked with its network of local government and community organizations to address these issues such as increasing the police presence in neighborhoods identified by city residents, improving trash hauling and reducing blight. Over the past year, 90 community members attended meetings facilitated by the hospital. One meeting focused on safety included the chief of police, two other officers and a member of the K-9 unit as guest speakers. Another focused on providing information related to elder law to residents covering the areas of durable powers of attorney, trusts and estates, tax groups, and Medicaid eligibility requirements.

A school supply drive was held at the Hospital for students at the Hall Elementary School. Hospital employees contributed notebooks, binders, backpacks, rulers, packages of paper, crayons and pencils and other items to help assist the 350 students to begin their school year. The Pastoral Care Department sponsors an annual holiday toy drive for children residing in the East End neighborhood of Bridgeport. More than 200 toys, games and books were donated by Hospital employees during the drive.

Environment Improvements – Bridgeport Hospital transferred ownership of the region’s first and only lead-safe house to the Bridgeport Neighborhood Trust (BNT) in late summer 2011. Operated since 1995, the lead-safe house serves as a temporary residence for children undergoing treatment for lead poisoning and their families. BNT will continue to maintain temporary quarters for families affected by lead contamination and make use of other apartments in the house to meet the city’s general affordable housing needs. The house, which was sold to BNT for $1 was valued at $134,438.