Winter Haven Hospital's Annual Fund for our Patients

Winter Haven Hospital’s Annual Fund for our patients provides for the most current and urgent needs of our hospital. Scholarships are one of the programs funded from the donations given to our organization each year from staff, community members, patients, and physicians. Since its inception, the Annual Fund has raised over One Million Dollars.  Some examples of programs and projects supported by the annual fund are listed below.

• Thousands of dollars of education and training has been underwritten by the foundation for the hospital’s new Bostick Heart Center nursing and technical staff.
• State-of-the-art cardiovascular training systems have been purchased for the hospital's newly established Stroke Center.
• Patient Safety and security systems have been installed at the Regency Medical Center.
• Starting this year, East Polk High School students can now fulfill their dreams of becoming future healthcare professionals through our Winter Haven Hospital Auxiliary Scholarship Program.
• NOELLE™, our own interactive robotic patient, has helped to train our staff on how to respond to critical, life threatening patient situations, without endangering a life.

Healthcare Scholarship Assistance Program

The foundation provides our employees with an opportunity to advance their education through several scholarship programs. Scholarships are available for Licensed Career Certification, Bachelor’s Degrees, and Master’s Degrees. 

Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree scholarship opportunities are provided to employees who apply. Specific criteria must be met and all scholarships are awarded based on recommendations from managers and review of applicants by the Foundation scholarship committee. Selected candidates are awarded $4000 per year, up to a maximum of $8,000 to continue their education. 

Licensed career scholarships assist Winter Haven Hospital employees seeking to become RNs.  Employees who attend Polk Community College are eligible to apply for Partnership for Success Scholarships which are funded by a $600,000 investment by the foundation in PCC. Those who attend other programs are eligible to apply for $2,000 scholarships from the Foundation. Candidates are chosen following successful completion of an application, recommendation from their manager, and a review by the scholarship committee.

The Partnership for Success is a joint effort between our hospitals and the Polk Community College (PCC) to recruit new graduate nurses.  The partnership was developed to support students entering the PCC nursing program who will return to work at our hospital after graduation. Students complete an application, and following acceptance, are supported in their education by Foundation funds. The Foundation pays for all tuition, books and related expenses.  Students accepted in this program agree to work at Winter Haven Hospital one year for each year of tuition provided.

William E. Rynerson Memorial Scholarships are available to Winter Haven Hospital employees who have completed the initial nursing course at PCC.  Employees are encouraged to apply and are screened based upon specific criteria.   Scholarships range from $500 to $1,000 and may be used for tuition, books, and related expenses.  Candidates must complete application forms, have good references, and meet all of the Foundation selection committee’s criteria.

Please consider a generous gift to the Annual Fund today. For more information on how you can make a gift to the Winter Haven Hospital Annual Fund for our patients please contact:
Christina Fitzsimons.
E-mail: Christina.Fitzsimons@mfms.com  Phone: (863) 292-4178