UnityPoint Health Trinity

Healthcare Heroes: Partnering to Support Vulnerable Communities

One’s a health system, the other manufactures agricultural, construction and forestry equipment. What connects UnityPoint Health – Trinity and John Deere is their shared mission to support local families disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.

With hospitals in Rock Island and Moline, UnityPoint Health – Trinity discovered an alarming trend as the pandemic unfolded: African American and Latino residents represent 43% of the region’s positive COVID-19 cases, yet just 10% of the Quad Cities’ population (Rock Island, Moline and two Iowa cities: Davenport and Bettendorf). The system’s healthcare heroes had an idea to help families affected: COVID-19 care packages.

Thanks to a grant from Moline-based John Deere, UnityPoint Health – Trinity’s Foundation, Trinity Health Foundation, distributed 500 care packages in June to Illinois families. Each care package contains household supplies to maintain a clean and healthy environment, including toilet paper, paper towels, disinfectant spray and hand sanitizer—plus informational material on infection control.

The packages are part of UnityPoint Health – Trinity’s plan to stay “on the prevention side of promoting health and wellness,” explained Daniel Joiner, diversity and community impact officer at UnityPoint Health – Trinity. The system has received several requests for the packages, he said.

“It’s important to UnityPoint Health to go beyond our facilities to connect with members of our community where they are," Joiner added. “We look forward to getting these resources to those in need and continue to evaluate the impact that COVID-19 has had in our community.”