St. Bernard Hospital hosted a successful fundraising gala titled A Work of Heart recently at the Marriott Marquis Chicago, 2121 South Prairie Avenue, Corporate sponsors, benefactors, supporters, friends, and staff came together to honor several community servants, share the hospital’s achievements and to raise funds.
Irika Sargent, co-anchor of CBS 2 Evening News served as the mistress of ceremonies for the 3rd Annual Gala. Sargent joined CBS 2 Chicago in 2015 and volunteers her time for several community organizations.
“The Work of Heart Gala was a great fundraising event for St. Bernard Hospital,” stated Sargent. “St. Bernard has been a long-standing partner in the Englewood community and the 3rd Annual Gala made it possible for the hospital to honor two community servants while shining a light on some of its accomplishments.”
One of the evening’s highlights was the presentation of the State Representative Esther Golar Heart of the Community Award to Sisters Joanne Delehanty, O.P., and Mary Pokorny, O.P., both of St. Benedict the African Church in Englewood. For over 30 years, the sisters have lived and worked in the Englewood community. They chose to assist families and children as they taught elementary school, grounded many young lives in Catholic Christian faith and values, providing a foundation for success and happiness while always teaching the importance of faith in action by serving others. Sisters Joanne and Mary were included in the challenging initiative to merge five parishes located in East Englewood into St. Benedict the African that was built at 66th and Stewart. Helping to found a parish, assisting in building a new beautiful church, opening a school, and creating new parish education and social service ministries were some of the challenges they passionately worked hard to bring to the new faith community. They have loved God, their work, and most of all the people they have been blessed to serve at the Church, at St. Bernard Hospital, and in the Englewood community.
St. Bernard also paid tribute to Gregory Whitehead, chairman of the hospital’s Board of Trustees for 20 years, for his leadership and commitment to the hospital’s goal of providing quality medical care to Englewood residents with dignity and respect. Whitehead has been instrumental in the growth of St. Bernard. He has stepped down from his chairmanship but will continue his committed service to St. Bernard Hospital.
Located in the heart of Chicago’s Englewood community, St. Bernard is the last remaining hospital of four that once served Englewood and its surrounding communities. For over 114 years, St. Bernard has provided high-quality health care for its patients. As a safety-net community hospital, St. Bernard serves more than 81,000 people annually with nearly 80 percent being Medicaid recipients. Each year, the hospital provides millions in charity care. As the largest employer in the Englewood community, St. Bernard employs nearly 900 people, many of whom are Englewood residents.
In 2016, St. Bernard opened a new, state-of-the-art Ambulatory Care Center (ACC) adjacent to the hospital. This three-story, $33 million, 70,000 square-foot health facility provides a variety of outpatient services that promote wellness and prevention to a large segment of the
