CLEVELAND — The COVID-19 pandemic has put the world on hold, but essential workers like health care employees have been forced to press on, risking their lives to save countless others.
The Cleveland Browns are giving them a well-deserved thank you.
The Browns have been vocal in their support of frontline workers and now they’re donating $21,000 as part of their Hats off to our Heroes fundraising campaign, to the University Hospitals Caregiver support fund.
The donation to the UH Caregiver Support Fund, established at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, will help support services and resources aimed at providing comfort, compassion, special recognition, and relief to UH caregivers as they attend to the health and wellness of our communities at this vital time.
The Browns in April launched the “Hats Off to Our Heroes” Fund, focused on aiding health care professionals, first responders, educational professionals and other groups who are pivotal in the community year-round and are valiantly serving as role models in the face of significant adversity due to COVID-19. For a significant period of time, the team committed 100 percent of its net proceeds from 2020 Browns jersey sales to the “Hats Off To Our Heroes” Fund.
“At the beginning of the pandemic. I think that our caregivers had a lot of energy,” said Dr. Robyn Strossaker, COO of UH Cleveland Medical Center. “Like ’this is what we're here for. We're here to serve our community.’ There was a lot of energy about it in March and April, but it's been a long time. And our caregivers are tired. They've been working very hard now for 10 months so this kind of infusion of support from the community just means the world."
During Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Browns will formally recognize the beneficiaries of the “Hats Off to Our Heroes” Fund which also includes Maple Heights School District online education program and Medworks Unconditional Care COVID-19 Relief Fund.
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