St. John’s Episcopal Hospital in Far Rockaway announced Tuesday, March 15, that Congressman Gregory Meeks has secured $4 million in federal funding to support crucial services at the only hospital on the Rockaway peninsula.
Meeks advocated for the funds in the omnibus appropriations bill that was passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate and is awaiting President Joe Biden to sign it into law.
“I am proud to have secured funding that will make our community healthier, safer, stronger and even more resilient,” Meeks said. “The $4 million in funds for St. John’s Episcopal Hospital that will be used toward the renovation of the behavioral health, women and maternity/NICU and labor and delivery units is extremely critical to support our only health center serving the Rockaways.”
Renee Hastick-Motes, the vice president of external affairs and president of the St. John’s ICARE Foundation, said she is extremely grateful for the funding that will support the behavioral health and women/newborn equity renovation projects.
“The renovations are essential to ensuring adequate care is provided to our patients in an esthetically conducive environment,” she said.
Now celebrating its 110th year of community care, the 257-bed medical facility provides comprehensive preventive, diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitative services, regardless of the ability to pay.
“On behalf of St. John’s Episcopal Hospital, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to Congressman Gregory Meeks for his continued support, and advocacy for funding from the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services that will go towards our Women and Newborns Health Equity Renovation project, and our Behavioral Health Equity Renovation project,” St. John’s Episcopal Hospital CEO Jerry Walsh said. “As the only hospital located on the Rockaway, Queens, peninsula, these two projects will significantly help us achieve our mission of improving access to quality healthcare to the more than 130,000 community members we serve.”
