Eugene A. Woods: Advancing our commitment to disrupt the root causes of health inequities

Eugene A. Woods, Chief Executive Officer at Advocate Health, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“Later this month, Advocate Health and our foundation supporters will come together for GATHER – a night dedicated to advancing our commitment to disrupt the root causes of health inequities. During this event, we’ll have the privilege of hearing from Chef José Andrés, whose incredible work with World Central Kitchen addresses food and hunger issues worldwide, including delivering relief in the wake of natural disasters and humanitarian crises. At Advocate Health, we share this same commitment to food security, which is critical to the health and well-being of our communities.

Chef José and his team are once again demonstrating the power of action, providing thousands of gallons of fresh water and meals to the individuals and families hardest hit by Hurricane Helene.

I was especially touched by a recent story from one our teammates, vice president of social impact, Donald Jonas. Don’s 15-year-old nephew, Gabriel, was navigating downed trees and power lines in the storm-ravaged mountains near Asheville, searching for a missing friend who no one had heard from in days. Improbably, Gabriel ran into the famous Chef José, who was personally assisting with recovery efforts right there in his neighborhood.

Gabriel, who loves cooking, was inspired by meeting the chef – and I am inspired by this story of connection, resilience and compassion. And I was so relieved to hear Gabriel located his friend.

Thank you, Gabriel, Chef José, World Central Kitchen, our own Advocate Health teammates and all who are providing humanitarian aid, ensuring those who need it most have the critical resources to heal and rebuild.”