FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COVID-19 Response Advances #GivingTuesdayNow in Global Day of Giving and Saving Lives

Tampa, FL – April 23, 2020 – ForHearts Worldwide is calling upon the community of Tampa Bay to respond to meet the needs of a life-saving mission coping with canceled fundraisers and the added dangers of COVID-19.  The Tampa-based charity, which supplies pacemaker devices and cardiac care to the needy people of the world, needs your help and support now, more than ever, and is looking to the community for donations and support to keep the mission alive.

#GivingTuesdayNow is a new global day of giving and unity that will take place on May 5, 2020 – in addition to the regularly scheduled Dec 1, 2020, #GivingTuesday – as an emergency response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19. The day is designed to drive an influx of generosity, citizen engagement, business and philanthropy activation, and support for communities and nonprofits around the world. 

“Currently, our doors are open and we are continuing to implant devices,” says Laura DeLise, Executive Vice President at ForHearts Worldwide. 

“And we hope to keep it that way. Your donation will help us keep saving lives at a time where our volunteer doctors are working on two fronts – implanting pacemakers while simultaneously fighting the threat of COVID-19.”

#GivingTuesdayNow will emphasize opportunities to give back to communities and causes in safe ways that allow for social connection even while practicing physical distancing. The charity’s key spring and summer fundraisers have been postponed, and the organization needs to compensate for the lack of income during this time. 

COVID-19 is a particular threat to patients with existing cardiovascular health issues, another looming danger for people in countries desperately waiting for a pacemaker to save their broken hearts.

At a time when we are all experiencing the pandemic, generosity is what brings people of all races, faiths, and political views together across the globe. Generosity gives everyone power to make a positive change in the lives of others and is a fundamental value anyone can act on. It’s a day for everyone around the world to stand together and give back in all ways, no matter who or where we are. 

To make a donation, visit: 

https://forhearts.org/give-with-twice-your-heart/

About ForHearts Worldwide

Founded in 1984, ForHearts Worldwide has saved more than 16,000 lives globally by providing cardiac implantable devices and critical follow-up care for the needy people of the world. Led by Dr. Benedict S. Maniscalco, a Tampa cardiologist, ForHearts relies on a growing network of volunteer physicians, corporate partners, and donors – people like you – to save the lives of people who cannot afford this critical care. 

For more information, visit www.heartbeatsaveslives.org 

About GivingTuesday

GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world. GivingTuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Over the past eight years, it has grown into a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.

Whether it’s making someone smile, helping a neighbor or stranger out, showing up for an issue or people we care about, or giving some of what we have to those who need our help, every act of generosity counts and everyone has something to give. GivingTuesday strives to build a world in which the catalytic power of generosity is at the heart of the society we build together, unlocking dignity, opportunity and equity around the globe.

#GivingTuesdayNow is organized by GivingTuesday, in partnership with its global network of leaders, partners, communities and generous individuals. GivingTuesday is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world. 

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Media Contact:

Laura DeLise | Executive Vice President

ForHearts Worldwide

[email protected]