April 10, 2024 | Hartford, Conn.—Hartford Hospital’s premier fundraising event, the 32nd annual Black & Red, marked another philanthropic success for Hartford HealthCare by welcoming over 1,100 donors, sponsors, and colleagues to The Bushnell on Saturday, April 6, 2024. The event raised $2.6 million in support of the hospital—the most in Black & Red history—with net proceeds benefitting Hartford Hospital’s Emergency Department.
Bimal Patel, president of Hartford Hospital and senior vice president of Hartford HealthCare, kicked off the festivities by welcoming attendees and recognizing 25 Hartford Hospital Heroes nominated by their peers for embodying the organization’s values of caring, equity, excellence, integrity, and safety.
“The philanthropic support garnered for this year’s event is unprecedented and a testament to the trust and pride our community has in Hartford Hospital,” said Patel. “With more than 120,00 visits to the Hartford Hospital Emergency Department each year, including our level-1 trauma center, our colleagues stand ready 24/7/365 to care for every patient with the highest level of expertise and compassion. This outstanding support will allow us to enhance the resources we need to care for the emergent needs of our community every day.”
Jeffrey A. Flaks, president and CEO of Hartford HealthCare, highlighted successes celebrated by Hartford Hospital and Hartford HealthCare over the last year—which included elite national rankings in hospital safety, cardiac surgery, and kidney transplants, as well as several other distinguished accolades and awards.
“The Black & Red event brings together people from across the state to support and celebrate exceptional healthcare,” Flaks said. “We are so grateful, and we could not be more proud of our colleagues’ dedication and diligence, which have earned Hartford HealthCare top rankings for quality, outcomes and safety. For the people we serve, we are committed to be the best at getting better ― sustaining our excellence and improving care for all.”
Flaks and Patel both led the presentation of the Hartford Hospital Lifetime Achievement Award, which was bestowed upon Lenworth M. Jacobs, MD, MPH, FACS—a world-renowned trauma surgeon and educator who served as director of Trauma and Emergency Medicine for over 40 years. Dr. Jacobs was instrumental in establishing Hartford Hospital as a Level I Trauma Center, creating the LIFE STAR program, and launching the national “Stop the Bleed” campaign following the tragedy at Sandy Hook—among many other achievements and contributions that led peers to describe him as a visionary, pioneer, and Hartford Hospital icon.
Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony award-winning artist, producer, and humanitarian Jennifer Hudson—the youngest female EGOT winner in history—provided the evening’s musical entertainment before an energetic, crooning, and dancing audience of hospital supporters.
“We are immensely grateful for the leadership of this year’s honorary event chairs, Beverly Buckner Baker and Jim Marzi; our committee co-chairs Samara & Andrew Ginsburg and Mickey & Pia Rosenberg Toro; and the many clinical, philanthropic, and community leaders who helped to make the 2024 Black & Red a triumph for our hospital and patients,” said Lynn B. Rossini, Vice president of Philanthropy, Hartford Hospital.
“The Black & Red provides a unique platform where we spotlight our mission, values, and commitment to the communities we serve—and the philanthropic success we all shared tonight will ensure that our region and loved ones will continue to have equitable access to the high-quality, compassionate care Hartford Hospital provides.”
A date and venue for the 2025 Black & Red is expected to be announced in late 2024.