LCMC Health to infuse nearly $1 million into the local restaurant industry

New Orleans – Leaders from LCMC Health will present employees with a VISA gift card to spend in restaurants as an expression of gratitude for the incredible work that has been done at every level during the pandemic. Dubbed “Operation Bon Appetit,” full-time employees will receive a $100 gift card, with part-time employees given a card valued at $50.

“Louisiana restaurants have been incredibly supportive of our frontline workers throughout the pandemic, keeping their spirits high and providing much-needed relief with food donations,” said Greg Feirn, CEO, LCMC Heath. “This gift to our employees allows us to say thank you for their hard work and dedication to serving our community while giving back to those who gave to us.”

LCMC Health, which includes Children’s Hospital New Orleans, New Orleans East Hospital, Touro, University Medical Center New Orleans, and West Jefferson Medical Center, employs more than 9,900 people, caring for patients from across the Gulf South region and beyond. Many of those patients and their families are employed in the local restaurant industry and seek healthcare from an LCMC Health hospital or clinic.

“We appreciate LCMC Health rewarding our healthcare heroes by providing them a bit of normalcy by dining out or ordering take-out at one of our great restaurants,” said Stan Harris, President, and CEO, Louisiana Restaurant Association. “This is truly an example of paying it forward.”

Since the onset of the pandemic, LCMC Health has cared for more than 2,400 patients across its five-hospital system with COVID-19 and implemented multiple testing strategies throughout the greater New Orleans area 

Serving as a national leader in providing access to viral testing for this community, including:

• The region’s first drive-through testing for symptomatic patients was at West Jefferson Medical Center.
• Tent-based Emergency Room annex testing at New Orleans East Hospital, Touro, and University Medical Center.
• In partnership with LSUHSC New Orleans, the New Orleans Health Department, and Jefferson Parish, LCMC Health has conducted over 16,000 tests at community, neighborhood-based walk-up sites.
• New Orleans East Hospital offered free testing to all Orleans Parish Criminal Court employees.
• Testing First Responders from Region 1 on the campus of University Medical Center.

LCMC Health also launched a Nurse Hotline through which the community can get initial health and COVID screening and up-to-date information on testing locations and availability in the greater New Orleans area, return-to-work screenings, and questions related to flu and other general health issues.

“The only way we will recover is if we all come together and support our local business community – including the restaurant industry,” said Feirn. “This is one creative way that we can thank our loyal, hardworking team and provide a much-needed, million-dollar boost for the local New Orleans restaurant community.”

LCMC Health employees are encouraged to take photographs while safely enjoying their meal and uploading the images to the system’s website using #eatlocalLCMCHealth.

This investment comes during a traditionally slow time for the hospitality industry, made even more strained by the pandemic. It’s also the time when New Orleans & Company, the city’s destination marketing organization for the New Orleans tourism industry, presents its restaurant promotion, “Coolinary,” with some of the region’s iconic restaurants offering specially curated prix-fixe menus at discounted prices through September 13.