BREVARD COUNTY, FLA,—The Health First Foundation received $25,000 to create the Brevard Indo-American Medical and Dental Association (BIMDA) Nursing Scholarship Fund in honor of Glad Kurian, BIMDA Founder and Honorary Executive Director, and Dr. Gobivenkata Balaji, Health First Foundation Board Member.
The endowment supports the Health First Nursing Excellence Fund, which provides scholarships to Health First nurses seeking to advance their education and professional careers through tuition assistance and certification classes. Since 2015, Health First has awarded $800,000 in scholarship support to nearly 300 deserving nurses.
“I’ve been a friend of Health First since the early 1990s and have seen firsthand the impact they’ve made in our community,” said Kurian. “We are happy to support the nursing excellence fund and wish all the scholarship recipients a bright future.”
“It takes a special kind of person to be a nurse who invests in their continued education and growth. My colleagues and I know the importance of meeting this need,” said Dr. Balaji. “We are honored to help provide advanced education to Health First nurses who care for our friends, families, and neighbors every day.”
“We are humbled to provide support to an important organization in our community and the worthy cause of continued education. BIMDA values lifelong learning and is pleased to partner with a local healthcare organization that cares for so many people in Brevard,” Dr. Subhash Rege, Chairman and President, BIMDA.
“BIMDA has been an outstanding partner,” said Michael Seeley, Health First Foundation President. “Their continued generosity supports dedicated nurses and sustains our level of excellence, strengthens our hospitals and services, and provides the gift of healing and hope to our community.”
For more information about the Health First Foundation, visit hf.org/give or call 321-434-7353.
About Health First
Founded in 1995, Health First is Brevard County's not-for-profit, community healthcare system. The fully integrated delivery network (IDN) includes health insurance plans, hospitals, a multi-specialty medical group, and outpatient and wellness services. As a locally owned, not-for-profit organization, Health First is committed to investing in our community. In 2021, Health First provided more than $180 million in community support. To learn more about Health First and how we're giving back to our community, please visit HFgivesback.org.
