Miami doctors and nurses on coronavirus front lines get apartments away from family
Some of Jackson Health System’s doctors, nurses and other medical staff who are working on the front lines combating COVID-19 no longer have to worry about potentially bringing the disease home to their family.
That’s because the José Milton family and United Property Management donated 300 apartment units for the medical staff to temporarily use during the pandemic, free of charge.
“Nurses were living in their cars and some doctors were sleeping in their offices in order to avoid bringing the disease home to their families,” said Ana VeigaMilton, president of the José Milton Foundation and the director of corporate social responsibility for United Property Management. “We thought it would be a great thing to do to offer them a refuge.”
VeigaMilton said United Property Management worked with their short-term rentals partners — Miami Bay Waterfront Residences and Mare Azure Short-Term Rentals, Brickell West Apartments and Love Pop Realty/Outpost Miami, and Intracoastal Yacht Club and Hosteeva Short-Term Rentals — to identify vacant units that could be used by Jackson staff.
The response has been huge, VeigaMilton said. Almost all of the units have been claimed. Staffers get a 30-day lease, with weekly extensions. The apartments are fully furnished and include free utilities. The units are either in separate buildings or in areas where they are not exposed to other guests. The donation is valued at $2.2 million, the Jackson Health Foundation said.
Carla Calonge, a nurse in the emergency department at Jackson Memorial Hospital, said having a place to go with her daughter Deniz Azucena Aguero — who is a senior ER technician in the pediatric emergency department at Holtz Children’s Hospital — gives her some relief.
“I think it’s a wonderful resource for any employee at Jackson,” Calonge said in a Jackson Health Foundation news release. “This allows my daughter and me to continue serving the Public Health Trust and being able to go home with the peace of mind that we are not exposing our loved ones to a potentially deadly disease. We are beyond grateful to the José Milton family and Jackson for giving us this peace of mind.”
According to the Jackson Health Foundation, the Milton family asked Miami City Commissioner Ken Russell if he had ideas on helping first responders.
Russell linked the Miltons with Jackson Health System after a nurse at Jackson died from coronavirus.
“Our first responders are the heroes of this crisis,” Russell said in a statement. “Offering the comfort of food and a safe place to stay while this battle is being fought is the least we can do to support them as they keep us safe. I will continue putting those in need together with those who generously want to help.”
Carlos A. Migoya, president and CEO of Jackson Health System, said the donation was appreciated.
“The Milton family and United Property Management are the epitome of community corporate leaders,” Migoya said.. “They leaped into action immediately, and it’s making a real difference for our nurses, doctors, and other frontline caregivers.”
This story was originally published April 8, 2020 at 1:46 PM.
