PG. 1
2022
Annual Report to the
Community
Weathering
the Storm with
Compassionate Care
Dear Friend of Avow,
As we continued to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, a national nursing
shortage and a potential recession in 2022, none of us expected to also
face the wrath of a Category 4 hurricane slamming into our shores.
Despite the devastation and disruption Hurricane Ian unleashed within
our community, Avow stood strong, rising to meet the unprecedented
challenges with unwavering compassion, collaboration and innovation.
In fact, despite all of this adversity, we experienced more admissions and
referrals to our programs in 2022 than at any point in our nearly 40-year
history while also increasing our CAHPS quality scores and enhancing
Frances Georgeson Hospice House facility through completion of a new
family café and pavilion.
This tremendous success in the most daunting of times is a direct
testament to the dedicated people who drive our organization — staff,
volunteers and donors alike. Even as many faced personal losses and
challenges, our team persevered, providing uninterrupted care to our
patients and families. Within hours of the storm’s passing, recovery
teams were deployed to ensure our approximately 600 hospice and
palliative care patients were safe and accessing adequate resources despite
power outages and evacuations. A donation center was established to
collect essential supplies such as clothing, cleaning supplies, personal care
products, food and water. An online giving page was launched to solicit cash
and gift card donations, and meals were delivered to those without power,
transportation or food.
Thank you to everyone who made it possible for us to continue our mission
of delivering compassionate care for the Collier community! From filling
sandbags to ready our campus before the storm to walking up flights of
stairs with oxygen tanks and batteries to reach patients without power
in high-rise condos, our Avow team remained steadfast and maintained
seamless operations. As we celebrate our 40th year of service in 2023, this
devotion and drive coupled with your support will continue to propel us
forward, ready to meet any new challenges that lie ahead.
Jaysen F. Roa
President & CEO
Avow Companies
Chuck Hoffman
Board Chair
Avow Companies
PG. 1
Hospice Care
Providing Compassionate Care and
Support for Those Living with
a Terminal Illness
PG. 2
In addition, to enhance patient care and gain economies of scale, Avow
partnered with Treasure Coast Hospice, St. Francis Reflections Lifestage
Care and Haven Hospice to form Synthase Collaborative — a not-
for-profit alliance to unite hospice, palliative and post-acute care
organizations across Florida. While each organization will retain
autonomy and independence, this strategic partnership allows all four
mission-driven organizations to share best practices, optimize resources
and reduce costs. This includes strengthening Avow’s position to
negotiate with insurers as new value-based payment models emerge. All
together, Synthase Collaborative cares for an average of 2,200 patients
daily and provides care and services to more than 18,000 adults and
children annually across 23 counties in Florida.
“Avow was my saving grace. The Avow team
created a loving presence in our home. I never
felt alone; I knew I could call Avow at any minute
and get help and support right away. Avow lived
up to its mission for George and me: they really
did create peace of mind for both of us.”
— Marilynn, Caregiver
Despite all of the challenges of the past year, Avow was also able to
complete two new facility enhancements:
• Located in the hospice house, Paula’s Place family café serves patients,
their families and Avow staff, providing families a place to sit and enjoy a
meal together prepared by our chefs.
• The Nichols Pavilion, a large outdoor atrium, provides shade and
outdoor space for staff and family to take a break and relax.
In 2022, Avow once again set new records for referrals and admissions — evidence of the trust the community places in our organization. Even
during Hurricane Ian, our team was able to provide uninterrupted care to patients thanks to a large-capacity generator that allowed staff to triage by
phone when it was no longer safe on the roads. We were even able to help neighboring hospices that had lost communication during the storm.
Hospice Care by the Numbers
20,740
In Hospice House/Hospital:
140,789
Total # of Patient Days:
9 Days
Median Length of Stay:
83 Days
Average Length of Stay:
386
Avg. # of Patients
Cared for Each Day:
2,360
Number of Admissions:
Admissions and Stays
4,469
41,110
8,792
7,008
24,586
3,446
1,578
70
Physician/Nurse Practitioner
Nursing
Social Work
Chaplain
Home Health Aide
Massage, Reiki, Manual Lymph Drainage
Music Therapy
Art Therapy
Patients by Level of Care
Routine Home Care: 1,852
General Inpatient (Hospice House): 1,130
Continuous Care (Where the Patient Lives): 232
Respite Care: 6
Visits by Discipline for Hospice Care
In-person, Phone and Virtual visits
57.6%
35%
7.2%
0.2%
PG. 3
PG. 4
Hospice Care by the Numbers
Top 5 Admitting Diseases Types
Cancer: 637
Circulatory/Pulmonary/Heart: 389
Heart Disease: 228
Neurological (Alzheimer’s Parkinson’s): 103
COPD: 99
43.7%
26.7%
15.6%
6%
8%
Referral Sources
Hospital: 1,121
Physician: 423
Self/Family: 342
Nursing Home: 307
Other: 167
7%
48%
18%
13%
14%
Salaries/Benefits, Occupancy Costs,
Supplies and Services, Professional
Services, Uncollectible Debt,
Miscellaneous
Expenses
$29,312,090
Palliative Care
Delivering Personalized Care and
Comfort to the Seriously Ill
PG. 5
“If I had to describe Avow’s palliative care service in
one word, I would choose ‘easy.’ When I call, the helpful
receptionist almost always can get me to the nurse
practitioner right away, and she is easy to talk to and
just as devoted to making me emotionally comfortable
as she is to relieving my physical symptoms. I wish my
prognosis was different, but I am at peace with where I
am and with the treatments I am receiving from Avow’s
palliative care service.” — Jan, Palliative Care Patient
“The nurse learned more about Arthur in one session
than other physicians had in seeing him over many visits.
She also listened to my needs and concerns and came
up with a plan that helped us both. Do you know how
rare that is in healthcare these days, to have unrushed,
personal time with medical professionals? It’s not an
exaggeration when I say that Avow’s palliative care
service saved two lives: mine and Arthur’s. Life is so
much better now.” — Beverly, Caregiver
Demonstrating a commitment to quality care, Avow also became the
first and only palliative care program in Florida to earn certification
from CHAP (Community Health Accreditation Partner), an independent,
non-profit accrediting body for home and community-based health
care organizations. To achieve this three-year certification, our program
was extensively evaluated against nationally recognized palliative care
standards.
In addition, to help meet the gap in overall palliative care program costs
not reimbursed by Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance companies,
we launched the Avow Compassionate Care Society in April 2022. This
group of community philanthropists have committed to give a minimum of
$10,000 annually to support non-hospice palliative care in Collier County.
Dedicated to alleviating the physical symptoms and
emotional distress of individuals living with serious
illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, lung disease and
kidney failure, Avow’s Lyon Center Palliative Care Clinic
continued to expand and innovate in 2022 to meet the
community’s growing needs, serving the most patients
in our organization’s history.
Expenses
Salaries/Benefits, Occupancy Costs,
Supplies and Services, Professional Services,
Uncollectible Debt, Miscellaneousneous
$659,119
Palliative Care By the Numbers
1,134
273
146
25
Physician/Nurse Practitioner
Social Worker
Chaplain
Massage
Visits by Discipline for Palliative Care
In-person, Phone and Virtual visits
PG. 6
Where Palliative Care
Took Place in Total Visits
Lyon Center Palliative Care Clinic: 636
Home: 610
Virtual: 172
Facility: 82
41%
5%
12%
42%
Number of Patients
614
Total Number of Visits
1,578
Bereavement
Helping People Cope with
Grief and Loss
To better customize support to meet individuals where
they are in their grief process, Avow implemented a new
research-based, integrative model of change into our
Center for Grief Support in 2022.
“Avow cared about the family
and about me, and how was
I doing after she had passed.”
Chris, Bereaved
Each small group is guided by professional facilitators and
meets weekly for four weeks. At the end of that period,
individuals may repeat the current module or continue on
to the next module in the program if they are ready. Group
programs are free to the community and hosted in the Center
for Grief Support and at other community locations. One-on-
one support is also available.
Precontemplation
Unaware of the problem
Contemplation
Aware of the problem &
desired behavior change
Preparation
Intends to take action
Action
Practices desired behavior
Maintenance
Works to sustain desired
behavior change
Stages of Readiness
to Change
PG. 7
The Bereavement Team held
a Thanksgiving dinner for those
missing their loved one.
PG. 8
Bereavement Sponsors
Salaries/Benefits, Occupancy Costs, Supplies and
Services, Professional Services, Uncollectible Debt,
Miscellaneous
Expenses
$322,060
Grief Support
by the Numbers
Individual
Sessions (virtual
and in-person)
450
New Groups
Started
32
Total Groups
for 2022
919
Approximate
Unique Individuals
Served
1,600
Avow Kids Grief Support
by the Numbers
Expenses
Salaries/Benefits, Occupancy
Costs, Supplies and Services,
Professional Services,
Uncollectible Debt, Miscellaneous
$357,004
Grants, Donations
& Other Funding
$214,000
®
Supporting Children
Through Loss
For nearly 40 years, the Avow Kids® program has
helped children ages 5-17 move through their unique experience
of loss in a safe, supportive environment. As the community need grows, we
remain committed to offering a variety of grief support services at no cost to participants,
including individual and family counseling, group therapy, workshops, camps and events.
“While no one else had lost a little brother like me, it was easy to see that everyone
in the group shared the same kind of difficult feelings. There were lots of activities to
bring us together, including times to share our feelings and to write our own group song
about our experiences. It was perfect for me — I felt understood and not alone, like I
wasn’t the only person to feel sad and lost.”
— Mark Coe, Jr., Avow Camp MendingHeart® Teen Attendee
PG. 9
352
Unique
Youth
Participants
Served
261
Youth
Support
Group
Sessions
40
Youth
Camps
or Events
926
Youth
Participants
Groups, events,
one-on-one
The Avow Kids team served more children in 2022 than ever
before. In addition to coordinating field trips and activities
throughout the year, we hosted several community events to
support children who have experienced loss, including the following:
Our annual
Mother’s Day Dinner
was held on May 6 to provide
children with a safe space to
honor their deceased moms
and to celebrate the mother
figures in their lives.
To bring cheer to
the community at the end
of a difficult year of great loss,
we held our Winter Festival on
December 20. More than 300
parents and children came out
to enjoy holiday crafts, music,
cookies and outdoor games
along with gifts from
Santa.
Avowloween
was held October 21 on the
Avow campus and featured a “trunk
or treat” as well as Star Wars characters
courtesy of the Everglades Squad Legion
and a North Collier Fire Control fire truck.
The children also enjoyed games, face
painting, a photo booth and a visit from
Nugget the mini horse. We collaborated
with local school counselors to promote
this fun family event, and more than
210 kids ages 17 and under attended.
Supported or Sponsored
in Part By:
PG. 10
In addition to individual donors, the following companies and
organizations generously supported Avow Kids in 2022:
Marco Lutheran Church
Sidney A. Swensrud Foundation
Shoen
Foundation
Partners in Care (PIC)
Providing Support for Children
with Complex Conditions
Demand remained high in Collier County for the specialized care available
through Avow’s Partners In Care: Together For Kids pediatric palliative care
Medicaid waiver program. The children participating in this special program
have congenital and/or chronic disease conditions with complex medical,
psychological, spiritual and motor skills needs. The children are primarily
serviced through the state’s Children’s Medical Services, supplemental to
other care they receive.
This program served 21 children in 2022 who received direct care, while
many of their family members received supportive care. The children had
planned art and music therapy sessions to address specific aspects of their
individual and unique disease process. Avow’s board-certified music and art
therapists worked with the children to improve verbal and non-verbal skills,
regulate emotion, learn coping skills for relaxation and improve motor skills
for a better quality of life.
$32,001
PIC Patients
21
PIC Care Sessions
486
PIC Support
Expenses
Salaries/Benefits,
Occupancy Costs,
Supplies and Services,
Professional Services,
Uncollectible Debt,
PG. 11
Honoring
Veterans
Serving Those Who Served Our Country
PG. 12
We continued our efforts to honor and serve Southwest Florida military
Veterans in 2022. More than 1,200 Veterans were pinned and honored
throughout the year. In addition, the documentary film Avow Presents: Life
Lessons in the Military, produced by the Avow Communications Department
in 2021, won two prestigious Telly Awards in 2022 as well as an Award of
Distinction in the 27th Annual Communicator Awards. The film highlights
the stories of 17 Veterans from various generations and backgrounds,
including Avow employees and volunteers, and was filmed on the Avow
campus
I
n 20
22,
26.5
% (6
04)
of o
ur h
osp
ice patie
nts w
ere V
eter
ans
Employee
Advancement
Promoting Professional Growth
and Development
As Avow employees stepped up to meet the unprecedented challenges of 2022, our
organization continued to invest in their professional growth and development.
In addition to our existing tuition reimbursement program, we launched a new Avow
Nursing Scholarship Program to assist employees with advancing their education in
the field of nursing while also improving staff retention and clinical expertise. Thanks to
the generosity of donors during the Avow Foundation 2022 Nurses Week campaign, this
new scholarship helps to support our employees enrolled in nursing degree programs. In
October, we awarded the first scholarship to Ashley Russetto, APRN, who is pursuing her
doctorate degree in nursing.
Avow won two of eight Awards of Excellence during the Florida Hospice & Palliative
Care Association (FHPCA) Forum in Orlando in June:
• The Hospice Story Award recognizes a person or organization that best captures a
meaningful hospice experience with an original creative work. Avow board-certified music
therapist Jillian Iurlano worked with patient Jodi Allen to turn a prayer she had written into
a song and music video as a gift to her family before her passing.
• The Synergy Award recognized employees in the Frances Georgeson Hospice House,
Patient Access, Treasures and Communications Departments for collaboration between
the interdisciplinary teams and administration, including a special wedding held for an Avow
hospice patient as well as efforts to help young parents celebrate moments with their
month-old baby before she passed.
PG. 13
Community Recognition for
Avow Founder Glenna Hayhoe
PG. 14
In November, the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Collier-Lee
Chapter honored Avow founder Glenna Hayhoe as its 2022 Outstanding
Philanthropist and Avow Veteran Volunteer Jessica Stearns with
Distinguished Volunteer during its National Philanthropy Day celebration.
In December, Glenna was recognized by The Women’s Foundation of Collier
County as a Woman of Initiative at its Women Rock Philanthropy luncheon.
The award honors dynamic women who have helped change the community
through their passion, leadership, innovation, time, talent and dedication.
Motivated by a passion for caring for those at the end of life, treating each
person with dignity and respect, and not allowing anyone to die alone, Glenna
and her late husband Bruce started Avow in 1983. At age 91, she continues
to volunteer regularly, epitomizing the heart of hospice and inspiring our
staff and volunteers alike.
Our dedicated team of Avow volunteers rose to meet the challenges of 2022,
contributing 5,305 direct patient engagement hours and 4,195 non-clinical
hours—significant increases over 2021! These dedicated members of the
Avow family selflessly support their Collier neighbors during difficult transitions,
providing comfort and companionship. They also lend a hand in our offices,
retail shops and at special events.
*Calculated using https://independentsector.org/resource/value-of-volunteer-time/
If you are interested in
volunteering at Avow, visit
avowcares.org/volunteers
or call (239) 261-4404.
New Volunteers
Added
50
Active
Volunteers
108
Volunteers By
the Numbers
Direct Patient
Hours
5,305
Non-Clinical
Hours
4,195
Estimated savings
through volunteer work
$156,237.64*
PG. 15
VOL
UNT
EER
S!
Gross
Revenue $868,909
Each year, our Treasures Resale Shops contribute much
needed revenue to the Avow Foundation, helping Avow provide
hospice care, palliative care, adult and children’s bereavement services, and Veterans
services for anyone in the community, including those who cannot pay for care.
In 2022, we closed the Davis Boulevard and Park Shore Treasures stores and opened a new, larger North Naples
Treasures store located at 9765 Tamiami Trail North in the Naples Park neighborhood. In addition to providing expanded retail
space, the building has two apartments, which we will use to provide affordable housing for staff, including both permanent full-time
staff as well as seasonal traveling nurses that help address area health care staffing shortages.
Transactions 24,897
PG. 16
For information on donations or to volunteer, visit avowtreasures.org
Avow Foundation
Donors Continued to
Deliver in 2022
When Hurricane Ian ushered in unimaginable devastation throughout
our community, Avow’s loyal supporters immediately answered the call
for help:
• Twenty donors gave more than $3,000 in in-kind gifts, including gift
cards, appliances and goods delivered to our donation center.
• Tamiami Hyundai/Ford donated two vehicles valued at $44,714
— a minivan for Avow Kids and a small SUV that was used during the
hurricane by staff who had been flooded out.
• In all, more than 50 individuals and organizations donated
cash totaling $31,107, with gifts ranging from $25 to $10,000.
In addition we officially opened The Nichols Pavilion in
2022 — a large, shaded outdoor atrium designed to provide
a place of respite for our hospice house families and staff.
The new Paula’s Place family café located inside the hospice
house also opened in 2022 and was made possible by the family
of Paula M. Flanagan.
“When Avow President & CEO Jaysen Roa heard about my situation,
he invited me and my family to move into one of the two apartments above the
Avow Treasures resale shop in Naples. Until Hurricane Ian, I had never had to
worry about having a roof over my head or a safe place to live. Avow’s stepping
in to give my family a home meant so much to us. That single act of generosity
exemplifies the spirit of our corporate culture – and its heart. That can’t be
bought at any price. I thank those who supported Avow during this time of
difficulty.” — Suzanne Parsons, Avow Human Resources Director
PG. 17
62%
1.5%
1.5%
6%
30.5%
Total Giving $4,290,758
Private contributions: $2,658,433
(Individuals, DAFs, Family Foundations)
Planned Gifts Realized: $1,308,821
Institutional Grants: $257,500
Corporate Partners: $66,004
Foundation Funding
Sources
PG. 18
Expenses
Salaries/benefits, supplies, programs,
professional services, uncollectable debt, misc.
$32,048,453
2022 COVID
Expenses
$224,104
Total
Expenses
$32,272,557
“Because of Avow’s assistance during Hurricane Ian, I was able to deliver care to those who really needed us without the worry over my
own vehicle. I am thankful that Avow treats me with the same kind of care we offer patients. It’s a circle of loving support that winds
throughout the organization. Thank you to the donors who supported Avow during this time.”
— Phil Justice, Avow Lead Home Health Aide/Certified Nursing Assistant
How to Donate
Volunteer or Choose to Donate
Not-for-profit hospices are required to have a percentage
of care hours provided by volunteers. When you volunteer
with Avow, you can make a difference in the lives of
our community members in Southwest Florida who are
going through one of life’s most complex transitions. Lend a
hand in Avow’s clinical operations, offices, retail shops or at
special events.
$650
Funds art therapy/
music therapy/
massage therapy/Reiki
treatments for one
hospice patient
Complementary Therapies
$750
Purchases 30 essential
oil kits for home
health aides to deliver
aromatherapy services
$1,250
Provides 10 visits
from complementary
therapies staff
Center for Grief Support
Funds adult support group meeting space for
10 sessions in the Center for Grief Support on
Avow’s campus
$250
Enables five monthly virtual memorial
ceremonies to come to life
$500
Provides 100 hours of group or individual
support to bereaved persons
$5,000
PG. 19
Funds seven days of
end-of-life care for
a patient
without insurance
$1,250
Funds publishing of
2,000 copies of Veteran
benefits and resources
for Hospice and
Palliative Care
$5,000
Hospice Program
Giving Opportunities
Purchases supplies for
ten Veteran salute kits.
650 kits are distributed
annually
$500