Our Stories

‌Ericka Graves is a certified nursing assistant at HCA Florida Ocala Hospital and has been with the hospital for nearly six years. She describes her job as “very busy,” as she actively takes care of patients and ensures their safety and happiness. Recently, she was enjoying some family time with her daughter at a waterfall, when Ericka slipped on the wet rocks and fell hard.

Her ankle was fractured, and her shoulder had an impingement, severely limiting her range of motion.‌ All at once, she was out of work for three months with no pay contributing to her single-income household. “My bills fell behind. I was scared of losing everything I had,” Ericka said. “I worked so hard to keep my credit up – I fell into a depression.” A colleague told her about the Hope Fund and encouraged her to apply for help.

‌When she learned support was on the way, everything changed. “I was so excited, I broke down and cried. I was able to get my mortgage and bills caught up – it was amazing.” Ericka wants her colleagues to know the Hope Fund is real and available, and not to give up when things get hard. “Help is possible,” she said. “Just knowing the assistance is there gives you a lot of hope.”