“Westchester Strong with Healthcare Heroes” Strengthens Local COVID-19 Response and Recovery

The impact of COVID-19 can be felt around the world, but few places have experienced the physical, emotional and financial burdens like Westchester County hospitals.

In response to this pandemic, Mastercard and PepsiCo today announced the formation of a local community partnership called Westchester Strong with Healthcare Heroes that will provide immediate help to White Plains Hospital and support its staff as they continue to fight the virus. The program was launched today with a $1 million, two-year fund established by the companies.

In the initial phase, the program will focus on initiatives to keep patients and staff safe, including funding vital supplies such as personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as supporting the Hospital’s efforts to meet government requirements to increase its capacity. The efforts will continue well after the initial recovery to further support the Hospital’s frontline staff’s well-being, knowing that this pandemic has taken a toll on their emotional and physical health.

“We are humbled to help White Plains Hospital provide vital resources to keep neighbors safe during COVID-19,” said Jon Banner, Executive Vice President, Global Communications and President, PepsiCo Foundation. “As proud members of the Westchester community for more than 50 years, our thousands of local PepsiCo employees are grateful to the Hospital’s staff and management for serving on the frontlines during this pandemic and keeping all of us strong.”

“Our employees take pride in our New York roots and care deeply about our Westchester neighbors,” said Shamina Singh, Executive Vice President of Sustainability and President of the Mastercard Impact Fund. “We thank our hometown hospital and all of its staff for going above and beyond the call of duty. We hope that this new fund provides the relief and support that they need to continue to respond and ultimately recover from this crisis.”

Morgan Stanley has also committed to joining Westchester Strong with Healthcare Heroes, with a $100,000 donation to the Hospital.

“We are proud to support White Plains Hospital’s frontline heroes who are battling against COVID-19 and saving lives,” said Joan Steinberg, Global Head of Philanthropy at Morgan Stanley. “This situation requires urgent action to provide relief to areas heavily impacted by the virus, and at Morgan Stanley, we believe it is our responsibility to help protect the most vulnerable and put the full weight of our resources behind a comprehensive COVID-19 response.”

Located in the heart of Westchester County, White Plains Hospital has cared for the highest number of COVID-19 patients in the region. Its staff has shown an unforgettable display of heroism, endurance and compassion in their efforts to protect their community.

Susan Fox, President and CEO of White Plains Hospital said, “This display of philanthropic solidarity from Westchester businesses is incredible. For global companies like PepsiCo, Mastercard and Morgan Stanley to reach out and ask how they can help their local hospital shows how strong this community is and echoes the spirit of the thousands of community members who have supported our staff through efforts both big and small. The outpouring of support has been amazing and we are exceptionally proud to be their Hospital.”

This announcement comes on the eve of Giving Tuesday NOW, a global day of action in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that encourages the community to support healthcare heroes through philanthropy.

Westchester County was one of the first areas in the United States to face this health crisis and the employees at White Plains Hospital have been on the front lines since the beginning. Through their extraordinary efforts, they have cared for more than 1,000 COVID-19 patients.

About White Plains Hospital

White Plains Hospital is a proud member of the Montefiore Health System, serving as its tertiary hub of advanced care in the Hudson Valley. The Hospital is a 292-bed not-for-profit health care organization with the primary mission of providing exceptional acute and preventive medical care to all people who live in, work in or visit Westchester County and its surrounding areas. Centers of Excellence include the Center for Cancer Care, The William & Sylvia Silberstein Neonatal & Maternity Center and The Ruth and Jerome A. Siegel Stroke Center. The Hospital’s Flanzer Emergency Department is the busiest in Westchester County, with more than 64,000 patient visits a year. White Plains Hospital performs lifesaving emergency and elective angioplasty in its Joan and Alan Herfort, MD, Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory and Marie Promuto Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory. White Plains Hospital has outpatient medical facilities across Westchester, including multispecialty practices in Armonk, New Rochelle, Somers and Yorktown Heights; and Scarsdale Medical Group locations in Harrison and Scarsdale. The Hospital is fully accredited by the Joint Commission and earned its recognition as a Top Performer for Key Quality Measures® in 2015 and 2013. The Hospital received Magnet® designation in 2012 and 2016 from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). In 2014, 2016 and 2018, and 2019, White Plains Hospital received the Outstanding Patient Experience Award from Healthgrades® and in 2019, was the only Hospital in Westchester to be named Best Regional Hospital by U.S. News & World Report. http://www.wphospital.org

About Mastercard (NYSE: MA)

Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, our innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses realize their greatest potential. Our decency quotient, or DQ, drives our culture and everything we do inside and outside of our company. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all.

www.mastercard.com

About The PepsiCo Foundation

Established in 1962, The PepsiCo Foundation, the philanthropic arm of PepsiCo, invests in the essential elements of a sustainable food system with a mission to support thriving communities. Working with non-profits and experts around the globe, we’re focused on helping alleviate hunger, managing water and waste responsibly and supporting women as champions of nutrition from farm to family. We strive for tangible impact in the places where we live and work—collaborating with industry peers, local and international organizations, and our employees to affect large-scale change on the issues that matter to us and are of global importance. Learn more at www.pepsico.com/sustainability/philanthropy.