Baptist Health Foundation Receives $1 Million Grant from Ocean Reef Community Foundation to Benefit Baptist Health Homestead Hospital

CORAL GABLES, FL – March 16, 2026 – Baptist Health Foundation announced today that it has received a $1 million grant fromOcean Reef Community Foundation benefiting the Baptist Health Homestead Hospital Clinical Expansion Fund. The grant will support the building of a four-story, 134,000 sq-ft tower at Baptist Health Homestead Hospital in Homestead, Florida, to increase inpatient capacity, expand surgical and diagnostic resources and enhance the patient experience. The Ocean Reef Community Foundation will be recognized at the hospital with a naming ceremony at a later date.

“We are grateful for the generosity of the Ocean Reef Community Foundation, and for their partnership in this important initiative,” said Alex Villoch, CEO of Baptist Health Foundation. “They understand Baptist Health Homestead Hospital’s vital need for increased capacity. This grant supporting the hospital’s expansion will help us provide extraordinary patient care and treatment in South Dade and the Upper Keys for generations to come.”

Homestead and South Miami-Dade County are experiencing unprecedented growth. The area is expected to welcome around 50,000 new residents in the coming years, placing a strain on the region's healthcare infrastructure, including Homestead Hospital. The hospital is a crucial healthcare lifeline for Homestead and the Keys, which are isolated from major medical centers and advanced services. Homestead Hospital currently sees nearly 10,000 admissions and performs over 3,000 surgeries annually, operating at consistently high levels of patient utilization.

“Homestead Hospital’s much-needed expansion will not only help increase healthcare access for patients in the area, but it will also enhance comfort, convenience and quality of care,” remarked Richard Weinstein, president and chief operating officer of Ocean Reef Community Foundation. “We want to support Baptist Health in their commitment to advance healthcare for local residents.”

Added Ken Spell, CEO of Homestead Hospital, “This grant will make a significant impact for our hospital and the community. It also lays the groundwork for our vision to elevate care by developing a state-of-the-art outpatient center, recruiting top physicians and surgeons, and broadening the reach of Baptist Health’s renowned institutes. We thank the Foundation for its generous support and trust in us.”

About Baptist Health Foundation

The mission of Baptist Health Foundation is to inspire philanthropy and build extraordinary donor relationships in support of excellence, innovation, community wellness and global leadership in healthcare at Baptist Health South Florida. Through philanthropy, the Foundation supports and expands Baptist Health’s ability to provide outstanding patient care and bring the latest treatments to patients and families affected by a serious illness. Donor contributions also allow the Foundation to assist Baptist Health facilities in keeping pace with technology and equipment advances, perform cutting-edge research and offer continuing education opportunities to medical staff. Learn more at BaptistHealth.net/Foundation and connect with us on Facebook and Instagram.

About Baptist Health

Baptist Health is the largest healthcare organization in the region, with 12 hospitals, more than 29,000 employees, 4,500 physicians and 200 outpatient centers, urgent care facilities and physician practices spanning across Miami-Dade, Monroe, Broward and Palm Beach counties. Baptist Health has internationally renowned institutes specializing in cancer care, brain and spine care, heart and vascular care and orthopedic care. In addition, it includes Baptist Health Medical Group; Baptist Health Quality Network; and The Baptist Health PineApp, a virtual health platform. Baptist Health South Florida is an academic and clinical affiliate of Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine.  A not-for-profit organization supported by philanthropy and committed to its faith-based charitable mission of medical excellence, Baptist Health has been recognized by Fortune as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America and is the most awarded healthcare system in South Florida by U.S. News and World Report. For more information, visit BaptistHealth.net/Newsroom and connect with us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn.

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