“Sister Gerard is an inspiration and the embodiment of service and devotion to community,” said 6th District Long Beach Councilmember Dee Andrews. “I’m grateful to be able to recognize and honor her contributions to our city. Sister Gerard’s kindness and caring for everyone she encounters make it very easy for us in the city of Long Beach to honor her. She is truly a God-sent individual and a blessing to us all.”
As vice-president Mission Integration for Dignity Health—St. Mary Medical Center since 1999, Earls has been “a tireless champion of the medically underserved and has overseen the organization’s community benefit program, which, in fiscal year 2015, provided more than $35,000,000 in patient financial assistance, community health improvement services and unreimbursed costs of caring for patients,” according to ANG Public Relations & Marketing.
She has also led Dignity Health’s commitment to combating the scourge of human trafficking, which included hosting the area’s first educational seminar on the topic in October 2014. At the hospital, Earls has been known for “Helping Hands,” a signature holiday program she has led since she began at St. Mary that collects food, presents and toys for needy families for the holidays. This year, the program served 255 families, according to ANG Public Relations & Marketing.
Andrews nominated her, and then the City of Long Beach honored her in January 2015 as one of six recipients of the Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Maker Awards.
“Sister Gerard has been a true treasure for us at St. Mary Medical Center and also for the community of Long Beach,” said Joel Yuhas, president/CEO of Dignity Health—St. Mary Medical Center. “Her passion for the hospital’s mission and her leadership as an advocate for those less fortunate has been an inspiration for all of us at St. Mary. Everyone at Dignity Health— and the City of Long Beach— appreciates her energy, enthusiasm and sheer presence.”
