Gulfside Regional Hospice Named Nonprofit of the Year

Gulfside Regional Hospice has been named the top nonprofit of the year by the Tampa Bay Business Journal.

The Business Journal announced Thursday at a luncheon that the New Port Richey-based 501(c)3 nonprofit was the overall winner of its 2011 Nonprofit of the Year award. It was also named winner of the health services category of the awards. To see the rest of the winners, pick up the June 24 edition of the Journal or read its preview here.

Gulfside, headquartered at 6117 Trouble Creek Road, New Port Richey, provides hospice care to the terminally ill and bereavement services to families throughout Pasco County.

“This award serves Pasco County in building awareness of a very strong, mission-oriented service organization and increased awareness of hospice care in America,” said Linda Ward, president and chief executive officer of Gulfside.

The nonprofit has 240 paid staff members and hundreds of volunteers. It serves 300 patients per day. Gulfside staff physicians assist with pain management and in-home care. The nonprofit has care centers in Hudson and Trinity operated in partnerships with local rehabilitation centers. It has a freestanding center in Zephyrhills that serves east and central Pasco County and a Hospice House in New Port Richey.

“A proactive approach to regulatory change and a creative take on fundraising has helped Gulfside Regional Hospice stay ahead of the challenges in the health care industry,” the Tampa Bay Business Journal stated in its write-up about Gulfside winning the award.

Gulfside has an annual operating budget of $24 million for the 2012 fiscal year, which begins July 1, Ward said.

About 60 percent of Gulfside’s patients come from West Pasco. Ten percent come from central Pasco.

Gulfside has five thrift stores it uses to help raise funds for its services. One of them is in Lutz in Pasco County.

“That central area will grow again this year,” Ward said

Here’s a list of the Gulfside Thrift Shoppes.

Dade City Thrift Shoppe
37925 Sky Ridge Circle
Dade City, FL 33525
813-782-7200

Hudson Thrift Shoppe
12154 U.S. 19
Bayonet Point, FL 34667
727-861-4900

Lutz Thrift Shoppe
21780 State Road 54
Lutz, FL 33549
813-909-0485

New Port Richey Thrift Shoppe
New Port Richey, FL 34652
727-842-7262

Zephyrhills Thrift Shoppe
36504 State Road 54
Zephyrhills, FL 33541
813-788-5461

Hospice Facilities

Gulfside Center for Hospice Care
5760 Dean Dairy Road
Zephyrhills, FL 33542
813-377-1265

Gulfside Center for Hospice Care
at Trinity Regional Rehab Center
2144 Welbilt Blvd. 
Trinity, FL 34655
727-376-3658

Gulfside Hospice Center at Bayonet Point
Bayonet Point Health and Rehabilitation Center
7210 Beacon Woods Drive
Hudson, FL 34667
727-484-7964

Hospice House
6230 Lafayette St.
New Port Richey, FL 34652
727-841-6316