Rooms to Go Founder, President and CEO Jeff Seaman has made a $1 million gift to the Piedmont Healthcare Foundation’s COVID-19 Infrastructure Fund, which will support early activation of the Marcus Tower at Piedmont Atlanta Hospital.
 
Piedmont Healthcare received the Certificate of Occupancy for the tower in late March and is actively working to procure the equipment and furnishing required to open the first nursing unit in the tower. The date of the opening will depend on Piedmont’s ability to secure the needed equipment and specialty staff, which are currently in short supply across the United States. Originally, the tower, which was made possible through an initial donation of $75 million from Bernie and Billi Marcus via The Marcus Foundation, was set to open Aug. 1.
 
Seaman is a long-time supporter of Piedmont.
 
“We are incredibly fortunate to have generous donors like Jeff Seaman at this critical time,” said Piedmont Healthcare Chief Philanthropy Officer Sid Kirschner. “We are working very hard to take care of our patients in the new reality of a world left vulnerable by the COVID-19 pandemic. Gifts like Jeff’s to our COVID-19 Infrastructure Fund will literally save lives.”
 
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Piedmont is in an aggressive planning mode. Piedmont is examining statistical projections from four to 12 weeks out, depending on the progression of COVID-19, and considering contingency plans for various scenarios. Early activation of the tower is a vital element of this plan.