The Heart Behind our Employee Assistance Fund

For Renee Kostrba, Director of Health Information Management, caring for others isn’t just part of her job, it’s part of who she is.

Renee has long been a passionate advocate for Adventist Health Portland’s Employee Assistance Fund, a special program funded by associates through payroll donations and thoughtfully managed by a dedicated committee. The fund exists for one simple but powerful reason: to support our colleagues when life becomes unexpectedly hard.

“I think this is a really special program,” Renee shares. “It offers support to associates who may need a little extra help during a difficult time.”

Her connection to the fund is deeply personal. Twenty-three years ago, Renee was a new mom returning to work after maternity leave. During that season, her clinic team nominated her family to be “adopted” for additional support. The kindness she received left a lasting impression. “I was overcome with gratitude,” she says. “Ever since then, I’ve wanted to pay it forward.”

Today, Renee helps steward a program that quietly but meaningfully impacts lives across the organization. The Employee Assistance Fund provides help with urgent financial needs throughout the year, offers Back-to-School gift cards to help families with school supplies, and supports the Adopt-a-Family program, a seasonal effort that brings Thanksgiving and Christmas support directly to associates in need. Renee partners closely on this work with other committee members, coordinating with departments to ensure help reaches people with dignity and care.

This year, Renee and the committee noticed a significant increase in Thanksgiving applications, a reflection of rising food costs and growing financial strain. It was a sobering reminder of just how vital this fund continues to be.

At its core, the Employee Assistance Fund reflects the very heart of Adventist Health’s mission. “To me, it embodies both Be Love and Be a Force for Good,” Renee says. “It’s about caring for others and helping transform lives through simple acts of kindness.”

Beyond financial support, the fund provides something just as important: relief and belonging. Knowing there is a trusted team ready to help can make all the difference for someone who may be struggling to ask. “It offers respite,” Renee explains. “Sometimes knowing you’re not alone is everything.”

For Renee, being part of this work is one of the reasons she chose Adventist Health Portland and why she continues to stay.

“It’s easy to be a cheerleader when everything is going well,” she reflects. “But leaning into compassion and bringing hope during someone’s hardest moments — that’s what our mission truly means.”

If there’s one thing Renee hopes every associate understands about the Employee Assistance Fund, it’s this: the people behind the scenes truly care. Every application is handled with empathy, confidentiality and respect, by people who want nothing more than to help their colleagues through challenging seasons.

Looking ahead, Renee hopes the fund will continue to grow and remain a steady source of support for Adventist Health Portland associates, now and for years to come. Because sometimes, the smallest acts of generosity become the greatest expressions of love.