Sid and Donna Jordan
Passion is a word that describes Donna and Sid Jordan well. They have a love for anything outdoors – tennis, golf, fishing, skiing, biking – and for anything related to their beloved Florida Gators. Sports memorabilia from Gainesville fill their sports room. They’re passionate about contemporary art, especially glass objects that add a visceral punch of color to their home, and they’re also passionate about St. Joseph’s Hospital.
Donna and Sid met at Plant High School in South Tampa on the tennis team. The school newspaper needed a photo of two athletes and chose Donna and Sid. They started playing tennis together and began dating, and the rest, as they say, is history.
The couple returned to South Tampa from Temple Terrace, where they had lived for 14 years. Donna’s mother lives one street away in the house where she grew up; Sid grew up just three streets away. Although both of their sons, Bill and Matt, were born at St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital, it was their move back to South Tampa that sparked their strong relationship with the hospital.
Donna started volunteering, was asked to join the foundation board, and then subsequently, the hospital board. She and co-founder Elaine Shimberg spearheaded the Foundation’s women’s initiative, The Philanthropic Women of St. Joseph’s. “Members get great educational opportunities – they tour behind the scenes, meet doctors, administrators, and experience new technology. We make a philanthropic gift and decide collectively what our gift to the hospital will fund,” Donna says. “Our members love it.”
Giving to St. Joseph’s is a significant part of the Jordan’s community support. “I love the core values of St. Joe’s,” says Donna. “Everyone cares about people, and they care about the mission of the Franciscan sisters. We want this community to have quality healthcare and hospitals. We’re pleased with St. Joe’s, its vision, and what it’s doing for the community, and we want to show our commitment to it.”
A leadership gift from Donna and Sid Jordan has been recognized in the tower at St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital.