The staff at St. John’s Episcopal Hospital came together to donate more than 90 meals to patients and their families this holiday season.
The hospitals staff prepared and decorated baskets, which included turkey, chicken, ham, potatoes, rice, vegetables, stuffing mix, gravy, macaroni and cheese, dinner rolls, cranberry sauce and desserts for each patient. The meals were distributed at a tent outside the hospital.
“It brings us great joy to know that we were able to help make this year’s Thanksgiving both enjoyable and nourishing for more than 90 families,” said Sharika Gordon, the hospital’s vice president and chief human resources officer. “We care deeply about our patients and community members, and the hospital’s staff wanted to do all that they could to make sure that no person is left hungry this Thanksgiving.”
The COVID-19 pandemic, which has hit the hospital’s home neighborhood of Far Rockaway hard, has caused an alarming increase of food insecurity across the country.
In 2020, more than 50 million people will experience food insecurity at some point during the year, a nearly 50 percent increase when compared to 2019, according to Feeding America.
“For us, it is not only about providing excellent health care strictly within the confines of our hospital and community medical practices. We take great pride in providing needed resources within the community itself, which is what this food initiative is all about,” said Renee Hastick-Motes, the hospital’s vice president of external affairs.
