VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Rain or snow, healthcare workers must show up to take care of sick patients, and on Sunday, they got a morale boost.
A non-profit organization called Care4Frontline is making some deliveries to stock the break rooms of local emergency departments.
Care4Frontline President, Pam Blais, said they are delivering stretcher loads full of individually packed snacks to each emergency department after receiving a substantial gift from an anonymous donor. On Sunday, they delivered treats to Sentara Independence and Sentara Virginia Beach General. Blais said they will be making more deliveries next week in Virginia Beach and Norfolk and have also added Williamsburg and Albemarle.
While outside Sentara Independence, Blais said, “Especially in an emergency department like this which is satellite, there’s no cafeteria. There’s no access to anything, so if you forget your lunch one day and you’re too busy to call for a meal delivery from a restaurant or it’s 2 a.m. and nothing is open, basically you have saltine crackers, maybe.”
Volunteers unloaded everything from cookies to candy as well as a few healthier foods like peanut butter and trail mix.
“It’s really nice to receive this amount of food and goodies for the staff,” commented registered nurse Sandra Evans, manager at Sentara Independence emergency department. “We all work 12-hour shifts, so it’s nice to have a little snack in between your lunch - if you do get a lunch.”
The Care4Frontline, formerly known as Pantry Box, could use volunteers and donations. Click here for more information.
