The purchases of get-well cards, balloons, magazines, and knick-knacks at the Emanuel Medical Center gift shop has tallied up to a $10,000 donation for the United Samaritans Foundation to help combat hunger and homelessness in the area.
The Emanuel volunteers’ donation was raised through sales at the hospital’s gift shop. Volunteer Manager Carrie Lemon said the volunteers voted on the local charity to receive the donation.
“Our volunteers have a long history of donating their gift shop proceeds, and they certainly selected a well-deserving organization,” Lemon said.
The United Samaritans Foundation delivers food to people in need in Stanislaus County and assists them in transitioning to a better quality of life. The foundation searches out areas of need and explores creative and holistic ways to meet the needs of those it serves, including the Daily Bread Lunch Truck Program and providing clothes to the homeless.
“It was such a generous surprise receiving the gift of $10,000 from Emanuel’s wonderful volunteers,” said Bev Hatcher, Executive Director for the United Samaritans Foundation. “I cannot tell you how blessed USF is to receive these funds. It truly is a Christmas miracle.”
“For many of our volunteers, this is why they volunteer, to be a part of something greater.”Carrie Lemon
The volunteers at Emanuel Medical Center have been supporting the hospital, its patients and the community since 1961, raising and donating well over $1.5 million to hospital building funds, health efforts and scholarships.
“For many of our volunteers, this is why they volunteer, to be a part of something greater,” Lemon said. “When we toured United Samaritans, it showed us just how much they do for Turlock and our surrounding communities.”
In addition to running the gift shop, the volunteers guide patients and visitors to rooms and appointments, assist families in the surgical waiting rooms and help nurses and staff on the patient-care floors. They have donated hundreds of thousands of hours of service to Emanuel and its patients.
“We have nearly 125 active volunteers between the hospital and Emanuel Cancer Center,” Lemon said. “They’re all here to help our community.”
