HILLSDALE, Mich. — Hillsdale Hospital has received an outpouring of support from the community as individuals and businesses alike have donated personal protective equipment (PPE), covered the cost of food or drinks for hospital workers and shared the gratitude for the care being provided.
“We are so grateful for the gifts and donations that we have already received, completely unsolicited, from members of the community,” John Robertson, chief quality officer, said. “We are now asking for that support so we can be well-equipped to care for our community during the COVID-19 outbreak.”
The following items are needed by the hospital to ensure an adequate supply as the pandemic continues and the number of local cases increases:
· N95 or higher health-grade or construction-grade masks
· Nitrile or latex free exam gloves (all sizes)
· Procedure or surgery masks (single-use)
· Cloth or homemade masks (multi-use)
· Bleach wipes
· Isolation gowns or surgery isolation gowns
· Empty pump bottles (from hand sanitizer, soap, etc.)
“We are not running out of supplies right now,” Robertson said. “We just don’t know how far or how quickly this virus will spread, so we are asking the community to help us ensure we have what we need when we need it.”
To donate, individuals can come to the hospital and check-in with the staff at the yellow screening tent. They will accept the donated items there or direct them to the appropriate outdoor drop-off location onsite.
In addition to donations of PPE, the hospital is asking the community to help show their support for healthcare workers by placing a sign in their yard. Signs are available on the front lawn of the hospital on Howell Street, as well as the nearby yards or grassy areas at all the hospital’s clinic and other locations for a no contact pickup. Community members are encouraged to grab one on their way home from the grocery store, dropping off donations to the hospital or during other approved outings under the stay home order.
“When our staff go home after a long shift or head back for another shift, they will see the love our community has for them as they pass by homes and businesses displaying these signs of solidarity and support,” Rachel Lott, director of marketing and community outreach, said. “We are also encouraging people to post of photo of their sign and tag or shoutout the healthcare workers in their lives, using the hashtag #hillsdalestrong. The goal is to flood our yards and our social media feeds with support for our healthcare workers who are taking care of patients every day in this unprecedented time.”
The hospital is also encouraging people to pick up signs for multiple households when possible, whether for a few family members or neighbors on their street.
“If you talk to your friends or family members and they also want to show their support with a sign, pick up one for each of them as well,” Lott said. “We want to get as many of these out into the community as possible.”
For more information on how you can help local healthcare workers through donations or signs of support, visit hillsdalehospital.com/strong [hillsdalehospital.com]. For more information on Hillsdale Hospital’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak, visit hillsdalehospital.com/coronavirus [hillsdalehospital.com].
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