COLUMBIA — An area rotary membership is taking initiative to feed careworn well being care staff in Missouri.
Columbia South Rotary Membership began this system “Meals for Healthcare Heroes” again in 2020, throughout the pandemic. The membership partnered with Rock Bridge Excessive Faculty’s Rotary Work together Membership to boost funds to assist feed MU Well being Care workers.
Allison Kim, the president of RBHS Rotary Work together Membership, mentioned initially, the hospital requested for donations, however the membership felt a fundraiser could be extra sensible to boost cash.
An analogous GoFundMe launched in 2020 and raised $6,359 to offer over 800 meals for well being care staff. Now, the hospital is reaching out for assist as soon as once more.
Dell Epperson, president of Columbia South Rotary Membership, says this system may also help a number of industries.
“It was one thing the Work together Membership got here up with the concept a few years in the past,” Epperson mentioned. “And that is why we determined to re-resurrect it, it helps each the eating places who had been struggling at the moment, due to lack of patronage, and the well being care staff. So, it was a win-win for everyone.”
In keeping with the GoFundMe, MU Well being Care hospitals are being flooded with incoming sufferers affected by Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), COVID-19 and the flu.
Knowledge from the U.S. Division of Well being and Human Companies says roughly 70% and 78% of all beds at College Hospital are presently occupied.
Epperson says the choice to start out this system again up was a simple one.
“COVID actually took a toll on all people in so many various methods. However most significantly, it was our well being care staff who actually suffered as a result of they had been making an attempt to handle us,” Epperson mentioned. “And so, it was a simple thought for us when Rock Bridge Work together got here to us to say let’s discover a option to say thanks to them.”
Due to the resurgence, well being care employees work double shifts and even miss meals to deal with the group of sufferers.
To date, the GoFundMe has raised over $1,600 with a objective of $5,000.
The rotary is partnering up with the RBHS Work together Membership this Sunday for a fundraiser in any respect Shakespeare’s Pizza places. Fifteen p.c of the entire proceeds might be despatched to the Work together Membership who will deposit it into the Meals for Healthcare Heroes.
Individuals of the fundraiser will solely have to current the flyer of the occasion to donate to the fundraiser.
Different eating places collaborating within the fundraiser embrace Flat Department, Pizza Tree, Beet Field and extra.
