That's How We Show We Care: BWFH gives back this holiday season

Here at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital, one of the ways staff members are encouraged to show they care is by extending themselves. This holiday season, staff from all over the hospital did just that by reaching out and giving back to our community.

Organized by the Community Health and Wellness Department, BWFH adopted nine families in need with children who attend the JP Manning Elementary School. Groups from Radiology, Food and Nutrition, the Emerging Leaders Committee, Community Health and Wellness and others all stepped up to help. In total, BWFH staff bought and wrapped gifts for 31 family members. “To say that I am thankful for each of you and your departments is an understatement,” says Director of Community Health and Wellness Tracy Sylven. “The generosity and thoughtfulness of each of you toward the JP Manning Elementary School families for the holiday giving program was overwhelming!”

In similar fashion, the Department of Nursing supported the Italian Home for Children. Staff on 6 North and in both the Pain Management Center and the Gregory Endoscopy Centre purchased gifts to make Christmas special for the children at the Italian Home for Children. The Italian Home for Children provides an integrated network of powerful and effective programs to help children and families with emotional, behavioral and educational challenges thrive in their communities, and they are Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital’s next-door neighbors!

These are just some of the examples of ways in which BWFH gave back this year. Another is the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program, which collects and distributes toys to less fortunate children throughout the United States to help these children experience the joy of Christmas. The program seeks to play an active role in the development of the nation’s most valuable resources―its children―and to unite members of local communities in a common cause. Each year, the Police, Security, Safety and Parking Department at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner teams up with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve to conduct a Toys for Tots campaign. This year, the department collected 300 toys for the program. They also collected 150 toys for the Boston Police Department.