UVA Medical Center Department of Surgery Staff produces a full-month's supply of meal packets!

The following article regarding the meal-making project by the Department of Surgery on May 14th was written by Brian Murphy, Lead Editor, Internal Communications, UVA Health Systems Marketing,  and was published internally at UVA Medical Center.  It is being shared for further exposure for all IHS friends. Surgery Meal-Packet Team: Assembled!  by Brian Murphy Dr. Irving Kron, MD, and Dean Nancy Dunlap, MD, PhD, MBA Many of our patients and families travel great distances to receive their care from us. And some of them need more than medical assistance when they arrive. The Meal Packet Program, from the Interfaith Humanitarian Sanctum, is one tool available to these individuals where they can be provided with a packet containing enough nutritious food to feed one person for one day. The packets are kept and distributed by social workers here at UVA. The Department of Surgery recently organized a "meal packet" assembly day as a team-building volunteer effort across their department. Together, the team assembled a total of 304 meals for patients in need. "The leadership at the Interfaith Humanitarian Sanctum told us that the summertime often brings a shortage of donations for the meal packet program," says Sandra Burks, RN, Associate Director, Surgical Therapeutic Advancement Center, "so we are excited that we can help to provide meals for families at UVA who may be in need during this time." Burks adds: "One of our goals in Surgery has been to build on our sense of community, and being a part of this meal packing program has been a really great way for folks in different areas to get to know other people whom they might not otherwise encounter every day. The primary goal has been to serve our mutual patients and families - but the bonus of working alongside new friends has been great!" Marianne Capone, MSW, LCSW, Social Work Manager, says: "Think of the expense of feeding a family of three or four people over several days while they are here supporting a loved one during a medical crisis. The Meal Packet program is one of the things that we can make available to families and caregivers to ease that burden." The Interfaith Humanitarian Sanctum (IHS) is an independent, non-religious, all volunteer public charity working to support patients and families who travel to UVA seeking care and who need assistance with basic needs. To learn more about the Meal Packet program or IHS, please visit: www.interfaithhumanitariansanctum.org.