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The Denny’s restaurant in DeLand has donated breakfast meals to staffers at AdventHealth DeLand’s emergency department and intensive care unit.
“These are our front-line workers, and we have to take care of them,” said Denny’s Manager Robert Gross. “We’re just showing appreciation for everyone who is putting their lives at risk and giving up a lot for us. It’s the least we can do.”
The first donations on April 7 included 40 breakfasts delivered to the day shift at the emergency department and another 12 for the night shift. Gross made similar donations to the ICU staff earlier this week, and he told The Beacon he plans more meals for staff on each of the hospital’s floors. Then he’ll start the cycle all over again, he said.
Denny’s District Manager Christina Lopez echoed Gross’ support to all doctors, nurses and support personnel at AdventHealth DeLand, noting that their “individual and collective sacrifices do not go unnoticed!”
“Your local Denny’s restaurant in DeLand understands that your lifesaving mission requires for you all to make changes in the way you work and interact with our communities, and for that we want to say ‘Thank You,’” was her message to the workers in an email to The Beacon. “Thank you for your devotion and commitment to help!”
The donations from Denny’s are a fraction of the generosity AdventHealth is seeing during the coronavirus pandemic, hospital officials said.
In response to an overwhelming outpouring of support from businesses, community groups and individuals, AdventHealth has established a central hub for people who want to support health care employees on the front lines.
Right now, the greatest opportunities for community support are:
• Food for care teams
• Care packages for caregivers who have been impacted by COVID-19
• Lodging (hotel rooms, vacation rentals, etc.) for on-call staff
• Blankets to give to patients
The hospital system also is accepting financial donations to support AdventHealth’s nationwide response and relief efforts. One hundred percent of tax-deductible gifts will be used to help with emergency relief efforts. This fund will extend nationwide to help front-line teams who have been impacted by COVID-19 as they care for other communities.
To learn more, visit the donation hub (administered by the AdventHealth Foundation Central Florida) at AdventHealth.com/COVID19Relief.
Those who want to donate specifically to AdventHealth’s efforts in Central Florida can email FoundationInfo@AdventHealth.com or call 407-303-8286.
AdventHealth is also launching a site for the community to leave a note of thanks or encouragement for the physicians, nurses and other clinicians on the front lines of the COVID pandemic. Learn more at AdventHealth.com/SpreadThanks. Additionally, AdventHealth is asking the community to use #SpreadThanks to post a thank-you note on social media platforms for caregivers to publicly see the outpouring of love and support from our community.
“We are humbled and blessed by the outpouring of support from our community in response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said David Collis, president of the AdventHealth Foundation Central Florida. “We thank Central Florida for the kindness and outpouring of support during this challenging time.”
