In this Article
Community supports caregivers in many ways
In this Article
As Baylor Scott & White Health employees battle the COVID-19 pandemic on the front lines, they are buoyed by a wave of support from a grateful community.
Many private citizens have rolled up their sleeves to create and donate homemade masks, while others have sponsored meals to help sustain staff members working long hours. Still others have coordinated large “parking lot prayers” events to pray for both caregivers and patients, and drive-by parades in front of area hospitals to show their appreciation—all maintaining social distancing guidelines as yet another way to show that they care.
“We’ve just received a tremendous outpouring of support, in many different ways,” noted Donald E. Sewell, PhD, director of the Joel T. Allison Faith in Action Initiatives program, which has coordinated the receiving of many generous donations of homemade masks from community members.
Fueling their fight with symbols of solidarity
Businesses have also chosen to honor the caregivers of Baylor Scott & White Health. Many corporations and foundations have made donations to the Employees 1st Emergency Assistance Fund to help support staff members’ needs. Others have donated their products to be of assistance. Both the Mark Cuban Foundation and Academy Sports + Outdoors have each provided raincoats and ponchos to be used as additional personal protective equipment, and Mary Kay Inc. has created and donated hand sanitizer for frontline staff. North Texas Honda Dealers are helping to keep caregivers on the road by hosting free fill-ups at local gas stations for hundreds of Baylor Scott & White staff members, and the association also provided “comfort kits” for nursing staff—complete with snacks and comfortable clothing—to show their support. The next week, the Helpful Honda people then donated 5,000 face shields produced at a Honda manufacturing
plant in Ohio.
“It’s uplifting and truly inspiring to see the community come together like this to protect and support those fighting on the front lines of this virus,” Rowland K. Robinson, president of the Baylor Scott & White Dallas Foundation, said. “We have always known our community to be generous—but the support we’ve received has humbled us beyond words.”
