November 11, 2020 – More than 20 years ago, Richmond University Medical Center launched its Adopt-A-Family program, providing food, clothing and toys to needy families in Staten Island. This year the tradition continues thanks to the generosity of hospital staff, the Mannix family, Trader Joe’s, and employees of ShopRite supermarkets.
“Each year we adopt over 50 families, helping to make the holidays just a little brighter for many of our families in the community,” president and chief executive officer, Daniel J. Messina, PhD, FACHE, said. “The employees of RUMC can be very proud of the hundreds of families they have helped over the years and we look forward to helping many more in the years to come. This would not be possible if not for the generosity of our staff and our partnership with the Mannix family, ShopRite, and Trader Joe’s.”
This year, employees of ShopRite and Trader Joe’s have joined with staff from the multiple departments at RUMC to provide food, toys and other donated goods for distribution to needy families that access services provide by the hospital’s community clinics. In addition, the Mannix family has donated 50 turkeys to the program for distribution to families, as well as ShopRite gift cards. All items will be distributed to the selected families on the grounds of the hospital on December 22 and 23.
Under the program each department at the hospital adopts a family and the members of that department shop for clothing toys, food, etc. The larger the department, the larger the family. Some of the larger departments actually adopted two families.
“The family names are always kept confidential,” Jennifer Dominguez, Continuing Medical Education Coordinator and director of the Adopt-A-Family program, said. “The departments are given a list of family members’ sizes and ages of the children. The names of the families in need are submitted by our social work department and our clinics. Many of the recipients do not know they are getting gifts until they receive a call to come to the hospital and get their gifts. Often representatives of the departments are there to give the gifts to the family. The outpouring of generosity is amazing.”
