During the holiday season of giving, we as a company try to reach out to our community and help those less fortunate than us. AurElves volunteer and raise donations of toys, clothes, and toiletries for different organizations and families in the effort to keep the spirit of the season alive. It’s no surprise that AurElves has touched the lives of many who are facing personal difficulties, challenges, and struggles this holiday season. We want to share some of the cheer that was spread as AurElves made their stops across the Omaha metro area. Here are just a few of the many organizations and families that Aureus Medical helped.
Nursing-Midwest Branch hosted a craft hour at Omaha Children’s Hospital.
Nursing – East Branch assisted parents/grandparents/guardians that had registered for assistance during the holidays at the Toyland for Toys for Tots gather toys/games/books/gifts for their children.
Quality Assurance and Physicians Branches decorated the MICAH House, the homeless shelter in Council Bluffs, for the Holidays.
Medical Laboratory donated 2400 diapers to the Lydia House, a homeless shelter in Omaha.
Radiology visited the Children’s Respite Care Center, met with the program director and presented her with a $175 gift card to Target to buy gifts for the kids. They also hosted two separate parties where each special needs child and their siblings were given a gift.
Nursing – Southwest Branch donated 1,092 diapers to the Lydia House, a homeless shelter in Omaha.
Nursing – Mountain West and Advanced Practice volunteered at the Food Bank for the 3rd year in a row to sort food in their warehouse. The Food Bank depends on volunteers in order to keep their doors open. “It has been a great experience for our teams, it is an honor to give back to the community and help an organization that greatly impacts the less fortunate,” said one member of this team.
FocusOne has adopted the same family, originally found through the Visiting Nurses Association, with nine children (ages 1 year-17 years) for the last several years.
Rehab Therapy and Speech Divisions volunteered at the Open Door Mission/Timberlake Outreach Center. Rory Audino, branch manager of Rehab Therapy, said the following about his experience at the Open Door Mission, “Once we arrived there we were immediately inspired to do what we could to help. After meeting with Mary (the volunteer coordinator) we learned how important their services are to those in need. Every night, approximately 2,000 men, women and children in Omaha are homeless. Each day, Open Door Mission provides 400 men, women and children in Omaha with safe shelter beds. They serve more than 1,700 hot, nutritious meals daily, and provide preventive measures to more than 250 families who are living in poverty.
Our first task was to compile 300 sack meals for the overnight visitors they expected. Through the efforts of the entire group, we were able to quickly accomplish this and move on to helping set up for dinner. I was really impressed to see how quickly the team broke up and started helping out. Everyone pitched in however possible, from mopping the kitchen floors to serving dinner.
I think I can speak for the entire group and say that we definitely saw first hand how our actions affected those around us. Interacting with everyone at the center provided a great opportunity to really see what this time of year was about. Before the afternoon was over, we were already talking about when we could help out again.”
Cardiopulmonary volunteered their time at the Stephen Center. The Stephen Center partners with the community, families, and individuals to overcome homelessness, addiction, and poverty. The Stephen Center works with the homeless to find quality housing, provides several programs for addiction including Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, and helps to get the children residents to school.
The group provided a chili lunch for over 40 residents and collected non-perishable food items, clothing, toilet paper, and coffee for the addiction groups. They had over 3 SUV loads of donated clothes and supplies. A local grocery store also provided a grocery cart of donated food.
A member of the Cardio team said, “We all took a great appreciation away from the day. We were all able to speak to several of the residents about why they are staying at the shelter. One three-year-old boy and his mother were waiting for housing. The three year old was a ball of energy all morning and was busy entertaining us all day. Another resident, who helped us wash every dish in the Center, is a Vietnam Vet who was a truck driver for over 25 years. He was going to be moving into housing soon, and was excited to get a small apartment.”
Nursing – California and Midwest Branches helped a family that is in town because their 6-year-old boy is being treated for Chronic Ideopathic Intestinal Pseudo Obstruction. Big words to say that his intestines and stomach did not function at birth. This boy came to Omaha in March 2009 to be evaluated for a small bowel transplant. He has had 26 surgeries since being born and received his first transplant on April 1, 2009 in Omaha. The boy’s mother and two older sisters have been by his side from the beginning of this difficult journey.
The California and Midwest Branches from the Nursing Division heard of this story and wanted to help! They raised over $400 dollars and received a $50 gift card donation from the Amazing Pizza Machine. The branches came together and purchased personal items that not only the child wanted, but also what his sisters and mother would have liked.
Words cannot express the emotions felt upon arrival to deliver the gifts. It was brought to the group’s attention that the boy was given six more months to live. One AurElf said, “When meeting this child, it was hard to believe that he had gone through as much as was told to us. His spirit was uplifting, he was full of personality, and made us all laugh. His mother said this was the first Christmas in 6 years that she is able to spend with all 3 of her children together. A bittersweet Christmas!”
Thank you, AurElves!!