AU Health accepting donations for #OurAUHeroes in 2021

The news of vaccines for COVID-19 has been a welcome one indeed, and Augusta University Health continues the process of vaccinating employees and members of the community who qualify during Georgia’s Phase 1A. At the same time, the virus continues to present a challenge for hard-working health care providers, as it has since last spring.

Augusta University Medical Center received hundreds of generous donations of food and other gifts throughout 2020, and the new year presents another opportunity to give.

“All the staff in the Medical Intensive Care Unit — nurses, physicians, RTs, EVS — see the food as an acknowledgement and appreciation of the work they are doing for the community in this difficult time,” said Sarah Clay, nurse manager for the MICU. “Whether full meals or snacks, they are extremely grateful and always send a ‘thank you.’”

Leigh Stanford, assistant nurse manager for the Surgical and Shock Trauma Intensive Care Unit, added, “Growing up, when someone was sick or grieving, we took them a meal. It took me getting older to realize the food wasn’t the important part — what was important was the sentiment behind the reason for giving it. When the community has given food or supplies or gift cards or any other donation, it is very much appreciated. It is a tangible reminder that when there are no words to make the situation better, people care and want to offer their support.”

Learn all the ways to donate on our How to Help guide. Find guidelines and contact information below if you are interested in donating.

We appreciate any individual or restaurant interested in sponsoring a meal for our AU Healthcare Heroes.  When AU Medical Center receives donated food, appropriate precautions must be in place to ensure the safety of all involved.

• Please note, we are only able to accept food donated from a restaurant/caterer/food company that is monitored by local health inspectors and has passed a health inspection in the last 12 months.
• We request that all meal donations be scheduled in advance to ensure we can notify the receiving department in a timely manner and arrange a safe delivery with appropriate social distancing closest to the receiving department’s location.
• For more information, call Regina Winters with the Center for Patients and Families at 617-512-6469 or 706-721-7802.

Donations of pre-packaged snacks and beverages for the AU Health employees who are working tirelessly on the front line of the pandemic are greatly appreciated and will be accepted on a case-by-case basis depending on the type of donation and the identified need. Please note that all food items must be in an unopened and pre-packaged container purchased from a store.

• Recommended snacks/drink items include: individually wrapped granola bars, energy/protein bars, trail mix, snack cakes, chips, snack mixes, energy drinks, bottled waters, etc.
• Anyone interested in making a snack or beverage donation is encouraged to complete the in-kind donation form.
• Once the form has been received, the donor will be contacted regarding next steps and donation delivery.
• Anyone interested in making an in-kind food/beverage donation can email Vanessa White with the Office of Volunteer Services & Community Engagement or call 706-721-9802 or 617-512-6469.

Please note: We ask that all donation drop-offs be pre-scheduled to ensure an appropriate schedule for safe delivery. Once scheduled, non-medical donations should be dropped off between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday-Friday at the Augusta University Student Center on the Health Sciences Campus, 1488 Laney-Walker Blvd.