Church members spread love through gifts of food

To show appreciation for Bayhealth professionals, Dawn Hastings and her fellow congregation members at House of Praise for All People in Greenwood deliver gifts of food one day every month for Sussex campus emergency department team members.

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare professionals saw a tremendous uptick in generosity from community members giving them everything from discounted services to free lunches. As time went on, donations waned. But Hastings wanted to ensure that healthcare professionals continued to feel seen and loved. In 2022, she asked her pastor, Robert Muncy, and the House of Praise congregation if they had an interest in sharing God’s love across the community through gifts of food. She inspired a heart of giving that’s spanned more than two years and included donations to Milford Police Department, 911 Center in Kent County and multiple nursing units at Bayhealth Sussex.

“For all of us as Christians, it’s important to let people know that God actually sees you,” said Muncy. “No matter how bad your day is, you are seen and loved.”

The church places an announcement about its community blessing project in its regular bulletin, and the congregation responds with generosity. Soups, snack bars, sandwiches, fudge, fruit, and other grab-and-go items are collected to be delivered to the emergency department team.

“Rumor has it that staff have been seen with their noses pressed against the windows waiting for us to come,” said Steve Hastings. “We enjoy seeing how happy the donations make the team.” Church volunteers said they’re always met with a friendly smile from Joan Myer, Bayhealth patient advocate, who has been instrumental over the years in helping coordinate deliveries.

The Bayhealth Foundation team has expressed continued thanks to the House of Praise congregation. “It’s nice to see our team members in the emergency department being cared for in this way by members of our community,” said Lindsay Rhodenbaugh, DMin, Bayhealth Foundation president. “We’re grateful for the generosity of the church’s congregation.”

Dawn says she doesn’t see an end in sight for the donations. “In the ER, the team is coming into contact with patients who may be experiencing their worst day. I can’t do a lot about that, but I can show love and support of the ER team through food,” she said.

The House of Praise for All People welcomes donations from community members, and volunteers will deliver them to Bayhealth Sussex. 

For more information, go to Bayhealth.org/Foundation.