Sunnybrook community finds creative ways to support our front-line staff

May 27, 2020

Ever since the earliest days of Canada’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Sunnybrook’s community has stepped up to support our front-line staff in every way possible. From giving hard-earned money to our COVID-19 response fund, donating PPE or holding virtual fundraisers to benefit Sunnybrook, you have been there for us. We are pleased to highlight some recent acts of generosity from across our community that will help Sunnybrook in the fight against COVID-19.

Community rallies to provide meals and snacks for Sunnybrook staff

Sunnybrook Foundation continues to receive an overwhelming number of offers from the community to help deliver meals to our people while at work. A committee quickly came together with representatives from across the hospital to make sure this effort was coordinated in the safest and most efficient way possible.

Thanks to individuals and businesses across the GTA, we have now delivered a remarkable 6,000 meals to Sunnybrook staff across 140 teams on all three campuses and two sites.

In addition to a steady stream of donations of gift cards and meal deliveries, four businesses have partnered with Sunnybrook to deliver meals on an ongoing basis, ensuring our staff members have a comforting meal to look forward to for the foreseeable future. Those are: Feed the Frontlines Toronto; Cash Money, in partnership with Pulcinella restaurant; Thank You Frontline TO with meals provided by Wayne Gretzky’s Restaurant; and Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) through its Bringing Toronto Back to its Feet program.

Here’s what just a few of our staff members wanted to share:

  • “On behalf of the staff at the Sunnybrook Health Science Centre Neurovascular Unit, I want to thank you for the kindness and thoughtfulness to donate the delicious meals to our unit. We all enjoyed them so much and felt the love and support.” – Florence, Patient Care Manager, Neurovascular Unit
  • “Everyone was extremely touched by your thoughtfulness and generosity. The meals were delicious and much enjoyed!” – Lucy, Project Manager, Holland Centre
  • “Thank you for providing us with a lovely meal to recognize our hard work. We truly appreciate the gesture. The food was great!” – Seema, Nurse, Cardiac Intensive Care Unit
  • “The warm pasta lunch was excellent and was certainly appreciated by our team. This act really reflects the wonderful generosity and support of our communities for front-line health-care workers and everyone who is navigating this challenging time. We appreciate your support and all that you are doing to help brighten the day of the many teams working together to get through this difficult time.” – Carolyn, Manager, Working Condition Program, Holland Centre

On behalf of all our staff, we want to thank our community for coming together to support us through the food donation program. If you would like to donate meals or care packages to our staff while they’re on the front lines, please click here.

Local wine club donates proceeds of delivery program to Sunnybrook’s COVID-19 response

Another terrific recent example of giving back comes from a local wine delivery service. CB Wine Program has found a meaningful way to give back to the community that has continued to support their small business through these difficult times: they are donating 100 per cent of profits from their home delivery wine case sales to Sunnybrook’s COVID-19 Research Response Fund. As of May 15, this initiative has raised an impressive total of $43,000, with more on the way. Cheers to that!

Donor support for Sunnybrook’s COVID-19 research initiatives is coming at a critical time, as our scientists are working around the clock to find a treatment for this virus. Community support for Sunnybrook’s COVID-19 research helps sustain important initiatives aimed at finding new treatments and better understanding how the virus spreads — so we can stop it in its tracks.

Some of Toronto’s best tailors apply their talents to protecting Sunnybrook patients

As many as 30 staff members from the alterations department at Holt Renfrew store locations in the GTA are using their fine skills to create and donate reusable masks to Sunnybrook. So far, they have produced an incredible 12,500 masks for Sunnybrook. The masks will be used for outpatients coming in for urgent appointments, or patients staying at Sunnybrook to facilitate physical distancing while moving inside the hospital.

With a shortage of PPE across Ontario, Canada and the world, cloth mask donations like these are both critically important and deeply appreciated, especially since medical-grade masks must be dedicated to front-line staff.

Thank you

We are humbled by all the meaningful ways our community is showing its support. These acts of kindness truly help keep us going during this challenging time. Thank you to everyone for your support. Together is how we’re going to win.