Community Corner: Marian hospital gives and receives

click to enlarge Community Corner: Marian hospital gives and receives
PHOTO COURTESY OF MARIAN REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
BEANIES FOR BABIES: Members of Bonita 4-H recently donated a basket of hand-loomed knit beanies for newborns. Volunteers in another program are making “angel gowns” for babies who don’t make it home from the hospital.

The philanthropic spirit is alive and well over at Marian Regional Medical Center.

Throughout the month of July, the Marian Foundation received two grants totaling $250,000 from the Weingart Foundation and the Hutton Parker Foundation in support of the new family medicine residency program.

“It is extremely gratifying to know that the importance of Marian’s transformation to a teaching hospital for family medicine residents in collaboration with the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine is validated by these two generous foundations,” Stephanie Grogan, vice president of philanthropy, said in a press release.

The hospital also received a basket of hand-loomed knit caps in varying sizes and colors for the infants at Marian’s Maternal and Newborn Center from members of Bonita 4-H. Over the years, Sonya Morris, a teacher at Arellanes Junior High School, has been encouraging her students to give back to the community by knitting small caps for the babies in the hospital.

Morris also shared her idea with the children in her sons’ 4-H group. 

“It seems like what we did helps out the community, and it feels nice to give back,” Max Morris said in a press release.

Additionally, the hospital is offering comfort to families who have suffered the devastating loss of a newborn through a community volunteer program called Angel Gowns for Dignity that transforms donated wedding dresses into special, handmade gowns for babies who never make it home from the hospital. These “angel gowns” are gifted to grieving families for final photographs or burial.

Since the program’s inception in April, women from across the Central Coast have been reaching out to donate their wedding dresses and to volunteer their seamstress skills. To date, more than 20 seamstresses are donating their time to sew the angel gowns, and more than 100 wedding dresses have been donated.

 

Managing Editor Amy Asman compiled this week’s Community Corner. Information should be sent to the Sun via mail, email, or fax.

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