LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) – Employees at Mercy Health–St. Rita’s dressed down to help uplift local agencies that make an impact in their communities.
Since 2020, the St. Rita’s Community Cares Summer Initiative has raised money by allowing employees and volunteers to pay to wear jeans instead of their normal work attire on Fridays during the summer months. The Volunteer Outreach Committee selected the Leipsic Community Center, the YWCA of Van Wert County and the United Way of Auglaize County as this year’s beneficiaries. Each organization received $2,000 from the summer campaign.
“Oh, it's a wonderful feeling when you get the feedback that, oh, we were able to do this with the monies that we received. Or, they say, Oh, we've told everyone about what a great organization the volunteers are at St Rita’s,” said Janice Ball, vice president of Outreach for the Volunteer Auxiliary.
This year’s recipients were chosen because they support health and well-being in the outlying communities that Mercy Health serves.
“The two of our partners, Mercy unlimited and Agape Ministries both facilitate backpack programs where they address food poverty for our school age population. So, we'll direct these funds directly to them so that they can supplement those programs with these additional funds,” said Deb Zwez, United Way of Auglaize County.
“We run a shelter for survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking and sexual assault, and this money will be used to purchase supplies for them. So a lot of them will come to our shelter and have absolutely nothing. And so then we rely on donations to then give them any supply that they need to live at the shelter and kind of be independent,” said Jamie Evans, director of Survivor Services for the YWCA of Van Wert County.
“It means a lot to have the support of Mercy Health and to be recognized for everything that we're doing in community. We don't charge for memberships, and we don't charge for most of the use of the building, and we try to provide free or reduced cost programming. So, any little bit goes to help us, like really supporting our mission,” said Amanda Schroeder, executive director of the Leipsic Community Center.
The Volunteer Outreach Committee also held a supply drive to help new mothers and their babies assisted by Heartbeat of Lima.
“So the formula, the diapers, wipes, baby clothing, baby goods that they were able to gather and donate to heartbeat was several months worth of formula and diapers for our organization and to support the families that we provide that extra assistance to in the Lima region,” said Chelsea Sunderland, executive director of Heartbeat of Lima.
Along with funds raised from dress-down days, St. Rita’s administration also contributed to this year’s Community Cares donation.
