Hospital and Community Partners Donate Gift Cards for Groceries and Other Essentials to COVID-19 Patients in Need

University Hospitals (UH) Rainbow Center for Women & Children, in Cleveland, and Medworks, a non-profit that provides access to free medical care for vulnerable populations living in northeast Ohio, partnered with Dave’s Market, also in Cleveland, to assist local families affected by COVID-19. UH Rainbow Center distributed Dave’s Market gift cards worth $2,750 to patients' families in need of food and other essential items.

Within days of the first cases of COVID-19 and initial stay-at-home orders in Ohio, the UH Rainbow Connects program began proactive outreach to patients’ families to assess their social needs. Along with the gift cards, families received healthy-diet grocery lists and nutritional recipes.

Patients and families also received access to UH’s team of registered dietitians for individualized counseling and education related to diet, food budgets and other nutrition incentive programs. These strategies equipped families with information and resources to stretch limited food dollars during this unprecedented time.

The Medworks Unconditional Care COVID-19 Relief Fund also provided restaurant meals and fresh produce to UH staff in honor of their hard work and dedication to fighting the virus.