Annual Lights of Love Commemorative Giving Campaign Begins
Lights of Love, an annual Nash UNC Health Care Foundation community event aimed at honoring and celebrating loved ones during the holiday season, is now open and accepting commemorative recognitions through Nov. 18.
“Lights of Love is a tradition that our community participates in to help us all kick off the holiday season,” said Magan Smith, Grants and Annual Giving Coordinator for the Nash UNC Foundation. “This event allows families and members of our community to honor a special friend, family member or coworker while also supporting the hospital’s mission of improving the health and wellbeing of our community.”
Donor participation continues to help the Nash UNC Foundation raise money for different areas of the hospital, including cancer services, women’s services, patient assistance and numerous other projects.
“As the fundraising arm of the hospital, the foundation focuses on addressing social barriers to health and supports programs that focus on improving the health of our patients beyond hospitalization,” said Kathleen Fleming, Director of the Nash UNC Foundation.
Thanks to generous donations from the community, staff and medical staff the Nash UNC Foundation has been able to invest in programs that go beyond the care provided inside the walls of the hospital.
The Community Paramedic Program, Inpatient Food Pantry and Patient Assistance funds allow us to address social determinants of health and provide needed resources to our most vulnerable patients, contributing to reduced readmissions and better health outcomes.
Funds have also supported other programs, such as “I Gave Birth” bracelets for new moms. These medical bracelets serve as a reminder to anyone taking care of a new mom during a medical emergency that they recently gave birth and could be experiencing postpartum complications.
“Dollars raised through the Lights of Love Campaign will be used to provide patient assistance for our most vulnerable patients,” said Fleming. “Patient assistance provides qualifying patients help with things such as rent, transportation, and utility bills so that they can focus on healing.”
Community members can donate to dedicate a light or ornament on the hospital’s Christmas tree, which will be set up on the lawn in front of the main hospital throughout the holiday season.
Names will be published online, and in a special full-page recognition in the Rocky Mount Telegram on Saturday, Dec. 3rd. A ceremony will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 30 at 5:30 p.m. on the hospital’s front lawn (in-front of the main Nash General Hospital entrance) where the official tree lighting and reading of the names of those being honored will take place.
For those who can’t make it in person, it will also be broadcast live on the both the Nash UNC Health Care and Nash UNC Health Care Foundation Facebook pages.
“We want to host a Facebook Live event so that our community members who are unable to participate in person can watch the ceremony live from the comfort of their homes,” said Smith.
There will be a tree on the front lawn of the hospital for those who wish to drive by at a later time, as well as the tree that is normally placed on the roof of the hospital for everyone to see. Both trees will remain displayed throughout the holiday season.
Donations can be made by contacting Magan Smith at Magan.Smith@unchealth.unc.edu or 252-962-8127 or by visiting nashlightsoflove.com
