South Shore Medical Center Made a Difference in 2018

Throughout the year, South Shore Medical Center (SSMC) colleagues demonstrated their generosity, both of time and of giving, to our surrounding communities through our outreach efforts. As we approach a new year, it is a good time to reflect on the many ways both the patients and staff of SSMC collectively supported our local community during 2018.

Volunteering in the Community

In February, SSMC colleagues volunteered for a day with the South Shore Stars, assisting in the setup of a new Early Head Start (EHS) facility in Randolph, MA. Stars is a non-profit organization providing the highest quality early education and youth development programs for over 1200 children and their families, across local communities. EHS programs provide intensive comprehensive child development and family support services to pregnant women and low-income infants and toddlers, and their families.

In May, a group of volunteers spent the day at The Hope Floats Wellness and Bereavement Center in Kingston—spring cleaning, gardening, and painting.  Hope Floats is an organization whose mission is to help people cope with loss or other life challenges, support their healing, and nurture their physical and emotional well-being.

In July, a group of volunteers worked hard weeding and doing yard work at Magical Moon Foundation Farm in Marshfield. Magical Moon’s mission is to create a positive journey for very sick children by focusing on living, surviving, and empowering them to use their inner strengths to build a positive mental outlook and create happy outcomes through community projects.

Another group of volunteers spent the day at Carolina Hill in Marshfield in November, cleaning, painting, and sprucing up. Carolina Hill is a transitional shelter for homeless families. They provide a safe haven, support and guidance as homeless families strive to rebuild independent lives. To further benefit this wonderful organization, volunteers from SSMC dedicated over 10 hours to wrapping gifts at Barnes & Noble in Hingham during this holiday season.

Educating the Community

Throughout the year, representatives from SSMC visited various communities and organizations throughout the South Shore, providing health, wellness, and diabetes prevention seminars and preventative health screenings. Clinical health and wellness experts delivered guidance and education through health fair participation and presentations—for the South Shore Plaza and Hanover Mall Walkers programs; for 55+ residential communities like Fairing Way in Weymouth and Oak Point in Middleboro; for the Milton Council on Aging and the Whipple Senior Center in Weymouth; for the Brazilian community in Weymouth; and through participation at the annual Health & Wellness and Senior Health Fairs, at the South Shore YMCA.

Active in the Community

In March, SSMC participated in the 27th annual Walk for Hospice to benefit Hospice of the South Shore. In May, a small group attended the Love of Literacy event in honor of South Shore Stars. South Shore Medical Center served as a proud sponsor of the annual Walk with Friends in June, which benefits the Friendship Home. In September, a team from SSMC participated in the NephCure Greater Boston Walk/5K in Hingham and raised over $1,100 to support the research for a cure for kidney disease, in honor of Dr. Warhaftig’s son Andrew.

South Shore Medical Center’s 3rd annual Family Field Day & Fall Festival took place in October, drawing over 450 participants from the community, and donations made to the “Dunk a Doc” in the dunk tank, helped benefit South Shore Health’s Youth Health Connection.

In November, South Shore Medical Center partnered with 24HrPower.com to bring a recovery GraffitiFest to Norwell—helping to unite artists in recovery, their families, and the larger community. District Attorney Tim Cruz took part in the event.

In December, SSMC’s Community Liaison Carol Trombetta, hosted sessions focused on guiding patients in getting their personal affairs (and personal affairs of loved ones) in order using the What If…Workbook©, by Gwen W. Morgan.

Giving Back to the Community

An additional note of thanks to our patients, providers and staff who gave generously to our donation drives in 2018.

Pajama Drive

In February and March SSMC collected new pajamas in support of the 11th Annual PJ Drive, presented by the Boston Bruins in partnership with Cradles to Crayons® to provide new pajamas to children in need. SSMC was awarded an autographed Boston Bruins souvenir hockey puck, for being one of the top contributing organizations.

Pet Supply Donation Drive

In June SSMC donated blankets, pet beds, food bowls, toys, cat scratching poles, treats, and 200 tennis balls to the Massachusetts Humane Society.

Halloween Costume Drive

This October, SSMC collected Halloween costumes to benefit South Shore children in need. Over 20 large bags of costumes were donated to Interfaith Social Services in Quincy.

Annual Garden Harvest

SSMC’s community garden produced another abundant harvest this year. Weekly deliveries of fresh produce were made to Carolina Hill in Marshfield.

Candy Donation Drive

In early November, colleagues collected 10 bags of Halloween candy and donated to CarePacks, a local organization dedicated to sending care packages to U.S. troops, to benefit servicemen and servicewomen overseas.

Toys for Tots Donation Drive

Thanks to the generosity of patients and colleagues this holiday season, SSMC collected several large boxes of unwrapped toys to benefit the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots campaign.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this impressive display of caring and community support.

South Shore Medical Center looks forward to another year of giving back in 2019, and hope you continue to join us in our efforts to make a difference!