Thursday, May 7, 2020

CareCardsforCoronaCaregivers: $1500 Raised and Matched by Local Dairy Queen for Gift Cards for Workers at Holy Name Medical Center in New Jersey

CareCardsforCoronaCaregivers would like to thank everyone that donated to the program as over $1500 has been raised for  workers at Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck NJ so that they can be thanked for their service with Dairy Queen gift cards. We are also very happy to announce that the Dairy Queen of Emerson, NJ has matched the raise by donating $1500 worth of cards. In addition, each worker will also receive an additional token of appreciation with a Ben's Bell's #BeKind coin. 

With a donation to #CareCardsforCoronaCaregivers healthcare, maintenance, food, administrative and other workers at Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck, which was at the epicenter of the pandemic in Bergen County, NJ will  receive a gift card as a means of saying "thank you." We are also happy to announce that the workers will also be receiving a #BeKind Kindness Coin by Ben's Bells. Ben's Bells is a National Organization headquartered in Arizona, with a regional studio in Bethel, Connecticut. The mission of Ben's Bells is to teach individuals and communities about the positive impacts of intentional kindness and to inspire people to practice kindness as a way of life. 


Dairy Queen gift cards  were selected as the cards to disseminate. It was not long before Toni Plantamura-Rossi owner of Dairy Queen of Emerson, which has been in existence in Bergen County since 1952, offered to help with the donation of another $1500 worth of cards. Toni states, "I was very happy to hear from Lisa Bermudez, who is part of this program. We have been wanting to do something worthwhile for first responders and this seemed a perfect fit. I am donating because it’s the right thing to do. Being a former police officer I understand the stress of being in a first responder capacity, but I can only imagine the stress and chaotic conditions that these  courageous people work under EVERY day that they go to work. It really is remarkable. Thank God there are people in life who choose a career where they run into the line of fire as opposed to the majority of people who choose to run away from danger. It’s inspiring." 

Lisa Bermudez, an advocates of the Ben's Bells program,  is donating the Ben's Bells coins. She said, "When I saw the CCCG program, I thought to myself, these workers need to know how much we all appreciate them. These Kindness Coins are something my family has used to thank many people that have shown us extraordinary kindness and it is an initiative especially dear to my heart. Including a Ben's Bells Kindness Coin along with their gift card seemed like the perfect combination. My hope is that the coins give workers something tangible to remind them how much we appreciate all their hard work and sacrifice. I am so grateful that Kindness Coins are now a part of the #CareCardsforCoronaCaregivers mission to thank and support frontline workers. Kindness: Something so basic, easy to do and something our world needs so desperately, especially now." 


Suzanne Ordas Curry, founder of the program states, "I just can't believe the generosity of people. It is true, the helpers come out during times of crisis. I was thrilled to see monetary donations coming, so happy to get a call from Lisa about the donation of  Ben's Bells coins and just amazed to hear that Toni Plantamura-Rossi of Emerson Dairy Queen was going to donate $1500 worth of cards. In addition, I got calls from two women in my town who were packaging up some other useful items for the workers that we will also bring to Holy Name Medical Center.

Below is the link to donate to Holy Name Hospital which is at the epicenter of the fight. 

Holy Name Medical Center
 - Teaneck: https://www.holyname.org/help/ - Use hashtag #CareCardsforCoronaCaregivers in NOTES box by Recurring donations (but don't check that off). 

Suzanne adds, "If you want to donate to other hospitals, consider a donation to their foundation." Go to their websites, and click on donate. You can specify that you would like it to be used to support staff, for gift cards or anywhere it is needed most." 

 For more information on Ben's Bells: 

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