Carilion Cares, I Care: Make a Difference Where It Matters to You

Sometimes, making a difference starts with helping someone through a hard day.

That could mean helping a fellow employee with an unexpected expense, giving a patient’s family a place to stay, or bringing comfort to someone during a hospital stay.

With our annual employee giving campaign―Carilion Cares, I Care―you can do just that.

The campaign runs Oct. 1-31. With over 60 funds to choose from, you can give to the causes that mean the most to you.

Webb Burns, vice president of Business Development, has been giving for 15 years. Among the several funds he supports is the Employee Emergency Fund, which helps employees facing unexpected financial needs.

“Life throws things at you sometimes. Life can be unpredictable,” Webb said.

Webb once learned that his donation helped an employee pay for heat during a difficult time.

“There was a woman who had an unexpected crisis of some kind, and I later learned that my donation went to help her with propane or gas to keep her house warm,” he said.

For Shanna Flowers, director of Volunteer and Guest Services, giving is another way to care for our patients and families. Shanna has given for 13 years and supports the Volunteer and Guest Services Fund.

Part of the fund helps provide hotel stays for families while a loved one is in the hospital.

“I know when I am donating to this program, we are helping our patients and our patients’ family members,” Shanna said.

She remembers a patient preparing for heart surgery who knew his wife would have a place to stay while he received care.

“He said, ‘I knew going into that surgery, my surgery, that my wife was taken care of.' So that was one less burden for him to think about. And he was undergoing heart surgery,” Shanna said.

Dr. Mark Greenawald, vice chair for Academic Affairs, Well-being, and Professional Development in the Department of Family and Community Medicine, has also been giving for 15 years. He supports the Dr. Robert L. A. Keeley Healing Arts Program, which uses the arts to bring comfort to patients and families.

“An artist who comes in on the pediatric floor is able to help comfort families in a different way when they are undergoing a time of incredible stress,” he said.

With more than 60 funds available, you can choose where your gift goes and support an area that matters to you.

Dr. Greenawald’s advice for anyone considering giving is simple:

“Start small and just start giving. The difference is with us.”

Carilion Cares, I Care runs Oct. 1-31.

To make a donation, visit the Carilion Cares, I Care page on the Foundation's hub. You can donate by payroll deduction, credit card, or check. Donate $52 or more ($2 per pay period) to receive a long sleeve Carilion Cares t-shirt (while supplies last)!