Donated essential medical and school supplies to benefit School Nurse Program and Holland Public Schools Students
HOLLAND, Mich., Aug. 20, 2024 — Holland Hospital and Life EMS Ambulance are teaming up to host the first-ever Stuff the Ambulance event on Tuesday, August 27 at Holland Hospital. The community is invited to donate essential medical and school supplies to benefit Holland Hospital’s School Nurse Program and Holland Public Schools students.
The goal is to collect various items to help support the School Nurse Program, including essential medical supplies such as band-aids, gauze wraps, cotton balls, and more. Additionally, education-related items such as backpacks, pencils, notebooks, crayons, tissues, and hand sanitizer will be accepted to ensure that students have the necessary tools to succeed in the classroom and maintain good health.
“We are excited to partner with Life EMS for this unique event,” Patti VanDort, CEO at Holland Hospital. “By working together, we can significantly impact the lives of local students while addressing the critical need for School Nurses and the importance of equipping them for a successful school year.”
Having a direct impact on the health of students across Lakeshore communities, the School Nurse Program provides onsite medical support, including prevention, chronic disease management, and referrals. From daily medication administration to treating playground bumps and bruises, the school nurses care for the physical, emotional, and social needs of over 13,000 students.
“Life EMS Ambulance is proud to support Holland Hospital and the community in this important initiative,” said Mark Meijer, founder and president of Life EMS Ambulance. “We encourage everyone to come out and help us fill the ambulance with supplies that will make a difference in the lives of many area students.”
Established in 1998, Holland Hospital’s School Nurse program has worked to improve the health and well-being of students K-12 in 29 schools within the greater Holland area. During the 22-23 school year, Holland Hospital’s school nurses had over 39,000 encounters with students, administered 21,852 medications, and performed 5,086 procedures such as urine catheterization, blood glucose monitoring, and g-tube feedings.
“School Nurses are trusted providers that meet the physical and emotional needs of students,” said Hendrina Cupery manager of Holland Hospital’s School Nurse Program. “They are the bridge between home, school and provider and are often the first medical professional that a student sees. Being entrusted with students' health needs is an honor and one we do not take for granted.”
Employees from both Holland Hospital and Life EMS Ambulance are leading the charge by generously donating school and medical supplies to kickstart the event. To show their commitment to the community and its students, staff members and volunteers have filled donation boxes with essential supplies which will be loaded into the ambulance at the beginning of the event. Their hope is to inspire the community to join the effort and help make a positive impact on the lives of West Michigan students.
The community is invited to donate items during the Stuff the Ambulance event, taking place in Visitor Lot 1 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Holland Hospital, located at 602 Michigan Ave in Holland. Monetary donations also will be accepted online and on-site, which will directly benefit the School Nurse Program.
Learn more about the event, supplies being accepted and how to donate at hollandhospital.org/events. Join the conversation online using #StuffTheAmbulance.