Published: February 13, 2010 10:14 pm      

Loving their neighbors

Area churches providing food for family members of Hamilton patients

About 35 area churches are making a difference for family members of Hamilton Medical Center patients. Church members regularly take food and other items to Hamilton through the Love Thy Neighbor program.

“It’s amazing to see how selfless the people in these churches are,” says Ashley Hasty, Hamilton patient advocate. “And they always come with smiles on their faces.”

Most of the churches bring food — sandwiches and other snacks — on a regular schedule between Monday and Friday. Some also bring items like magazines, toothbrushes, toothpaste and coloring books. Church members either drop off the donations or they go in and deliver the food to family members. Some members have prayed with guests when requested.

When food is dropped off, Hamilton patient advocates put together baskets of food and take them to people who are visiting a loved one.

“We see a lot of people who are going through tough challenges,” says Teresa Williams, patient advocate. “Some of them have told us they wouldn’t have been able to eat while their family member was in the hospital if it wasn’t for the Love Thy Neighbor program.”

Jennifer Mantooth, who works in Hamilton’s laboratory, started the program about six years ago. “At that time, I was working in Surgical Services, and I would have a lot of interaction with patients’ family members,” says Mantooth. “A lot of them didn’t want to leave the waiting room area — even to go to the cafeteria — because they might miss talking with the doctor.”

Mantooth says she talked to some people at her church, Salem Baptist Church in Dalton, and they decided to help feed the family members. She also sent letters to other local churches to see if they would be willing to help.

“It took a life of its own,” says Mantooth. “Family members or friends who received food would go back and tell their churches, and they would get involved.”

In addition to churches, the Whitfield County Association Educational Office Professionals and individuals have donated to the program. According to Williams, about 800 meals per month are provided through the Love Thy Neighbor program. “It’s great that people have stepped up to support this ministry,” she says. “It means a lot to the people who receive a meal.”

“The churches tell us they get a big response from the Love Thy Neighbor program,” says Hasty. “They get thank you cards and some people have gone to the churches to thank them. Seeing God’s love through it all is great. God provides.”

Frances Boyd works with the program through her church, Mount Vernon United Methodist Church. She says her church provides about 50 meals a month for the program. “People are so thankful,” she says. “We’ve received many cards from people who have received food. It’s such a blessing for us to see how people appreciate it. But we receive much more than we give.”