THE Downtown Surrey Business Improvement Association (DSBIA) has designed a rapid response program to help struggling restaurant businesses in its region at the same time saying thank you to the employees working long hours at Surrey Memorial Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We wanted to acknowledge the incredible work being done by hundreds of employees at Surrey Memorial Hospital,” said DSBIA CEO Elizabeth Model on Wednesday. “Surrey Memorial is the second largest hospital in the province, with the Canada’s busiest Emergency Department. We know that the hundreds of employees of the hospital; doctors, nurses, office staff, cleaning crews, clerks, respiratory therapists are working extremely long hours under very stressful conditions. Buying a meal for one of these incredible employees is a small way of saying thanks for their dedication to care provision.”
The meals will be purchased from participating restaurants in the hospital district, thereby supporting the struggling local businesses as well as thanking the hospital staff. “As a business organization we are searching for ways to support our businesses in a tangible way in this unprecedented time,” said Model. “So far we have four restaurants in the area surrounding the hospital who are set up for delivery, operate seven days a week and are committed to longer hours in order to service nighttime and early morning workers.”
Jane Adams, President and CEO of the Surrey Hospital Foundation, said the Foundation will administer the program and noted that the outpouring of support shown to the Surrey Memorial team is indicative of the love the city has for its hospital. She said: “Health care workers are a precious and finite resource. Hospitalized COVID 19 patients need supportive care delivered by highly specialized teams. It’s heart-warming to see how quickly both the DSBIA and our neighbours in the food and restaurant business jumped at the chance to help our front-line people.”
The Downtown Surrey BIA is hoping that more nearby restaurants will register their interest in participating with Yolanda.Bouwman@fraserhealth.ca and individuals and organizations who want to say thank you to the hardworking staff keeping the hospital running will visit the Foundation’s website at www.surreyhospitalfoundation.com and make a donation to the COVID 19 Response Fund. Just twenty dollars will purchase meals for two workers.
For more information about the Downtown Surrey BIA visit: www.downtownsurreybia.com. For more information about the Surrey Hospital Foundation visit: www.surreyhospitalfoundation.com.
