Volunteers donate morale-boosting gifts, letters to coronavirus ICU medical staff

A small group of Houston volunteers has started a movement to get helpful supplies delivered to the hospital staffers who are working on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.

The long shifts can be grueling for nurses in the ICU, so one Houston mom is seeing to it that simple helpful items and friendly notes are delivered to those nurses to help boost their morale.

Keri Henry has worked with several nurses to create a wish list of items that hospital staff in the ICU would love to have.

“Anywhere from gum to mints to protein bars and shakes they’re not eating,” said Henry. “They’re not drinking during these long shifts, and they’re scared to take off all their PPE.”

She’s created an Amazon Wish List of all the items the staff at Houston Methodist would love to have but you might not think of like compression socks, gel soles for their shoes, and chapstick.

And now members of the community have been purchasing those items from the list, allowing them to get shipped straight to Henry who then teams up with a nurse educator at Methodist to deliver the supplies.

“She is distributing all of these items that I’m collecting to three different COVID ICU units,” said Henry. “I have items on a list here: anti-fog solution. If you can find that on Amazon, that would be great to send to anyone collecting. Phone cleaning wipes, reusable cloth bags. They need stuff to put their clothes in. So that’s where the trash bags and the zip lock comes into play. And this liquid IV hydration since they’re not drinking their water in the day.”

Those who donate have been writing encouraging notes to the hospital staff which Henry has been including in the donations.

“They’re boosting morale,” said Henry. “I’m giving the notes that you can include through your Amazon purchase. I’m giving those notes into the drop-off, and it just makes them feel so great.”

Henry says anyone can create an Amazo wish list to help the staff at your local hospital, or you are welcome to use the list she’s compiled, and she will deliver what you purchase to the hospital staff.