HSFL was recently honored and helped win the Veterans Affairs National Spirit Award for the Baltimore VA Center. This award, the American Spirit Award for Excellence in the Youth Volunteer category, is given by the Department of Veterans Affairs to recognize highly successful volunteer recruitment initiatives in the student recruitment category.
At the height of the pandemic, High Schoolers for Front Liners was able to contribute to the VA Handmade Mask for Heroes program, donating over 3,000 masks within a few months. According to the Maryland VA, they became “one of the primary sewing groups to complete masks that were distributed to veteran patients and non-clinical staff, allowing the health care system to save personal protective equipment (PPE) for clinical use and stretch resources.”
Susan Kern, program manager for Voluntary Service at the VA Maryland Health Care System, explains that “when we look back at the spring of 2020, masks were scarce, so many of our veteran patients were especially grateful to receive a handmade mask that they could take with them for their daily use.”
She continues, “Groups such as this allowed us to serve our veteran patients in a unique and necessary way. Their enthusiasm and hard work yielded a tremendous number of cloth masks for distribution to our patients and non-clinical employees, which truly made a difference during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
HSFL is thrilled to have been able to support and provide for the Baltimore VA Center’s veterans and staff. We have always been motivated to help those who need it the most and have been inspired to take action when necessary. It is no doubt that during the pandemic when supply lines were struggling, collective action was needed to support hospitals and front liners. HSFL will continue to support the VA.
In recent months, though the VA Center no longer requires cotton masks, HSFL has been involved in new programs such as making heart pillows, lap ropes, and even writing letters to veterans. Thank you for the amazing opportunity and a huge congratulations to the Baltimore VA!
Media References:
1. https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswire/pr_newswire_health/va-maryland-health-care-system-recognized-with-the-american-spirit-award-for-excellence-in-the/article_d18f1830-a579-5ff3-a023-35bbae133788.html
2.https://www.prweb.com/releases/va_maryland_health_care_system_recognized_with_the_american_spirit_award_for_excellence_in_the_youth_volunteer_category/prweb18000766.htm
3. https://20thcvetsmem.org/va-maryland-health-care-system-honored-with-american-spirit-award-for-excellence-in-the-young-volunteer-category/
Written by Allison Moon
June 5th, 2021