VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Student volunteers with Operation Smile are visiting local hospitals to deliver donated meals to doctors and other hospital workers -- including maintenance and custodial staff -- who are battling the coronavirus pandemic.
The new pilot program is called "Serving Smiles" and on Thursday saw Operation Smile student volunteers delivering nearly a hundred lunch meals to employees at Bon Secours DePaul Medical Center in Norfolk and Sentara Princess Anne Hospital in Virginia Beach.
During each delivery, students practiced safety and social distancing.
"We are supporting local restaurants by purchasing dozens of meals. We are supporting hospital employees by offering them those meals," said Operation Smile co-founder and president Kathy Magee in a news release. “We’ve already donated thousands of masks, gloves and gowns to area hospitals. 'Serving Smiles' is just another way for us to support our community and to say, 'Thank you.'”
"I want to step up and lend a hand," said 16-year-old student volunteer Xander Zimmerman, who helped deliver lunches to Bon Secours DePaul Medical Center. "This is a way to show appreciation because every kind gesture matters."
The non-profit organization is collecting donations for the program with the goal of purchasing and delivering free lunches to area hospitals on a weekly basis.
If you're interested in donating to the Serving Smiles program, please visit the Operation Smiles website.
