A tradition of care
46 Years of Thanksgiving Baskets at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart
For nearly half a century, caregivers, volunteers and neighbors across our region have quietly upheld a tradition rooted in the earliest days of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace — feeding local families when times are hard. What began decades ago as Sisters offering meals from the back of the hospital has grown into the Thanksgiving Basket Project, now 46 years strong and powered by an entire community of givers.
Year after year, that generosity makes the remarkable possible.
On November 26, more than 800 families pulled their cars up to the surgery entrance at Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend, where volunteers greeted them with two large bags — one filled with dry goods, one with fresh produce — along with a pie and a bag of potatoes. Caregivers at Cottage Grove Community Medical Center distributed another 45 baskets for families there. In total, 850 full Thanksgiving meals were placed into the hands of people who needed them most.
And for many, it meant the difference between having a holiday meal and going without.
“We were going to have sandwiches,” one recipient stated.
“This brought a sense of normalcy to our family during a bad period of our life.”
“It’s wonderful…especially with me having leukemia and not being able to do as much.”
“My husband has been laid off three times. Hosting Thanksgiving without the cost is amazing.”
“We lost a family member this year. This takes away some of the stress.”
Families told us the baskets fed their children, supported seniors, and in one case helped a widow share a meal with neighbors who had nowhere else to go. Most households served four to six people, with a few feeding ten or more. This year’s recipients included adults (51%), children (32%) and seniors (17%). While 63% had received a basket before, nearly one in four were turning to the program for the first time.
Giving that comes from every corner of PeaceHealth
The Thanksgiving Basket Project is a year-long effort — one that depends on hundreds of helping hands. More than 200 community, corporate and individual donors contributed this year. Departments across PeaceHealth Sacred Heart and the system rallied, raising funds and exceeding their own goals. Several departments — including Surgery/Trauma, inpatient Pharmacy, Behavioral Health Services, OHVI5, Oncology, the Operating Room, Administration, Care Management and Hospitalists — raised more than $1,000 each.
Small gifts made a big impact, too. A cafeteria round-up campaign raised nearly $4,580. Care Management contributed $2,588 through their own fundraiser. Pizza parties, craft fairs, mocktail events and other caregiver-led efforts helped the project reach its $42,500 goal.
Corporate sponsors Avamere and OCCU provided vital support, along with local partners like Bigfoot Beverages, which once again stepped in with trucks and drivers to move hundreds of bags of food.
Behind the scenes: a committee that never stops giving
The Thanksgiving Basket Project is coordinated by a dedicated committee of caregivers and volunteers — a core group of leaders, supported by a wider team of roughly 20 caregivers across many departments. They are the engine behind this annual tradition.
Their work starts long before the holiday season. They manage fundraising efforts, recruit and schedule volunteers, order bags and food, coordinate truck deliveries, track recipient lists, return phone calls and respond to the wide range of needs that surface each year.
On November 25, volunteers assembled box after box of food at RiverBend. The next day, others welcomed families with smiles and helpful hands as meals were placed into waiting vehicles. As Supply Chain manager Tina Noland shared with reporters, the need is high, and the gratitude is real.
Behavioral Health administrative assistant Tina Burch captured it simply in an interview with KEZI:
“To see these families come and pick these baskets up and hear their stories and hugs… it’s an amazing feeling knowing they’re going to be able to sit down and have a Thanksgiving meal together.”
Thank you to every donor, volunteer, caregiver, department, committee member and community partner who helped uphold this long and meaningful tradition. Your compassion nourished households across Eugene, Springfield and Cottage Grove — and helped families gather around full tables with gratitude and dignity.
About PeaceHealth Foundations: PeaceHealth, based in Vancouver, Wash., is a non-profit Catholic health system offering care to communities in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. Since 1890, PeaceHealth has been guided by a Mission of healing and compassion. Today, PeaceHealth Foundations carry forward that legacy — powered by philanthropy and grounded in community. As the philanthropic partner to PeaceHealth’s nine medical centers and more than 160 clinics, we help expand access, advance technology and empower caregivers to provide exceptional and compassionate care. Every gift ensures that outstanding care continues to reach families, friends and neighbors throughout the Northwest. Today, PeaceHealth is the legacy of the founding Sisters and continues with a spirit of respect, stewardship, collaboration and social justice in fulfilling its Mission. Discover the impact of philanthropy at peacehealth.org/foundation.
