When a baby is housed in the Shands Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, something as simple as grabbing dinner gets pushed to the back burner.
Now, local Publix associates are lending a helping hand.
Running from today until March 26, the date of the March of Dimes walk, 13 local Publix store volunteers will provide families of the Shands NICU with hot dinners.
Publix volunteers are either pitching in money of their own or buying the food themselves.
Judy Angley, March of Dimes NICU family support specialist, said there are babies in Shands from all over the state, meaning that their families aren’t exactly close to their own kitchens.
“We know that it’s very, very difficult for families to be away from their homes,” she said. “It’s expensive to have to buy all your food all the time.”
Each of the stores is committing to two nights of providing food that will be served on the second floor of Shands.
Westgate Publix store manager Betty Brunson launched the new program this year.
“There’s so much focus on the babies through March of Dimes,” said Brunson, who has been involved with the March of Dimes for six years. “And you don’t think a lot about the families. We just really wanted to do something for the parents.”
Betsy Trent, the March of Dimes’ North Central Florida executive director, said there will also be an NICU nurse at each of the dinners to provide families with helpful information pertaining to the babies and their conditions.
