Earl Barish, President, Salisbury House, with St. Boniface Hospital Foundation’s Kate Yacula (at left) and Lisa Thomson Stifora (at right).
March 20, 2023
After a long shift, a Nip Platter really hits the spot.
St. Boniface Hospital staff and health-care heroes on the front lines will enjoy hot meals thanks to the generosity of their co-workers, donors, and a beloved Winnipeg institution.
Last year’s Salisbury House Pay It Forward campaign wrapped up in November. By then, 520 “Sals” gift cards worth $25 each had been purchased thanks to donations made online and at the popular Winnipeg restaurant chain’s locations.
During that period Salisbury House also donated $7 directly to charity partner St. Boniface Hospital Foundation with every gift card purchase made for staff, and $3 with every item on a special Pay It Forward menu. Salisbury House started the Pay It Forward program for Manitoba charities in 2020 during the pandemic.
Earl Barish, President of Salisbury House, called the program a true win-win-win for all involved.
“I was intrigued by the Pay It Forward concept. It encompassed the thought of doing something to help someone else,” said Barish. “Both parties were happy, the donor and the recipient,” he added.
“We all felt so helpless during the early months of COVID-19 and since then. Hospital staff were overworked helping patients back to recovery. People wanted to show their appreciation to essential workers and didn’t know how best to do that,” said Barish.
“The Pay It Forward initiative provided an opportunity to show that appreciation through purchases and donations. It became a meaningful way for Manitobans to say thank you and for our health-care heroes to feel appreciated.”
Tawnya Hughes, Michael Kuzbyt, and Berlene Villanueva are among Hospital staff who’ve received “Sals” gift cards.
Over the next several months, thanks to Sals and Foundation donors, Hospital staff will “pay it forward” by nominating their super co-workers to each receive $100 in Sals gift cards! The program has been a great morale booster at St. B.
Already, more than a dozen winners have been chosen including workers from Housekeeping Services, Cardiology, Social Work, Medicine, Property Management, and Patient Registration Services, among many other departments.
Heartfelt thanks to Salisbury House for their continued commitment to the St. Boniface community.