Madison Hospital employees donate 111 sacks of groceries to Bags of Blessings

MADISON – More than 100 families can sit down to a complete, homecooked meal on Thanksgiving Day because of sharing by employees of Madison Hospital.

Employees donated food to fill 111 grocery sacks for Bags of Blessing, an initiative with Friends Inc. to assist local families who have a family member who has been diagnosed with a serious illness or disability. Bags of Blessings provides a Thanksgiving meal for each family, along with support and comfort during the holiday season.

“My friend, Linda Killian with Seniors Prefer Homecare, contacted me several years ago wanting to know if we would participate in Bags of Blessings. I immediately said, ‘Yes,’” Mary Lynn Wright, Madison Hospital President, said. “We have collected for Bags of Blessings now for several years. Our employees are so supportive.”

Friends, Inc. in Huntsville supports a variety of charitable causes. Jan Brewer has served as Executive Director of Friends, Inc. since 2003.

“Mary Lynne Wright’s connection with Jan Brewer, who oversees Friends, Inc., helped introduce us to Bags of Blessings. Through this relationship, we learned more about the program’s impact and were inspired to support a charity that directly benefits families within our community,” Kristina Poleretzky said.

Poleretzky, who works as Patient Access Operations Manager for registration, strongly advocates for Bags to Blessings at Madison Hospital. Betty Madison, Executive Assistant to Wright, volunteers as the hospital’s coordinator.

Bags of Blessings accepts specific items to include in each Thanksgiving meal bag. “Their goal is to provide every family with a complete and consistent holiday meal,” Poleretzky said.

“Employees can donate full bags or items to put towards a bag. We contribute $10 cash for each bag to purchase a turkey,” Poleretzky said.

Each meal bag includes two cans of green beans; two cans, corn; one family- size box, macaroni and cheese; one box, stovetop stuffing; one can, cranberry sauce; one can, sweet potatoes; one box, cake mix with icing; and $10 donation for a turkey.

Depending on the supermarket, these items average about $12.50 per bag (excluding cash donation), Poleretzky said.

Friends, Inc. identifies families to receive Bags of Blessings and works with several organizations that notify them when families are experiencing hardship or in need of support.

This year, a hospital representative asked Friends, Inc. if employees could assist with delivering bags to families. “Friends, Inc. always needs volunteers, not only for this initiative but for various other programs,” Poleretzky said.

Opportunities can include transportation support, assistance with errands, emotional support or friendly visits. “If you are interested in volunteering, you can apply online to explore available opportunities,” Poleretzky said.

“This initiative is truly a team effort across the entire hospital. I strive to encourage participation because there is something incredibly meaningful about helping provide families with a warm Thanksgiving meal to enjoy with their loved ones,” Poleretzky said.

“While I value all charitable programs we support, Bags of Blessings is one of my favorites,” Poleretzky said. In 2025, Poleretzky’s registration team donated 55 bags of the hospital’s total of 111.

“I’m especially proud of my registration team. They go above and beyond every year, consistently exceeding our previous goals,” Poleretzky said. “I could not be more proud of their dedication and generosity.”

For more information, call Jan Brewer with Friends, Inc. at 256-5344079, email Friends@FriendsInc.net or visit friendsinc.net.