by
John R. Fischer, Senior Reporter | April 29, 2020
Seven Dallas-Fort Worth Medical City Healthcare hospitals have opened on-site grocery stores to keep healthcare workers safe from contracting the COVID-19 pandemic. (Courtesy Medical City Healthcare)
Seven Dallas-Fort Worth Medical City Healthcare hospitals are working to minimize their employees' exposure to coronavirus with the establishment of miniature, on-site grocery stores, reported Community Impact Newspaper.
“A lot of times the grocery stores are a madhouse, and at times you see people who aren’t social distancing,” said Anya Sears, laboratory services manager at Medical City Lewisville, in a statement. “So for us, it's another way of our facility caring like family for us, as well as keeping us safe so we can keep taking care of patients.”
The stores are located inside Medical City Dallas, Medical City Denton, Medical City Frisco, Medical City Lewisville, Medical City McKinney, Medical City North Hills and Medical City Plano.
Each offers basic items, from produce and bread to meat and dairy products, with employees able to make purchases at cost or by using payroll deductions, according to Medical City Healthcare officials.
“By offering essential groceries, we are able to provide a convenient, safe option for our teams to secure food necessities with ease, allowing them to spend more time with their families,” said Jenifer Tertel, Medical City Healthcare regional vice president of human resources.
The seven hospitals are not alone in their idea. Children’s Medical Center Dallas has
opened up a pop-up 7-Eleven where employees can use their badges to pay for supplies, according to DMagazine. Hancock Regional Hospital in Indiana also took the same initiative and
converted its cafeteria and dining area into a makeshift grocery store for employees, reported Fox59.
Actual brand grocery stores are assisting healthcare workers as well, with places like Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket
offering extended shopping hours to front line workers on Mondays and Tuesdays, reported The Jacksonville Daily Record.
“Our first responders and health care providers are working extra long hours to take care of the community and we want to do our part to take care of them,” said Anthony Hucker, president and CEO of Southeastern Grocers, the parent company of both stores, in a statement.
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