SPIRE Credit Union is partnering with champion wrestler Gable Steveson to collect new shoes and clothing for patients at Regions Hospital. Donations can be dropped off at any SPIRE location, and collected items will be given to patients in need at Regions.
"I'm so excited to work with SPIRE to help every Regions patient get the shoes and clothing they need," said Steveson, a SPIRE member who won a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and two national wrestling titles with the University of Minnesota. "Some people come into the hospital in crisis. We want to make sure they leave in comfort and dignity."
Regions Hospital often treats patients whose clothes and belongings are damaged due to their injuries or the urgent care that is provided. The hospital also treats patients who are unhoused or have limited resources and may not have proper clothing for extreme weather conditions. The emergency center treats more than 250 people a day and serves a diverse and vulnerable population. Forty-seven percent of Regions patients are non-white and 75 percent are uninsured or covered by government sponsored insurance.
"We're honored to partner with SPIRE and Gable to meet the needs of our community," Jen Moberg, director of the Regions Hospital emergency department, said. "The ability to provide basic clothing needs to patients experiencing crisis is a foundational aspect of care and respect. Thank you for thinking of the Regions Level 1 trauma center."
The most needed items this time of year are tennis shoes, slip-on shoes, sweatpants and sweatshirts, T-shirts, socks, and other basics. The hospital provides these items to patients at no cost.
SPIRE is a proud partner of Regions Hospital. In 2022, the credit union pledged to donate $200,000 over an eight-year period to Regions Hospital Foundation. SPIRE also purchases monthly meals for health care workers and staff at the hospital and has helped supply the paramedic lounge with grab-and-go snacks and other items.
"The work that Regions does is incredibly important to Minnesota," said Dan Stoltz, SPIRE President/CEO and Regions Hospital Foundation board member. "They support people not only in the Twin Cities but across the state during some of the worst moments of their lives. SPIRE is in the business of improving lives, and Regions shares that mission with us."
Donations can be dropped off at any SPIRE location during regular branch hours during the month of June.
About Regions Hospital
Regions Hospital is part of HealthPartners, the largest consumer-governed, non-profit health care organization in the nation with a mission to improve health and well-being in partnership with members, patients and the community. Regions Hospital is a Level 1 Trauma Center serving adults and children in Minnesota and western Wisconsin for 150 years. As a private, non-profit teaching hospital, Regions Hospital provides outstanding care in neurosciences, heart surgery, cardiology, oncology, emergency care, burn care, orthopedic care, mental illness and more. For more information, visit regionshospital.com.