With a major hospital located just across the street from our church, we are always looking for opportunities to be good neighbors. Listed below are some of the ways we have attempted to serve the patients, families, and staff at the UVA Health System, along with some exciting partnerships that have developed in the past few years. If you have additional ideas, let us know!
Collection of toys for children’s hospital
Our WMU recently sponsored a toy drive to collect Play-Doh, bubbles, chapter books, and Lego kits to be distributed to kids in the hospital. This collection was a focal point for our 2017 Vacation Bible School, with many of the families participating, and we were able to de
liver hundreds of these toys to the Children’s Hospital.
Touch-A-Truck
One of our most exciting annual activities, Touch-A-Truck is a partnership between UBC and the UVA Children’s Hospital in the Battle Building across the street. Over 1,000 people typically come to this free community event, where they get to climb in, explore, and touch a variety of cars, trucks, and special vehicles. This has been a great way to serve our community together, and it’s a lot of fun!
Cookies and Goodies
Members of our congregation—from our kids to our seniors—provide cookies and other goodies that we regularly place in staff lounges at the Battle Building, an expression of our appreciation for their work and our desire to build a closer relationship.
Wheelchair Bags
At our 2017 Operation Inasmuch day of service, church members sewed wheelchair bags that hospital patients can use to keep track of their belongings.
Car Seat Check
On September 23, 2016, UBC partnered with the UVA Hospital to host a free car seat check for families in our community.
Providing a Space for Support Groups
Several support groups have met at UBC in recent months, including groups from the Emily Couric Cancer Center. We are pleased to be able to offer a warm and friendly environment for these groups to meet, conveniently located yet also removed from the medical setting.
Ronald McDonald House and Hospitality House
Our relationship with both the Ronald McDonald House and the UVA Hospitality House extends back many years. We have regularly engaged in service projects such as painting, gardening and yardwork, cooking meals, and collecting kitchen supplies and other necessities.