MADISON, WI – A grassroots effort by SSM Health employees raised more than $8,375 to help feed the hungry in Wisconsin. Together, employees created and designed a cookbook featuring family favorite, taste-tested recipes.
Entitled Memorable Meals, the cookbook features more than 100 recipes, stories about the dishes and photographs of the many caregivers who submitted them. The collection of recipes, which celebrate the diversity of our teams, includes foods from around the world from countries such as Colombia, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway and Venezuela. Many of the recipes have been handed down through the generations.
Inspired by SSM Health’s ongoing commitment to improving access to healthy meals for those who are food insecure, the cookbook was also an opportunity to engage our caregivers coming out of the isolation of the pandemic.
“We wanted to celebrate the rich diversity and cultural heritage of our caregivers,” says SSM Health’s Kathryn Scott, a senior communications consultant who came up with the idea for the project. “Food has such power to bring people together and it gave us an opportunity to raise awareness of the many people in Wisconsin who go hungry each night.”
Scott enlisted the support of colleagues Rebecca Bordner, Erica Mathis, Stacey Wendt-Kaisler and Shari Wrezinski for the project, and with the blessing of executive leaders, the Memorable Meals cookbook became a reality.
To date the team has sold more than 800 cookbooks and they continue to be available in the SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital – Madison gift shop for a minimum $10 donation.
“The recipes are terrific and the touching stories our employees shared about their heritage just strengthened our appreciation for the value that diversity brings to our organization,” says Sue Anderson, Wisconsin Regional President for SSM Health. “We couldn’t be prouder of this grassroots effort that has connected so many people and raised awareness about food insecurity.”
All donations raised through the cookbook sales will benefit seven food pantries across Dane, Fond du Lac, Green, Rock and Sauk Counties.
