Philanthropic foundation feeds hospital staff

Thanks to a “generous” donation from the Wayne A. Reaud Charitable  Foundation, more than 150 food service, housekeeping and laundry employees of Beaumont Baptist Hospital received “massive” turkeys and three boxes of sides Wednesday, Dec. 22, according to a hospital representative.

“The Reaud Foundation called me yesterday and asked if we could accept delivery of and distribute 200 turkeys and I said, ‘Absolutely.’” Breanne Flowers, Baptist Hospital of Southeast Texas’ director of food service and nutrition, told The Examiner.

Flowers said 60 members of the dietary and food nutrition department and 70 housekeeping employees were delighted to receive the spur-of-the-moment holiday gift - one large enough to serve a famiy of 10.

Beaumont’s Baptist Hospital has “excellent” dietary, environmental services and laundry staff, according to Stephanie Harris, Baptist Hospital spokeswoman.

“These dedicated employees, many of whom have been with us over 20 years, have worked so hard during the COVID pandemic to support the frontline staff,” she said. “The generous donation from the Reaud Foundation was much appreciated, especially during this holiday season. Many of our employees stated “what a blessing this is for our families at Christmas.”

“Our staff that was off, I called all of them and said, ‘Hey, if you come in, you can get you some boxes of food,’” Flowers explained. “So, pretty much my entire staff that wanted turkeys, got turkeys.

“This was a very generous, lovely gift from the Reaud Foundation.” -Baptist Hospital of Southeast Texas Director of Food Service and Nutrition Breanne Flowers