Orange organza bags with turkey-shaped candle holders will be delivered to each patient at UPMC St. Margaret on Thanksgiving, in an effort to comfort people spending the holiday away from family.

The effort is spearheaded by St. Margaret Foundation, with President Mary Lee Gannon saying “We want our patients to know that when they are with us, they are with family.”

As covid-19 cases continue to climb across the region, Gannon said safety precautions at the hospital will prohibit more than one visitor.

“It’s difficult to be in the hospital any time but we know many of our patients will be sad on Thanksgiving,” she said. “They’ll be thinking of their families who can’t visit them because of the pandemic.”

The foundation is raising money to deliver the gift bags on Christmas as well. On that holiday, a mercury glass snowflake votive holder with LED candle will be distributed in a green organza bag.

Packages will include a special holiday message.

St. Margaret Foundation was one of 40 groups from around the country recently recognized by Press Ganey with a Leading Innovators Award for programs like this and others that help health care employees and patients during the pandemic.

Press Ganey measures patient satisfaction nationally. St. Margaret Foundation earned one of two awards throughout UPMC.

Donor-supported programs that led to the recognition include paying utility bills for patients and employees in crisis, providing food through a hospital pantry and planting a patient’s patio flower garden on the rehab unit.

Gannon said the foundation purchased seven iPads for the ICU and other units so that patients and families can FaceTime but remain socially distant.

In the spring, nearly 2,000 employees received a $25 gift card from the foundation as a thank you for working on the frontline of the pandemic.

The foundation also offered free hotel rooms to employees exposed to covid-19 and who were concerned about spreading the virus to their families.

Each of the initiatives aims to alleviate the continued toll of covid-19, Gannon said.

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