Pandemic Perseverance: How Our Volunteers are Making an Impact

As we look toward National Volunteer Week 2021, Friends of Strong reflects on a remarkable year of perseverance for our community, and for our volunteers. The pandemic has led to countless changes in our community, and the absence of more than 1,300 smiling volunteers we’re used to seeing in the Med Center is among the most significant. Since COVID-19’s first emerged in our community, Friends of Strong has worked hard to redesign our volunteer program to provide additional training and protocols to safely welcome back our crew of enthusiastic volunteers.

Hospital Gift Shop Unveils New Online Apparel Store

Friends of Strong is pleased to introduce its Hospital Gift Shop’s newest service: an online apparel store—apparel.urmc.edu—featuring an extensive selection of UR Medicine and Strong Memorial Hospital-branded clothing, including sweatshirts, t-shirts, cardigans and more.

Friends of Strong—At the Heart of Protecting Our People

With UR Medicine and Strong Memorial Hospital facing the remarkable public health challenge of vaccinating more than 20,000 of the system’s health care workers against COVID-19, we at Friends of Strong found ourselves among those honored and eager to help rapidly protect our front line staff, and our community.

Small Group of Friends Share Thanks and Appreciation for COVID Nurses at Strong

For some of the hardworking nurses at Strong Memorial Hospital, the holidays are a little brighter thanks to a warm-hearted group of long-time friends informally dubbed “Lovely Rockers,” who hand wrote and adorned nearly 50 thank you notes full of encouragement and appreciation for nurses caring for COVID patients, and enclosed them with gift cards to local businesses totaling $995 in value.

Annual Fundraiser Features An Ever-Growing Pack of Pet Therapy Dogs

Our ever-popular Pet Therapy Dog wall calendar—2021 edition—is now available at the Friends of Strong Gift Shop. Featuring our ever-growing pack of 20 "celebrity" pups who provide uplifting comfort and engagement to patients of all ages, this cute calendar benefits patient- and family-centered care initiatives throughout Strong Memorial Hospital.