Mike Rembis of Maui Health delivers turkeys to Brandi Saragosa of Maui Food Bank.

WAILUKU — Maui Health continued its holiday tradition this year by donating over 200 turkeys to the Maui Food Bank.

This marks the sixth consecutive year that Maui Health has supported Maui Food Bank’s efforts to help provide a Thanksgiving meal to Maui County residents in need.

Additionally, last week and every November since 2017, each of Maui Health’s over 1,500 employees on Maui was gifted a turkey by Maui Health’s leadership team to enjoy over the holiday. Lanai Community Hospital employees were gifted a ham. Many staff members chose to donate their own turkey to the Maui Food Bank.

“Our annual turkey distribution has been such an amazing tradition,” said Michael Rembis, Maui Health CEO. “It gives us time and space to express our gratitude and represents a small token of appreciation for our team’s tireless commitment to taking care of our community. We’re able to also extend our compassionate care outside of our hospital walls by partnering with the Maui Food Bank to help feed our community.”

“This year, especially, with the cost of food increasing, we have more families in need than ever,” said Brandi Saragosa, Maui Food Bank director of operations. “We are so grateful for Maui Health’s support each year. This year’s donation of over 2,300 pounds of turkey will help our partner agencies be able to serve hot Thanksgiving meals and help put a turkey on the table for so many families across Maui County.”

In related news, Maui Memorial Medical Center (MMMC) has been nationally recognized with an “A” Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade. MMMC received “A” grades for spring and fall 2022. This national distinction recognizes MMMC’s achievements in protecting patients from preventable harm and error in the hospital.

The Leapfrog Group is a national organization committed to improving health care quality and safety for consumers and purchasers. The Safety Grade assigns an A, B, C, D or F grade to hospitals throughout the country based on their performance in preventing medical errors, infections and other harms among patients in their care.

“I applaud the hospital leadership and workforce for their strong commitment to safety and transparency,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “An ‘A’ Safety Grade is a sign that hospitals are continuously evaluating their performance, so that they can best protect patients. Your hospital team should be extremely proud of their dedication and achievement.”

To see MMMC’s grade details and access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit www.mauihealth.org or HospitalSafetyGrade.org.