Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital Auxiliary presented the hospital with a donation in the amount of $11,000, the proceeds from their annual Light of Love fundraiser.

For the past 35 years, the Light of Love at Emory Saint Joseph’s has raised thousands of dollars through the sale of Christmas lights purchased by community members and employees in honor or memory of loved ones. The lights are placed on the holiday tree in the main lobby, and the Light of Love honorees designate all proceeds from the fundraiser to be used at Emory Saint Joseph’s.

“Every Christmas, we honor our volunteers as they host our holiday celebrations. In addition to fundraising, our volunteers support the hospital with their hours of volunteer service. The projects they choose to fund are very connected to their personal experience as patients or family members and their support of the Mission of the Sisters of Mercy,” says Allison Hager, Director of Guest and Volunteer Services at Emory Saint Joseph’s.

This year’s Light of Love honorees were Donna Nilsen, Director of Food and Nutrition Services and her staff. Nilsen designated the Auxiliary’s generous donation to purchase new equipment for nutritionists and expand food services to maximize the efficiency of care offered for patients and families.

Proceeds from this holiday tradition in previous years have been used to purchase equipment, renovate the hospital’s chapel and enhance campus amenities for patients and staff.

The Emory Saint Joseph’s Auxiliary is composed of more than 300 volunteers who donate their time and fundraising efforts for the benefit of patients, families and staff at Emory Saint Joseph’s. Since its founding in 1951, Auxiliary volunteers have carried on the mission and traditions of the hospital with more than a million service hours and have supported the hospital with donations of more than $6 million dollars.