Acts of Humankindness

These are the Acts of Humankindness that bring our mission to life.

Join us in honoring our true heroes, those whose selfless acts touch hearts and inspire change. Discover the heartwarming and inspiring stories of our Acts of Humankindness winners, individuals whose kindness knows no bounds. Let their stories fill your heart with hope and warmth. Let's applaud the everyday heroes making the world a better place together. Join the movement of compassion and be part of the magic.  

	Dave Bohander Dave has worked at the St. Leonard campus in Centerville, Ohio for 39 years. As a member of the dietary team, he serves Memory Care residents. One nominator wrote, “I don't know what we would do without Dave. He knows all of the residents and their dietary needs, greets each senior by their name, and makes sure each of them has a pleasant dining experience at every single meal.” Additionally, the activities team noted how valuable Dave is for always having the dining room clean and ready for afternoon events, in addition to ensuring there are snacks and refreshments readily available for aides so they may serve residents at any time of day. “When Dave is on duty, the staff knows that mealtime will be an easy part of their day. We couldn't do our jobs half as well without Dave’s caring attitude.”
	Tina Braun Tina is a housekeeper at The Gardens of St. Francis in Oregon, Ohio. She does the cleaning for our Assistant Living residents and “does an amazing job,” according to her nominator. Among those seniors is a fairly new resident who is introverted and seldom leaves his room, despite much encouragement from multiple team members to participate in activities, have meals in the dining room, and otherwise enjoy the many amenities of this beautiful campus. Tina noticed that this resident had been declining and not eating as much recently. Therefore, she took it upon herself to spend her lunch break with the resident whenever he ate his lunch. Because of this one-to-one care, the resident has formed a special trust and relationship with Tina, and his overall health and mood have improved! Tina's actions towards this particular resident is a powerful example of how humankindness improves the care we provide.
	Shirl Felder “You could write an entire BOOK on all of the ways Shirl acts with kindness,” wrote her nominator. As a social worker at Providence Care Center in Sandusky, Ohio, Shirl takes a genuine interest in each resident, getting to know them and the personal dynamics in their lives. She is never too busy to speak with residents and families, and also always willing to assist co-workers as an excellent resource. Additionally, Shirl is said to be the “voice of comfort and reason” for staff during difficult times, such as when an employee is mourning the loss of a resident with whom they had grown particularly close. That colleague wrote, “She gave me time and space to express my grief when I felt like I wasn't able to. I will never forget how important that moment was to me.” Moreover, Shirl is well-respected by everyone as a fearless leader, problem-solver, ardent supporter, and “the glue that keeps our campus together.”
	Jayme Fronk Jayme, STNA, along with Heidi, Director of Mission Integration – both members of The Gardens of St. Francis in Oregon, Ohio – collaborated to take one of their Skilled Nursing residents to see her summer home on Lake Erie. The resident dearly missed her lovely lakeside home, as well as her neighbors and friends. Heidi and Jayme did this kind act on their day off, no less; they knew it would make a significant difference to the resident and her family, and so they found a way to make it happen! The trip brought the resident so much joy, as well as to Heidi and Jayme, who continually look for key moments that a little extra humankindness can turn into lasting effects.
	Jeff Harp At Providence Care Center in Sandusky, Ohio, Jeff has built a reputation among those who know him as the helper with all things – from assisting residents with how to work their TV remotes … to making sure his campus’ residents have exactly what they need inside their rooms by making repairs and offering them instructions. The culmination of his efforts help to make our residents feel comfortable and well cared for. Wrote his nominator, “Jeff is an amazing maintenance person and he is always kind to everyone.” He is equally attentive to each of the residents, promptly completes their maintenance requests, and also takes great pride in making sure the environment for residents is safe and mechanics are in good working order. Residents and staff describe Jeff as caring, punctual, dependable, kind, and accountable.

About CommonSpirit Health

As one of the nation's largest nonprofit systems, CommonSpirit Health now has more than 2,200 care sites and 140 hospitals in 24 states. We serve some of the most diverse communities across the nation and in each location, humankindness leads the way.