For the last 11 months health care workers have been on the front lines of the COVID battle. In our community there are close to 300 men and women who work at Placentia-Linda Hospital (PLH). As part of our effort to love our community and ensure these workers knew how much we appreciated their work, we arranged to have the In-N-Out truck show up at the hospital on a Tuesday night and provide meals and drinks for all the staff. This turned out to be around 200 health care and emergency responders!

The feedback we received from those served and the hospital administrators was so encouraging. Repeatedly they told us how much they appreciate this blessing and recognition. One of our own church members and PLH Chaplain Fred Ouderkerken was there throughout the entire night. Here is a thank you note and his perspective on how this small act of generosity impacted the PLH staff.

“Thank you Fullerton Free for your incredible generosity! On February 16, the church paid for an In-N-Out food truck to come to Placentia-Linda Hospital to bless the nurses and staff. The truck was there from 4:30 – 8pm and was able to serve both the day shift and evening shift. 2020 was a very rough year for the hospital staff with COVID19. When COVID19 first began last year there was a huge outpouring of support for the hospital. Companies and people were donating donuts, lunches, dinners, snacks and all sorts of goodies to encourage these hospital heroes. As time went on those donations began to slow and almost stop. Meanwhile the workload increased and the mental fatigue of caring for so many increased. January was ten-fold what March of 2020 was.

Fullerton Free’s timing of blessing the hospital staff could not have been any better. The gift was immense and it was all in the name of Jesus. The staff was given thank you cards that had handwritten notes, Scripture and a QR code link to a special web page designed just for them where they could request prayer, along with links to our counseling program. I am thankful to be part of a church that desires to bless not just those inside the church, but outside as well. The Double-Double was amazing!”

–Fred Ouderkerken
Placentia-Linda Hospital Chaplain

John Schaefer