Monroe County Hospital Nominated for National Charitable Award Jackson Healthcare recently announced Monroe County Hospital's Thanksgiving Meal in a bag program as an official nominee for the 2010 Hospital Charitable Service Awards. According to awards chairman, Charles R. Evans, FACHE, the Hospital Charitable Service Awards seeks to find, reward an share stories of hospital that consistently push beyond their core mission of providing essential healthcare services and generously give back to the communities they serve. "The work done by Monroe County Hospital through its Thanksgiving Meal in a bag program epitomized the spirit of these awards," said Evans. Hospital programs applied based upon five criteria areas: community impact, innovation, collaboration, transferability and best practice. "Not all applicants were accepted," said Evans. "To be considered a nominee, applicants must meet at least one of the criteria areas." According to the official application, the Thanksgiving Meal in a bag program was initiated in 2008 by Monroe County Hospital in Monroeville, Alabama, as a way to provide a Thanksgiving meal to the sick and needy in the community. In the first year, 150 families were provided with a meal, and the goal this year is to provide 200 meals. The program is made possible by generous donations from hospital employees and community members. "We are very proud of our Thanksgiving Meal in a bag program, said Kim Sheffield, public relations director at Monroe County Hospital. "We may be a small hospital, but we have a big heart, and we're honored to be among the nominees for the Hospital Charitable Services Awards.