Our Commitment to Health
Aisles of Smiles
Smiles abounded Labor Day weekend 2006 when Winn-Dixie and partner Acosta Sales and Marketing announced a donation of more than $350,000 to the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) during the annual Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon.
The money was raised through customer, Associate and vendor donations to the nationally recognized Aisles of Smiles program. Winn-Dixie partnered with Acosta Sales and Marketing to implement Aisles of Smiles in stores throughout Winn-Dixie’s operating area. From July 26 and through August 29, 2006, customers were invited to donate $1 at the check out aisle, and in return, they received an Aisles of Smiles mobile, which they could sign and have displayed in the store or take home. All proceeds directly benefited the MDA and Jerry’s Kids.
This is the first year Winn-Dixie and Acosta Sales and Marketing partnered to offer the program, and it turned out to be a very rewarding experience for everyone involved.
Muscular Dystrophy is a group of progressive neuromuscular diseases that destroy muscle tissue and affects 250,000 Americans – mostly children and teens. The MDA funds research programs, provides comprehensive medical and community services, and far-reaching professional and public health education. Comedian Jerry Lewis has helped lead the fight against Muscular Dystrophy for more than 40 years. For more information about muscular dystrophy, please visit www.mdausa.org.
Winn-Dixie and Acosta Sales and Marketing would like to extend a big thank you to everyone who contributed in making this program such a success!
American Cancer Society Winn-Dixie Hope Lodges
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Home Away From Home" for Cancer Patients and Their Families
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In 1984, Winn-Dixie and the American Cancer Society (ACS) teamed up to create a special "home away from home" lodge for cancer patients and their families traveling away from home during outpatient treatments.
From this original concept, three such Hope Lodges have been built where patients and family members may stay at no cost in a nurturing home-like residential environment. The first ACS/Winn-Dixie Hope Lodge opened its doors near Shands Medical Center in Gainesville, Florida, in June 1986. ACS/Winn-Dixie Hope Lodges opened in Miami in 1992 and in Atlanta in 1998.
The story of the Hope Lodges is a story of volunteers working together to achieve a wonderful goal. When the ACS approached Winn-Dixie to fund the idea, we went to our associates and pledged that the Winn-Dixie Stores Foundation would match their contributions dollar for dollar. Our associates came through, and the result is a special place where patients and their families can relax on their own or share their experiences with other patients and their families instead of checking into a lonely hotel room.
In 1987, President Ronald Reagan recognized the Hope Lodge program by awarding Winn-Dixie and our associates the Presidential Award for Private Sector Initiatives.
Each ACS/Winn-Dixie Hope Lodge is located near a cancer outpatient treatment facility. Patients and their families are admitted at no charge on a first-come, first-served basis according to the treatment start date.
A patient may bring one family member or friend, and children may bring two adults. All ages are welcome. Each Hope Lodge has individual suites, plus communal areas including a dining and kitchen area.
Volunteers provide many Hope Lodge services to assist the resident manager and assistants on staff. Operating costs are paid from contributions to the ACS or to the individual facility.
For information on how to apply for admission and other Hope Lodge policies, ask your outpatient treatment center in the Gainesville, Miami or Orlando areas, or your local ACS chapter.
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The ACS/Winn-Dixie Hope Lodge in Gainesville opened its doors in June of 1986. It has been filled to capacity with a waiting list ever since.
The land on which the Gainesville Hope Lodge sits within walking distance of Shands Medical Center and was donated by the University of Florida at a cost of $1 per year for 40 years.
To build the original 30-suite Lodge, we went to our Winn-Dixie associates and told them the Winn-Dixie Foundation would match their pledges. This spirited volunteer effort raised $1 million to get the project under way. With 45 suites and two single rooms, today, the Gainesville Hope Lodge features an expanded dining area and additional kitchens among its facilities. Each of the guest suites includes a sitting room, bedroom and bath.
At a White House ceremony in 1987, President Ronald Reagan awarded Winn-Dixie the Presidential Award for Private Sector Initiatives for its efforts in supporting the Gainesville Lodge.
The Gainesville Lodge provides lodging for ambulatory outpatients for cancer treatment, who each may bring one caregiver. Services and facilities on site include a food pantry, support groups, free parking, transportation to hospitals, a kitchen, laundry facilities, an equipped playground, and handicapped access.
The Lodge is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Check-ins are scheduled Monday through Friday on a first-come, first-served basis at the start of the actual outpatient treatment. The minimum stay is three nights, and pre-registration is required.
Hospitals served include Shands (University of Florida), Alachua General Hospital, and the North Florida Regional VA. Referrals are made by Columbia North Florida Regional Medical Center, and the Gainesville Veterans Administrative Hospital. (Note: No referrals by physicians are necessary. We interview potential residents at the pre-registration process.)
For detailed information on the Gainesville Hope Lodge, contact the American Cancer Society's Winn-Dixie Hope Lodge, 2121 SW 16th Street, Gainesville, FL 32608. Telephone (352) 338-0601, Fax (352) 378-7792.
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The ACS/Winn-Dixie Hope Lodge in Miami was dedicated December 5, 1992, after a successful fundraising campaign and construction effort spurred by $1 million in donations by Winn-Dixie associates whose pledges were matched dollar for dollar by the Winn-Dixie Foundation.
In addition to providing 30 suites for lodging, the Miami Hope Lodge has a day care center which offers a respite for those who have to wait long periods of time between diagnostic, consultative and treatment appointments. The Lodge also has education and support programs for area cancer center outpatients and their families. A conference and training center is designed to accommodate one-on-one as well as group training and support.
Facilities and services at the Miami Hope Lodge include a food pantry, playroom, free parking, a kitchen, equipped laundry, and handicapped access.
The Lodge is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Check-ins are scheduled Monday through Thursday on a first-come, first-served basis at the start of the actual outpatient treatment. The minimum stay is three nights.
All South Florida hospitals are served by the Lodge, with referrals from physicians and hospital personnel.
For detailed information on the Miami Hope Lodge, contact the American Cancer Society's Winn-Dixie Hope Lodge Center, 1121 N.W. 14th Street, Miami, FL 33136. Telephone (305) 547-2210, Fax (305) 547-4187.