Phoebe’s Gifts from the Heart Gift Shop Continues Its Legacy With $275,000 Donation

Albany, GA | October 22, 2025 – For nearly four decades, Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital’s Gifts from the Heart Gift Shop has embodied community generosity in action. This year, the shop donated $275,000 to the Phoebe Foundation, continuing its long-standing tradition of giving back to support patient care, special projects, and vital improvements across the health system.

Founded in 1987, Gifts from the Heart has grown into a cornerstone of Phoebe’s volunteer network. Gift shop manager Ginger Jenkins works alongside Levator Coleman and Esther Anderson, as well as dedicated volunteers who serve patients, families, and employees each week. Early in its history, the shop’s decision to offer payroll deduction for Phoebe employees helped make it a convenient and consistent way for staff to give back, one purchase at a time.

“Our volunteers are truly the heart and soul of Phoebe Putney’s mission. Phoebe was founded by a group of women who volunteered their time to build a hospital for their community. That same spirit continues today in the gift shop. Every sale, every shift, and every smile from our staff and volunteers reflect the mission to make every life we touch better,” said Parker Douglas, Phoebe Foundation Director.

All profits from the gift shop go to the Phoebe Foundation’s Volunteer Services Fund, which supports a wide range of initiatives. Recent projects include the GEM electric car shuttle that assists patients across campus, and the newly launched Family Care Cart, a bright pink cart filled with snacks and refreshments for families waiting on loved ones throughout the hospital.

“Each year, the profits the gift shop makes go right back into the hospital. Our volunteers and staff work hard to make sure the shop is a welcoming space for everyone, but it’s even more rewarding to know that the money we raise supports such meaningful projects. Every purchase, no matter how small, helps make a difference,” Jenkins said.

Volunteer Services dollars also extend beyond Phoebe’s walls, funding $50,000 annually to the Council on Aging to help build wheelchair ramps for older adults across Southwest Georgia. Those ramps are constructed by a special group of Phoebe volunteers known as The Retired Senior Volunteer (RSVP) Ramp Builders.

This year, funds are also helping support Phoebe’s new Trauma and Critical Care Tower. The Volunteer Services Fund has pledged a major contribution to the campaign, and in honor of those efforts, the main lobby of the tower’s emergency waiting area will be named for Phoebe’s volunteers.

“Naming the emergency waiting lobby for our volunteers is a meaningful way to honor what they represent. They show up for our patients and families during their most vulnerable moments. They are the heartbeat of compassion at Phoebe, and their impact extends to every corner of this hospital,” said Douglas.

From operating the shop each day to raising funds for essential services, Phoebe’s volunteers remain a vital part of the hospital’s success and culture of care.

“The Phoebe Gift Shop represents what community looks like in action. Our volunteers aren’t just helpers; they’re partners in care. Whether it’s assisting a customer, building a ramp, or funding the next major project, their generosity continues to strengthen the connection between Phoebe and the people we serve,” said Juli Bruner, Volunteer Services Coordinator.

With nearly 40 years of giving behind it and more ahead, Gifts from the Heart continues to live up to its name, proving that small acts of kindness can create lasting change across generations.