The Mission Behind Hospital Gift Shops

What is the current mission of hospital gift shops? For this article store staff described how they support their hospital and their community.

At The Gift Shop at Hammond Henry Hospital in Geneseo, Ill., Julie West related, “Our main mission is to provide gifts for patients and visitors to purchase, but staff members can shop here as well. From our proceeds we can provide assistance for the hospital in regard to patient care. We target our proceeds to go entirely through our auxiliary to purchase hospital equipment or support health education scholarships.”

In Fridley, Minn., Jane Hogie manages three gift shops for the Mercy Hospital Group. She described the gift shop’s mission as “providing a respite from the hospital itself. We’re a small boutique experience within the hospital. When you walk through our doors, we expect it to be homey enough that you forget you’re even in a hospital.”

At the Blessing Hospital Gift

Shop and Tea Room in Quincy, Ill., Sales Associate Justyce Stephenson stressed the fact that the store is “All volunteer run, and we serve more patients and patient visitors than staff. Our goal is to provide items they might like.”

In Whitefish, Mont., at the North Valley Hospital, Gift Shop Manager Phyllis Johannes related, “We support the hospital foundation which supports employees and special projects for the hospital.” ❖