Addressing basic needs is core to AdventHealth’s promise to help people feel whole.
At UChicago Medicine AdventHealth Bolingbrook, one way this commitment comes to life is through a micro pantry, a 24/7 resource placed outside the emergency room that provides nonperishable food and essential items to about 200 patients and neighbors each week.
Cecille Truver, the hospital’s director of imaging, patient transport and volunteer services, highlights this initiative as a vital lifeline.
“When people leave the ER during the day or at night, sometimes they aren’t able to visit the grocery store,” she said.
For Truver, the pantry is more than meeting a critical gap. It’s a tribute to her heritage and her parents, whom she watched feed people experiencing homelessness in the Chicagoland area.
A community partnership
While a micro pantry has existed at the Bolingbrook hospital in the past, Truver realized it needed a revamp. Inspired by a local library model, she and her husband, Tom Truver, connected with the Silmon family, the pantry’s builders. Sharing a similar faith-based mission, the Silmons volunteered their time and talents to construct a new, durable structure for the hospital.
“This is a beautiful example of partnering with the community to extend our mission,” said Mike Nunn, chief operating officer at UChicago Medicine AdventHealth Bolingbrook. “This pantry is a blessing to many in need and a visible reminder that our mission doesn’t end at our doors.”
A shared commitment
The initiative is supported by AdventHealth team members and local donors. Each week, various units across the facility take turns to ensure the resource is clean and well-stocked.
“It’s heartwarming to see our community care for each other,” Cecille Truver said.
Rebecca Davis, the hospital’s clinical chaplain manager, oversees the pantry.
“AdventHealth’s mission is to extend the healing ministry of Christ, who understood the interconnectedness of physical, mental and spiritual well-being,” she said. “Supporting this work means caring for the whole person.”
A lasting impact
Truver has spent 37 years at AdventHealth and contributed to the opening of the hospital in 2004.
Her husband, who is retired, now volunteers at the facility and participates in a local feeding program. Together, they continue to make a meaningful impact.
“This work is not just about health care,” shared Truver, “It’s about family, community and faith.”
Ama Akoto-Boateng is senior corporate communications specialist at AdventHealth.