Kaiser Permanente Fresno’s Patient Care Services team hosted a shoe drive for Poverello House in fall 2025, collecting more than 100 new and gently used pairs of shoes for children and adults in need.

Poverello House provides meals, social services, and temporary shelter to unhoused and low-income individuals and families.

Shoe drive coordination efforts were led by Staff Nurse IV Amy Grewal, BSN, RN, MEDSURG-BC, GERO-BC, Med-Surg. Team members and nursing committees like the Nursing Quality Forum embraced the opportunity to give back.

“The idea started as I was driving home one day from work. I saw a homeless person on the corner without shoes. It was summer and 100 degrees,” Grewal said. “I pulled over and gave them my nursing shoes. That’s what we need to do as good humans.”

In fact, Grewal and nursing team members plan to host different donation and outreach drives throughout the year to address ongoing community needs.

“I know what poverty is. I’ve been there and am blessed now with enough,” Grewal said. “This is close to my heart. Poverty doesn’t come once a year – it happens every day. Let’s give.”

During the holiday season, nursing teams collected winter coats and meal boxes with non-perishable food items for Poverello House clients.

“Helping others is a calling. It empowers us, reminding us that we can make a real difference,” said Chief Nurse Executive Wendy Gospodnetich, DNP, MSN, RN, CNS, NE-BC. “It brings fulfillment and connects us — to our patients, our teams, and the communities we serve. There’s something deeply humbling about being part of someone’s journey during their most vulnerable moments. It grounds us in empathy and compassion. Every act of kindness, no matter how small, has the power to change lives.”