Front-line workers have already given so much. But Cambridge hospital workers are also giving to the food bank

It's been 20 months of challenges for hospital workers because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recently, teams from various departments at Cambridge Memorial Hospital took on yet another challenge: They battled to collect the most items for the food bank.

And it was a big success. The recent food drive at the hospital collected more than 2,000 food and personal care items and raised more than $4,000 for the Cambridge Self-Help Food Bank.

Two teams tied for first place: the diabetes education program and the environmental services department.

 "Besides the fact that it is a really cool trophy," the supervisor in environmental services, which is responsible for cleaning all areas of the hospital, said her team was motivated to give back to the community.

"Our department has played a really large role in protecting the hospital and also the community," Sheryl Edward said. "It's just so important to make sure that we can pay this forward and take this opportunity to give back because it has really been a tough time for everybody."

Nancy Easton said in her team's line of work, they know the importance of food to a person's body.

"Hunger knows no boundaries and hunger can happen to anyone at any time, anywhere," the member of the diabetes education program said.

Easton added the program is "a very small team" and "sometimes we feel nobody even knows we exist. So to have our name on a coveted trophy like this one is so uplifting."

Both Edward and Easton said they were OK with their teams tying for first place this year — a second trophy had to be made — as they both earn bragging rights. 

But Easton said they're also making plans to take the title next year.

"We've decided in [the] diabetes [program] that we're going to build a trophy case because this is one of many for us," she said.

LISTEN | Cambridge Memorial Hospital workers collect items for the food bank.