WASHINGTON – Howard University Hospital participated in The Stafford Foundation’s 2015 “Give Before You Get” Volunteer Day on Dec. 12. The day was filled with gift giving and self-esteem building.

The “Give Before You Get” (GBYG) initiative partners with organizations in and around the D.C. area to provide individuals in the city’s homeless and at-risk populations with the opportunity to take part in the season of giving by lending a helping hand. At Howard University Hospital, dozens of volunteers who obtain services at area homeless shelters presented gifts to hospital patients.

According to The Stafford Foundation, there are nearly 8,000 homeless persons living in the Washington-metropolitan area. The population includes military veterans suffering from mental illnesses, women and children escaping  abusive partners and people with limited English abilities looking to make a better life.

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For more information on The Stafford Foundation, please visit thestaffordfoundation.org. Connect with on Twitter @staffordfnd. #GBYG #DoingGood

For media inquiries, contact Sholnn Freeman, sholnn.freeman@howard.edu.

This post originally appeared on Howard University’s Health Sciences website.