MDH’s Debra Orton Receives McDonough County Quality of Life Award

MACOMB, Ill. – McDonough District Hospital staff member Debra Orton was nominated and received the Community Quality of Life Award on September 10. The Award was given out by the McDonough County Quality of Life Committee at its annual awards reception, held at the University Union on Western Illinois University’s campus.

Orton, an Office Assistant with MDH Behavioral Health Services and Psychiatry, was nominated by the MDH administration for her work in the community with the Lasagna Love project.

“I was very excited and humbled to receive such an award. Bringing families together, in whatever way we choose, is the ultimate and most beautiful reward for what we do,” said Orton. “Receiving this or any recognition was never expected, but it is very nice to be recognized.”

At the time of the nomination, Orton was the only volunteer in McDonough County working with this organization. The program started in 2020 where volunteers bake a lasagna and leave it with a family who may need the food for a variety of reasons.

She can set her travel distance on where to deliver a lasagna, however, she has accepted additional requests for families who need help and have been waiting on the list. Since joining Lasagna Love, she has delivered beyond her typical 25-mile radius to include: Schuyler, Hancock, Warren, Knox, and Henderson counties, and even delivered to Keokuk.

Orton noted she feeds at least two families a week and delivered to 120 families over the last 18 months.

“We started a new program this year where we asked employees to send in the amount of hours they volunteered in the community and what organizations they worked with. Debra has been consistently sending in her hours every month, many spent with Lasagna Love. I asked her about the organization and the work she does, and she explained all the work she puts in to help families in need,” said Patrick Osterman, Vice President of Business Strategy. “When the Quality of Life Committee asked for nominations for this year’s award, I suggested to administration we should nominate Debra. Everyone agreed, and we are very proud of the work she does at MDH and in the community.”

Once she receives a request from her contact person in the organization, she makes contact with the family within 24 hours, checks for food allergies, preferences, and schedule a date/time for delivery. She’ll ask the recipient if they want it ready to bake or ready to eat. The delivery is contactless, she drops the lasagna off at their door.

“Often times I will make a treat if there are kids in the household, like cookies or cupcakes. This isn’t a requirement, just something I do because I love kiddos,” said Orton. “The requester is supposed to state a reason for their need, but not everyone does. The stories are endless but I have delivered to large families living in a hotel. I had a family ask if I could put meat in their lasagna because they rarely get that luxury, the list goes on.

During last July’s Lasagna Love month, the organization had a goal to feed 10,000 families nationwide in 10 days.

For more information on the organization, go to LasagnaLove.org.