550 St. Mary's Health Care Workers Will Get A Free Valentine's Meal, On Gene Epstein

NEWTOWN, PA — Gene Epstein's normally-upbeat granddaughter has been feeling down recently when they talk on the phone. She's a registered nurse, and her job has not gotten any easier over the past two years.

"Our big concern is that we see nurses leaving their practice that they’ve loved because of the traumatic experiences that they’re having daily, with COVID patients dying," Epstein told Patch in a phone interview.

That's why he wanted to show health care workers how important their work, and happiness, is to their communities.

Epstein, a retired car dealer who is known for his constant and creative gifts to community members, will be paying for meals for all 24 hours of Valentine's Day at St. Mary Medical Center on Monday.

Some 550 health care workers will be able to enjoy a "special" meal at the on-site restaurant, courtesy of the Gene and Marlene Epstein Humanitarian Fund. He said they plan to decorate with flyers, banners, and balloons for a festive atmosphere.

"I wanted to express the community’s appreciation for them, and to do something so that they feel that somebody really cares and acknowledges what they’ve been through," he said.

His granddaughter has been sick with COVID-19 twice during the pandemic, due to caring for patients with the virus.

"That just beat her up physically — and then on top of that [she's] getting depressed, going back to work and knowing there’s no good outcomes happening," he explained.

Earlier in the pandemic, Epstein was also moved to act and help health care workers. He called the CEO of Home Depot and got 450 N95 masks for hospital workers, as well as 300 Hazmat suits and face shields. (One of numerous charitable initiatives by his foundation in the past two years alone).

He said health care workers have told him that, at the start of the pandemic, many people around them also seemed moved to help and show their gratitude. But there haven't been too many free meals in the most recent surge: just a lot of struggle.

“Things hit me emotionally that I have to do something — because I’m here, not doing anything and not being productive," he said. "In six weeks I’m going to be 83. I can’t stop."

Epstein's giving spirit was cultivated when he was young by his parents and grandparents — who, although "really poor," always directed their energy and extra funds toward helping others.

He wants to inspire people in the same way.

"Hopefully somebody picks up the lead in a different community and says hey, I want to do this at my hospital," he said. "That’s the importance of what you do."

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