While visiting her aunt at Middlesex Hospital last year, Middletown’s Mercy High School junior Leanne Brooks noted the limited availability of magazines for patients and visitors. She did something about it.
Within weeks, she had organized a regular donation of magazines to Middlesex Hospital. Called the Magazine Team, Brooks’ team of churches and volunteers collect used and unwanted magazines from donors and affix labels to them with encouraging messages. The magazines are then made available to patients and visitors who need a welcome bit of distraction from their hospital visit.
To date, Leanne has contributed more than 25 hours to the program, another 100 hours of volunteer service and collected and distributed more than 3,000 magazines.
Type of service: Magazine collection for Middlesex Hospital
Connecticut employees (or volunteers): 1 (self)
Headquarters: Higganum
Top executive: Leanne Brooks
Nomination category: Social entrepreneur of the year
