Champion of Philanthropy: Mala Singh Inspires Colleagues to Give Back

Mala Singh greets everyone she comes across with a smile. She asks them how they are doing and even hugs some before they part.

As a Dining Services Aide at MetroHealth, she talks to many people every day. Whether she is working as a cashier, serving drinks at Park Side Café in The Glick Center, or providing catering at meetings throughout the hospital, she treats everyone with kindness.

“I perform an act of kindness every day,” Mala said. “It feels good.”

Her warmth and affection toward others are the reasons why Mala is a Champion of Philanthropy.

During the We Give Metro Employee Giving Campaign last year, the Office of Strategic Philanthropy had set up a table in The Glick Center to provide information to employees and encourage them to give back in support of the health system.

Mala approached the table one day and doubled her per-paycheck contribution. She didn’t stop there. She talked to her coworkers about the good they could do by giving back a small portion of their earnings.

“She was our cheerleader, not just by giving on her own, but by encouraging others to give back as well,” said Kellie Mayle, Philanthropy Officer of Annual Giving and Stewardship, who was at the donation table the day Mala approached. “We had several people sign up that day, and it was because of Mala. Her story inspired them to give.”

Though many see her efforts as going above and beyond, Mala says it’s just who she is.

Raised in Guyana, a country on the northern coast of South America, Mala said she grew up in a philanthropic family, with a mother who was always cooking and sharing food with the neighbors. Mala also does a lot of charity work through her church.

Mala recognizes the importance of giving back because she has needed help herself. She once had trouble paying her bills, and the MetroHealth Employee Hardship Fund provided temporary assistance until she was able to catch up. The fund helped more than 200 employees last year.

She told her coworkers that they might be in a position at some point to need help from the Employee Hardship Fund.

“I encourage people to give. You never know who is struggling out there,” Mala said. “You don’t have to give a lot. A little thank-you or a nice word. You give what you can afford.”

While The MetroHealth Foundation sends out communications to employees about the opportunities for employees to give, there’s nothing like an endorsement from their peers, Kellie said.

Every dollar adds up. Last year, 750 employees donated more than $730,000, she said. That figure is important when you consider that MetroHealth provides $1 million in charity care every day, and the public safety net hospital receives less than 2% of its operating budget from taxpayers in Cuyahoga County, Kellie added.

Mala is of the belief that the more you give, the better, because it comes back to you in some way.

“I don’t have a lot, but I still share a little,” she said, adding that she also tries to be nice at work, even when she’s having a bad day.

“You don’t know what people go through every day. Sometimes they share their stories, and I tell them I will keep them in my prayers,” Mala said. Sometimes a stranger’s story will make her cry.

Mala is grateful to MetroHealth Chef Steve McGowan for hiring her a decade ago and welcoming her to his catering team. She still counts her blessings every day and loves her job.

Mala had the opportunity to meet Dr. Christine Alexander‑Rager, MetroHealth President and CEO – a moment she is deeply proud of. A photograph of the two captures the warmth, gratitude and shared commitment to service that define Mala’s impact across the organization.

“My father always told me, ‘Life is like a disco. No matter if the music stops, you keep on dancing,” she said.

For more information, please contact Greg Sanders, Vice President of Philanthropy, at 440-592-1319 or gsanders@metrohealth.org.