The Service League of Greenville, Inc. is proud of its 78 years of service to the Vidant Medical Center (formerly Pitt General and Pitt County Memorial Hospital), city of Greenville, and eastern North Carolina communities. Our mission is to promote interest among its members in the social, economic, cultural and civic conditions of the community.

Established in 1938 by a group of women operating a Thrift Shop, one of their first projects of The Service League of Greenville was funding beds for needy patients
at Pitt General Hospital on Johnston Street and Woodlawn Avenue. This project became the forerunner of the current Laughinghouse Hospital Fund.

Each year, over 600 uninsured Pitt County residents without medical assistance, are referred by the hospital or doctors to the Laughinghouse Hospital Fund for payment of prescription medications. We hold our annual Laughinghouse Charity Ball to fund this service.

The hospital was re-named Pitt Memorial and moved to west Fifth Street in 1951. At this new location, we opened and operated a coffee shop where our members prepared and served homemade chicken salad, pimiento cheese, and chili for the hot dogs to hospital staff and visitors.

In 1976, with the opening of the new Pitt County Memorial Hospital on Stantonsburg Road and Moye Boulevard, the League turned over the operation of the Coffee Shop to a professional food company that could operate 24 hours a day.  At the same time, we established a Gift Shop and hospitality carts that were pushed through the hospital to serve patients in their rooms.  We also provided funds to furnish the chapel, which our members cleaned.

We are no longer just a service organization. We are a business.  We hold contracts at Vidant Medical Center for the Coffee Shop, the Gift Shop, Snack Carts, all vending services in the hospital and outlying hospital offices, and two Starbucks® Coffee Kiosks. All profits from our hospital operations are donated back to the hospital through The Vidant Medical Center Foundation for capital campaigns, equipment, and designated programs.

The Service League of Greenville is seen as a major benefactor of The Service League of Greenville Interfaith Chapel, The Service League In-Patient Hospice House, and the new James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital. Over $2 million has been donated to the Vidant Children’s Hospital through The Children’s Miracle Network, with $1.5 million pledged to this new facility. In addition, the East Carolina University School of Medicine is awarded a Service League guest lectureship annually.

Through the years, the Service League’s total commitment to Vidant Medical Center (in all its preceding names and location) is approximately $9 million. Our donations help provide the most up-to-date equipment, mainly for pediatric care, to not only enhance the comfort of medical procedures, but with the best, least invasive diagnostic equipment and treatment.

Our service is not limited to the hospital but reaches many citizens of Pitt County. League members in their green or blue smocks are spotted in the community assisting with American Red Cross Bloodmobile drives, delivering food baskets, preparing meals and providing gift bags at The Ronald McDonald House, and delivering layettes to three local agencies.

Each day you will find members manning the reception desks at The Service League In-Patient House and The American Cancer Society McConnell-Raab Hope Lodge. Patients at Vidant Medical Center are treated to holiday tray favors made by our members. Our most visible presence is in the Hospital Gift Shop and hospitality cart through which we provide flowers, gifts, balloons, snack treats, and personal care items to the staff, hospital guests and patients. A second Gift shop was open in the new Vidant Children’s Hospital.

The Service League of Greenville’s contributions and dedication to ensuring quality health care and assistance to individuals, and the community, will have lasting effects on the well-being of those we serve. Our hard work and diligence are inspirational to many. It is possible that someone you know has been touched by our members generosity of time and funds.

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