Spirit of Children Surpasses Milestone $1 Million in Donations to Children’s Hospital of New Jersey
NEWARK, NJ (March 5, 2024) – The Spirit of Children Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Spirit Halloween, presented a generous donation of $102,010 to the Child Life program at Children's Hospital of New Jersey at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. The Spirit of Children Foundation has now surpassed $1 million in donations and ongoing support to the Child Life Department at Children’s Hospital of New Jersey.
Over the past 14 years the Spirit of Children Foundation has now donated a grand total of $1,073,472 in support of the hospital’s Child Life program.
“This milestone reinforces the Spirit of Children Foundation’s tremendous support for Children’s Hospital of New Jersey and their commitment to our patients and care teams. Over the past 14 years this partnership has greatly enhanced our ability to deliver clinical and emotional support to our patients and families,” said Darrell K. Terry, Sr., MHA, MPH, FACHE, FHELA, President and Chief Executive Officer, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of New Jersey.
The Children’s Hospital of New Jersey Child Life program provides vital support to children and their families in the form of healing through play therapy. Child Life Therapists use emotional and therapeutic healing tools including, educational equipment, iPads and distraction toys for use during procedures as well as toys created specifically to accommodate pediatric patients with physical and developmental limitations. In addition, the Spirit of Children Foundation supports Child Life specialists in creating a fun and safe, Halloween experience for patients which includes donating costumes, activity books, crayons, and treat bags.
“We are grateful the continued support of the Spirit of Children, They have helped our Child life team to continue to bring joy to our patients and families in many ways,” adds Anne Reilly, MS, CCLS, Manager of Child Life Department, Children’s Hospital of New Jersey at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center.
Each year, Spirit Halloween donates a portion of its store sales through Spirit of Children to support the Child Life Department at Children’s Hospital of New Jersey and other partner hospitals across the United States and Canada.
Learn more on how you can support the Child Life program at CHoNJ.
About Spirit of Children
At the heart of Spirit Halloween is Spirit of Children, bringing smiles, laughter, and a much-needed escape to thousands of pediatric patients in more than 159 hospitals across the United States and Canada. One hundred percent of the money collected each year is given directly to the Child Life Departments at local partner hospitals, such as Children’s Hospital of New Jersey at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. Since its inception in 2007, Spirit of Children raised more than $110 million in support of their mission. To learn more about Spirit of Children, visit SpiritofChildren.com
Newark Beth Israel Medical Center is a 665-bed regional care teaching hospital that provides comprehensive health care. Newark Beth Israel is home to one of the nation’s top 15 heart transplant centers, RWJBarnabas Health’s Heart Failure Treatment and Transplant Program which has performed more than 1,100 heart transplants; New Jersey’s only Advanced Lung Disease and Transplant Program and a Valve Center that performs complex cardiac valve procedures, including minimally invasive transcatheter aortic valve replacements (TAVRs). The Newark Beth Israel robotic surgery program is the most experienced in northern New Jersey. The Frederick B. Cohen, MD, Cancer and Blood Disorders Center and the new Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey Breast Health Center provide seamless integration of cancer prevention, specialized care and treatment options.
Children’s Hospital of New Jersey (CHoNJ), located at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, cares for children from birth through adolescence, with more than 30 specialized pediatric services including New Jersey’s largest Valerie Fund Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders; and the Children’s Heart Center that offers a complete range of medical and surgical treatments for the most complex cardiac abnormalities. Children’s Hospital of New Jersey also includes a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and a Level IV Regional Perinatal Center that offers New Jersey’s first Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) therapy; and the highest level of intensive care for both mothers and newborns.
Contact:
Patricia Mitrano
Patricia.Mitrano@rwjbh.org
973-926-7531