Children’s hospitals in Boston, New York, Los Angeles and cities across the country will receive transformed hospital rooms that will bring joy to pediatric patients
Canton, Mass. (August 16, 2018) – The Joy in Childhood Foundation, the charitable foundation supported by Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins, today announced the additional nine Starlight Sites it will create in children’s hospitals across the country through their $1.5 million partnership with Starlight Children’s Foundation. The Joy in Childhood Foundation’s Starlight Sites will transform hospital environments into brighter, happier spaces for pediatric patients.
Starlight Sites ease stress and support the overall health and well-being of pediatric patients by providing hospitals with rooms designed to be enjoyed by children and their families. Starlight Sites support kids and families as treatment rooms, teen lounges, playrooms, kitchens, gardens and other healing spaces. The first Joy in Childhood Foundation Starlight Site – a pediatric therapy kitchen – opened earlier this summer at La Rabida Children’s Hospital in Chicago.
“We saw firsthand at La Rabida Children’s Hospital that bright, kid-friendly spaces designed with patients and families in mind can make a huge impact,” said Karen Raskopf, Co-Chair, the Joy in Childhood Foundation. “That’s why we’re so excited to bring additional Starlight Sites to hospitals nationwide and give pediatric patients and their families an opportunity to create more joyful moments together when they need it most.”
The following additional hospitals will receive a donation to build a Joy in Childhood Foundation Starlight Site:
- Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (Atlanta, GA) will receive a family lounge/kitchenette, fully- equipped with the necessary kitchen amenities and furniture. This Starlight Site will provide a comfortable space for families of patients to prepare meals, enjoy eating together and just relax during their hospital stay.
- Brigham and Women's Hospital (Boston, MA) will transform a waiting room into a colorful and engaging playroom featuring modular options that work for young children and teens with comfortable new couches and lounge chairs, and state-of-the-art electronics, including a new television.
- Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital (Cleveland, OH) will receive a family room where patients, parents and family members can meet with their care team in a private setting. This Starlight Site will provide a comfortable setting for families and patient siblings to relax and enjoy books, toys, games and other activities.
- Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital (Greensboro, NC) will receive a new fully-accessible teen room designed to better accommodate patients with IV poles and those in wheelchairs, along with new video games and other electronics.
- Connecticut Children’s Medical Center (Hartford, CT) will receive a playroom that will provide an engaging space for creative play, art activities, game nights and performances, in addition to a new air hockey table, video games and other toys. This Starlight Site will have the ability to be modified for all children, including a range of ages, medical conditions, developmental needs and areas of interest.
- LAC + USC Medical Center (Los Angeles, CA) will receive a new teen lounge that will feature a space focused on the adolescent population. The space will provide teens with opportunities for peer interaction and socialization and will be equipped with a television, computer, video games and a foosball table, to create a space that is appealing to teens.
- Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt (Nashville, TN) will receive a surgery waiting area designed to engage children and families in therapeutic and diversionary activities, including an iPad bar and a bubble tube, while they await surgery or other appointments.
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens (Queens, NY) will receive an updated waiting room. This Starlight Site is designed to reduce the anxiety of waiting and includes a private breastfeeding room, a reading nook, and a teen-friendly area with iPads, headphones and other state-of-the-art equipment.
- HSC Pediatric Center (Washington, DC) will receive a therapy room featuring vibrant and colorful décor and new technology, including an interactive projector system and virtual reality system that can be used during treatment sessions.
“We’re incredibly grateful for the Joy in Childhood Foundation’s support and we share their commitment to finding innovative ways to bring joy and comfort to children when they need it most,” said Chris Helfrich, CEO, Starlight Children’s Foundation. “Through our strong collaboration, we’re transforming hospital environments into brighter, happier spaces for pediatric patients and their families to experience together.”
In 2017, the Joy in Childhood Foundation made a three-year, $1.5 million commitment to Starlight Children’s Foundation in support of programs that bring joy and comfort to hospitalized kids, including the Starlight Sites program.
To learn more about the Joy in Childhood Foundation, please visit www.dunkinbrands.com/foundation or follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/JoyInChildhoodFoundation/.
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ABOUT THE JOY IN CHILDHOOD FOUNDATION
The Joy in Childhood Foundation, the charitable foundation supported by the Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins brands, provides the simple joys of childhood to kids battling hunger or illness. The Foundation brings together a wide range of stakeholders — including franchisees, crew members, employees, partners and guests — and partners with food banks, children’s hospitals, and nonprofit organizations directly committed to serving kids to fund joyful environments and joyful experiences for kids when they need it most. Since launching in 2006, the Joy in Childhood Foundation has granted more than $16 million to hundreds of national and local charities across the country. For more information, please visit https://www.dunkinbrands.com/community/joy-in-childhood-foundation/overview.
ABOUT STARLIGHT CHILDREN’S FOUNDATION
Starlight creates moments of joy and comfort for hospitalized kids and their families. For 35 years, Starlight’s programs have positively impacted more than 60 million critically, chronically and terminally ill or injured children in the US, Canada, Australia and the UK. With your help, more kids and their families will enjoy Starlight Gowns, Starlight Fun Centers and other Starlight programs at more than 800 children’s hospitals and other health facilities in the US. You can support Starlight's work by visiting www.starlight.org and by following Starlight on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.