Funds Support Mobile Play and Art Cart to Alleviate Stress for Pediatric Patients
Brooklyn, NY, April 2, 2025 — Maimonides Health received a $20,000 play grant through The Toy Foundation’s Children’s Hospital Play Grants Program to support the “Mobile Play and Art Cart for the Pediatric ICU and Pediatric Clinics” project by providing essential therapeutic resources for our psychiatric and behavioral health patients and their families.
“Thank you to The Toy Foundation for championing mental health and making a positive impact on our community,” said Dr. Jeffrey Avner, Chair of Pediatrics and Director of Maimonides Children’s Hospital. “Play is an essential component of our approach to treating children, and this grant will go a long way to creating a supportive environment for our youngest patients.”
The Toy Foundation is a children’s charity that’s part of The Toy Association. The grant program funds innovative play therapy projects proven to significantly improve care, wellbeing, and treatment outcomes of hospitalized children. Last year, the organization announced that it has awarded a total of $380,000 to 20 children’s hospitals and health systems that serve under-resourced communities, as part of its 2024 Children’s Hospital Play Grants program. More than 240,000 children in need have benefitted from this initiative. Maimonides is honored to be one of these recipients, and we know the positive outcome this grant will have on our young patients.
Research has shown that, for pediatric patients, access to play elevates the overall patient experience.
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About Maimonides Children’s Hospital
Maimonides Children’s Hospital is the only dedicated children’s hospital in Brooklyn, caring for children 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Our staff is comprised of an outstanding team of board-certified pediatric physicians, surgeons, nurses, and nurse practitioners who dedicate their lives to the health and well-being of children. Our team of board-certified pediatric specialists collaborate with the team to ensure each child receives the expertise and best care possible in an environment created and designed for their comfort.
Maimonides Health is Brooklyn’s largest healthcare system, serving over 320,000 patients each year through the system’s 3 hospitals, 1,800+ physicians and more than 80 community-based practices and outpatient centers. The system is anchored by Maimonides Medical Center, one of the nation’s largest independent teaching hospitals and home to centers of excellence in numerous specialties and Maimonides Midwood Community Hospital (formerly New York Community Hospital), a 130-bed adult medical-surgical hospital; and Maimonides Children’s Hospital, Brooklyn’s only children’s hospital and only pediatric trauma center.
Maimonides’ clinical programs rank among the best in the country for patient outcomes, including its Heart and Vascular Institute, Neurosciences Institute, Bone and Joint Center, and Cancer Center. Maimonides is an affiliate of Northwell Health and a major clinical training site for SUNY Downstate College of Medicine. For additional information, please visit www.maimo.org and follow us on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.