Brooklyn, New York, (September 15, 2023) — Maimonides Children’s Hospital and Toys for Hospitalized Children celebrated the success of their continued partnership and launched Toys for Hospitalized Children’s new gift-giving model, the Happy Shop on Tuesday, September 12.
The Happy Shop is a “shopping experience” for children who are hospital bound. With the scan of a QR Code, young patients can “buy” a complimentary toy to be delivered to their hospital room the very next morning. The pilot program has proven to be very successful, with hundreds of toys delivered since its inception.
“We all know how exciting it is to order a gift online and anxiously await for the package to arrive in the mail,” said JJ Hecht, President of Toys for Hospitalized Children. “We launched the Happy Shop to give children that shopping experience and something to look forward to. The toy brings happiness which promotes therapeutic play and healing.”
At Tuesday’s event, the teams from both organizations visited pediatric patients in Maimonides Children’s Hospital to distribute toys, accompanied by musical entertainment for the patients.
“Our partnership with Toys for Hospitalized Children has had incredible outcomes so far,” said Lenia Batas, Maimonides Child Life Specialist. “For our patients, the joy of a new toy and of knowing that someone has gone the extra mile for them makes all the difference.”
“As Brooklyn’s only Children’s Hospital, we are thrilled that our patients are the first recipients of the Happy Shop program,” said Dr. Jeffrey Avner, Chair of Pediatrics at Maimonides. “Our Child Life Program works tirelessly for the well-being of our pediatric patients adjusting to hospitalization, and we are pleased to be able to pursue this mission with the help of an inspiring organization like Toys for Hospitalized Children.”
For photos of the event, visit: https://maimo.pixieset.com/toysforhospitalizedchildrenhappyshopevent/ (Download PIN: 3214).
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About Maimonides Children’s Hospital
Maimonides Children’s Hospital is the only 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. For additional information, please visit maimo.org/treatments-care/childrens-hospital/.
About Maimonides Health
Maimonides Health is Brooklyn’s largest healthcare system, serving over 350,000 patients each year through the system’s 3 hospitals, 2000+ 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.