With Easter quickly approaching, children’s hospitals and nonprofit organizations are requesting donations to make the holiday extra special for children receiving in-patient care, according to Fox News. With donations from the public, the hospitals and organizations can give pediatric patients Easter baskets full of treats and games that will brighten their holiday, making them feel thought of and loved.
UC Davis Children’s Hospital is one that is accepting donations. According to Fox News, “the hospital’s Creative Arts Therapy Department is asking the public to donate treats, toys and pastime activities, so hospital staff can craft personalized Easter baskets for pediatric patients.” Katherine MacDonald, the programming coordinator in the UC Davis Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Department, shared that they hope to bring “cheer” to families celebrating Easter in the hospital by giving children the joy of opening Easter baskets. The hospital, which is located in Sacramento, is accepting donations mailed or in-person through April 14, but also has published an Easter basket Amazon wish list for people to buy and send gifts quickly through Amazon.
The nonprofit organization, Easter for Eli, has set a goal to donate 10,000 Easter baskets to children’s hospitals and charities across the country, according to WJAC TV. The founder of Easter for Eli, Martin Garrett, shared that he started the organization in honor of his late son Elias “Eli” who passed away at the age of 3 after battling Non-Hodgkin’s T-Cell Lymphoma. Garrett was inspired by his son who would receive Easter baskets and share his excess goodies with other children in the hospital. Since 2010, the organization has expanded its outreach to “21 children’s hospitals, 14 Ronald McDonald houses, and three Shriner hospitals in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, West Virginia, Delaware and Washington, DC.”
Another nonprofit organization, The Wildcard Foundation based in Tustin, California is holding its 8th Annual Easter Basket Drive for the Children’s Hospital of Orange County. The foundation gives complimentary baskets to donors who fill them with approved items including “gifts for teen patients (headphones, journals and socks), sensorial experiences (kinetic sand, light up toys, pop tubes) and mental health (stress balls, fidget toys and aromatherapy lotions).” They also accept monetary or single items for donations.
Spreading Easter cheer, these hospitals and nonprofit organizations are bringing joy to those who need it most. With compassionate people bringing smiles to children’s faces and filling their hearts with love, everyone’s day gets brighter as they embrace the holiday spirit.