This past week I had the opportunity to see what we do here – first hand.

My son had to be hospitalized after a minor operation and he wasn’t the most in the best of moods. Usually a very active boy, he was confined to a hospital floor and anywhere he went, his IV pole went with him.

Shortly after his arrival on the pediatric floor, a child life specialist came by to see if she could offer some assistance in cheering him up. He showed minimal interest in the movies and coloring books she offered. Then she said those 4 magic words – “We have a playroom.” It brought a small smile to his face.

Shortly after, we ventured down to the playroom and lo and behold, I saw a sign that proclaimed it to be sponsored by Kids Wish Network!! I smiled and looked down at my son. He wasn’t paying me any mind and had zeroed in on the cars on the other side of the room!

For the next 30 minutes, he pushed cars around the room and I pushed his IV pole behind him. He quickly wore himself out and we soon returned to his room. While in his bed, his mood became somber and he showed little interest in anything else. After a brief nap, we returned to the playroom and his spirits immediately lifted.

It’s great to know that the hundreds of gift banks we send out to hospitals yearly help bring small smiles to the faces of these kids who are stuck in an unfamiliar situation. It is always great to hear feedback from the hospitals but nothing compares to seeing the magic firsthand!

Margo
HOTM Facility Coordinator

Today I had the honor of accepting an award from the Salvation Army Domestic Abuse Shelter with my colleague Susan on behalf of Kids Wish Network. As I sat through the presentation, it hit me how much of an impact Kids Wish Network has on these moms and their children. One mother shared her success story with us. I was very troubled at first when she began to tell about the horrific life that she had prior to getting help from the shelter. I couldn’t imagine how scared she must of been or how she and her child even made it out of their situation alive.

As I gazed around the room to see the reactions of others, it dawned on me that all the amazing people sitting around me were working as one whether it be Kids Wish Network, local police and detectives on a mission to protect these battered women and children, or government entities structured just to meet this need in the community. We are all coming together as one to make their lives better and helping them to have that second chance that some of these women and children never thought they would have.

Working with these local abuse centers for battered women and children along with many other local facilities has changed my life forever in a good way. Hearing stories of how Kids Wish Network has changed the lives of these children and their families is just so awesome.

Heather
Distribution Department

This morning when I came in it was business as usual. I said good morning to everyone and sat down in my office to begin my day. As I worked through my pile of surveys, emails, etc. I came across one of the most heart warming surveys yet. We recently gave a gift bank to a facility that cares for abused children. A precious little girl at the tender age of 4 had been to the center for a full abuse assessment as well as a comprehensive medical exam. After a little while had passed the little girl kept asking her mom to go to “the doctor”. Confused by what the child was trying to get at, the child began to describe the safe center. All the little girl wanted to do was play at the children’s waiting room. The mother called the center and, of course, they gave a thumbs-up on the visit.

The facility was so grateful to Kids Wish Network for the gift bank full of toys and activities that we had sent them and explained that our help makes it possible for these innocent children to have a safe place to play. My heart was so overjoyed at the thought of a child so excited to go back to a place where she can play and have fun after all she had to endure. This just made my week! Receiving letters like these makes us want to work even harder for these wonderful children! Toys heal wounds!

Barbara Askin
Director of Distribution

What a nice Friday Morning Surprise! Barbara Askin and I just got a call from a wonderful van line company who want to donate their services to us by delivering 3 Gift Banks to hospitals in IL and KY. Thank you guys so much for your kindness and generosity. Joyce, you Rock! You have made our week!