May 31, 2022 – National Junior Honor Society students at Falcon Cove Middle School in Weston have been busy selling Domino’s coupon cards, but it’s not because it will result in pizza for them.
The students recently embarked on a fundraising campaign, using the Domino’s discount cards to raise $5,000 for Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Foundation. The dollars will support the hospital’s bibliotherapy program, to which students donated nearly 30 books on a recent visit, and its child life fund.
Caitlin Stella, Elizabeth Xiao, Emilia Ochoa Cardoza, David Portilla
“The bibliotherapy library is a special place within the hospital where we can keep books to help children understand what they may be going through,” said Caitlin Stella, CEO of Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. “It’s hard for a four-year-old to understand a cancer diagnosis, for example, so sometimes we use therapeutic books where the story about a character is similar to what the child is experiencing.”
The book and check presentation were the centerpiece of an event in the hospital’s family resource center that was attended by Stella Stringer, the advisor to Falcon Cove’s honor society students, and top fundraisers David Portilla, Elizabeth Xiao, and Emilia Ochoa Cardoza. “When our kids are doing things in the community, it’s more about giving back because they see that they have gifts and talents and we encourage them to use what they have to offer,” said Stringer. “In this case, they knew they were fundraising for a special cause (the bibliotherapy program) and they dedicated their time and talent to make this donation happen.”
Students also presented a plaque commemorating the occasion that will be displayed near the nearly 300 books that will be purchased from their contribution. This is the second consecutive year Falcon Cove honor society students have made a $5,000 gift to the children’s hospital’s foundation.
Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital is one of the nation’s leading pediatric hospitals, offering a comprehensive scope of healthcare services and programs in a caring, compassionate setting designed specifically for children. A level one trauma center, it combines advanced technology, the expertise of board-certified specialists, and a patient and family-centered approach to heal the body, mind, and spirit of those it touches.
The hospital’s nonprofit foundation focuses on philanthropy to positively impact patients, families, and underwrite programs, facilities, and equipment that support the pediatric facility’s mission.
To learn more about Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, visit jdch.com and connect with @jdchospital on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.
