January 28, 2021 – It was a unique year for many partnerships in 2020. For Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida it was the year they announced becoming a Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. In spite of a very challenging fundraising year, our Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) Partners raised over $560,000, often one dollar at a time, to help patients and families at Golisano.
Walmart Campaign Display
The partnership proved to be more than just a financial one and included significant amounts of in-kind donations. CMN partners reached out to their networks and vendors and offered to help with resources needed to fight the pandemic including pallets of desperately needed supplies, personal protective equipment, masks, gloves and dozens of meals to feed entire shifts of hospital workers. Children’s Miracle Network partners in SWFL shared every resource they could to help in the fight against COVID-19.
Golisano Children’s Hospital would like to say Thank You to our participating CMN partners:
Costco, Kirkland Signature, Ace Hardware, Walmart & Sam’s Club, Publix, ReMax, Dairy Queen, WaWa, Love’s Travel Stops, Phi Mu Faternity, Panda Express, IHop, Marriott Vactions Worldwide, Marriott International and Coca Cola.
“The generosity of these partners exceeded our expectations. Our Children’s Miracle Network partners shared every available resource, not only to help the children at Golisano, but all our frontline heroes and medical staff and patients across Lee Health. We are appreciative of every act of kindness by this group of community leaders and also want to thank all their generous customers for their contributions. Every dollar does make a difference,” said Chris Simoneau, Lee Health Chief Foundation and Development Officer.
Children’s hospitals across the United States are dealing with the impacts of COVID-19 and will be for the foreseeable future. Donations through our CMN Partners were especially useful in 2020. The funds and support were provided in a variety of ways:
•Round-Up campaigns at the register
•Donations made when shopping online
•Curb side pick up donations
•Donations made with Employee Matching Contributions
•PPE Donations – Panda Cares Foundation for example donated 30,000 Masks
•IHop, Panda Express, Publix and Dairy Queen all helped to feed 5,765 frontline healthcare workers on different days, covering multiple shifts
•Toy and Diaper Drives
•Candy and gift bags for reverse Trick or Treat
•Christmas wrapping, gift bags and toys for the holidays
Each donation serves a purpose to provide the state of the art care, close to home at Golisano. Philanthropy plays a key role in advancing many of the programs at Golisano Children’s Hospital of SWFL.
“To all the patrons of these businesses, thank you for thinking of the children at Golisano,” said Toni Primeaux Director of Development for Golisano Children’s Hospital and Children’s Miracle Network. “The biggest way you can continue to help is by making a donation when you see a CMN sign or sticker at one of these retailers. Your action helps local kids in your community.”
The support of the community matters now more than ever. When CMN Partners and their customers get involved to change kids’ health, the future can be changed.
#GoGolisano
About Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida
Established in 1994, Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida has been named a “Top Hospital” three consecutive years by The Leapfrog Group. It is the only recognized children’s hospital between Tampa and Miami. Lee Health opened the new 134-bed Golisano Children’s Hospital in May 2017, relocating the children’s hospital from the adjacent HealthPark Medical Center. It includes comprehensive pediatric services including a 24-hour pediatric emergency department, hematology-oncology unit, milk lab, Regional Perinatal Intensive Care Center, and Level II and Level III NICU with 70 private rooms. Golisano Children’s Hospital is proud to have been named Soliant’s 2018 Most Beautiful Hospital in the U.S., a recognition determined by popular vote For more information, visit GolisanoChildrensSWFL.org
About Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals
Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals® raises funds and awareness for 170 member hospitals that provide 32 million treatments each year to kids across the U.S. and Canada. Donations stay local to fund critical treatments and healthcare services, pediatric medical equipment and charitable care. Since 1983, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals has raised more than $7 billion, most of it $1 at a time through the charity’s Miracle Balloon icon sales and Round Up campaigns. Its various fundraising partners and programs support the nonprofit’s mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible. Find out why children’s hospitals need community support, and learn about your member hospital, at CMNHospitals.org and facebook.com/CMNHospitals.
