A Child’s Hospital Stay
Each year, more than 1.5 million children in the United States are hospitalized for medical conditions, injuries, and surgeries. Hospital stays can be stressful, frightening, and isolating for children. Superhero activity boxes help provide comfort, entertainment, encouragement, and character-building activities during a difficult time, helping children feel supported and empowered while they heal. Both of our boys were hospitalized as both infants, toddlers and the age of 7. I wish at that time we had something as engaging for them to work on as they healed in the hospital. As a parent, it’s a scary place, yet you must remain brave and calm your own child and help them to be comfortable and feel safe. This is no easy task! The staff who have given our Superhero Character building activity boxes to their patients are grateful because they redirect a child’s fear of being in the hospital or even having to enter the Emergency Room. Our hearts go out to each and every child, and we wish we could be there for them and their family, but, that’s not a realistic statement or wish for that matter. What we can do however, is bring our Superhero boxes to children in the hospital in the states of Illinois, Tennessee, Delaware, Indiana and Wyoming.
As a small nonprofit it is time consuming to find ways to fund our Superhero boxes, and that is the bottom line.
What is the problem you ask?
The problem isn't finding the time to laminate the Characters of Agents badge, hole punch and attach them to a fun lanyard. The problem isn't putting the badge and a felt mask inside it's own protective bag which the hospitals prefer. The problem isn't signing the autographed greeting cards from one of the Characters of Character which is included in each box. The problem isn't ordering the boxes, ordering the books, ordering the water color paints, or ordering the easels. The problem isn't screen printing on the 4 x 4 canvas that says I AM SUPER. The problem isn't placing a character sticker on the back of each canvas. The problem isn't folding each box. The problem isn't fulfilling each box with care, hope and love. The problem isn't the fact that when these are assembled they take over our kitchen, living room and spare room. The problem isn't putting the boxes in another box that holds twenty of the Superhero boxes. The problem isn't delivering hundreds at a time to the post office for shipment. The problem isn't letting the locations know that they are on their way because of donors who believe in our mission.
What is the problem?
The problem is finding donors, sponsors, supporters, business's and corporations that believe in making a difference in the life of a child. Especially a child who is in the hospital long term or having to go into the emergency room. The problem is that children are in the hospitals and they need activities that will uplift them, engage them and impact their stay so they can heal. The problem isn't finding something fun and positive to improve their physical and mental state. The problem remains how to fulfill these boxes and keep donating them to the different locations we have already build relationships with.
Where have we donated to?
Shriner's in Chicago
Northwestern Medicine in Huntley, Woodstock, Decatur and McHenry Illinois
Ann and Robert Lurie's in Chicago
Comer's Children's Hospital in Chicago
Rush in Chicago
Nemours in Deleware
Monroe Carell Jr. at Vanderbilt in Nashville
Rainbow Kids Clinic in Clarskville
Dolly Parton Children's Hospital previously East Tennessee Children's Hospital
Beacon's Children's Hospital in Indiana
Why is this donation so important to us?
Characters of Character has seen, felt and heard the impact that these Superhero Character Building activity boxes have on a child, on the family and on the staff that provide them to the patient. The primary objective is to support children’s social-emotional well-being by using relatable superhero characters to teach core values such as kindness, responsibility, perseverance, respect, and self-esteem. The activities promote coping skills, resilience, and a sense of empowerment, helping children see themselves as capable, strong, and valued, especially during stressful or uncertain times.
Hospital stays can be stressful, frightening, and isolating for children. The Superhero Activity Boxes provide a positive distraction while helping children build important character strengths and emotional resilience during a challenging time. By delivering these boxes, Characters of Character furthers its mission of providing children with a firm foundation of strong civic and character values while bringing comfort, hope, and encouragement to children when they need it most.
My Why?
I created this organization while I was on the Reading Team in an elementary school where I had the opportunity to pilot the characters. They earned a National Promising Practice Award which led me to form the nonprofit. Easy I thought! Fun I thought! Insert heart felt chuckle here at anytime. A nonprofit is a lot of work, a lot of time and a lot of heart ache. However, when you are living your purpose, when you know that you are making a difference in the life of a child, and, you know that you can finally use your Phd., your Passion, your Heart and your Determination, you know your why.
The problem is funding. Please consider visiting our website and learn more about our organizaiton, the work we are doing and the difference we are making in the life of a child. We appreciate you taking the time, we appreciate if you would share us and we appreciate the fact that only you can make a difference as we strive to bring these Superhero boxes to our children in the hospital.
Miss Joni and Team Characters
The cost is $25.00 to fulfill one box.
Donations are welcome on line and you can Venmo@charactersofcharacter.org to support our work and continue making a difference in the life of a child. You can visit our Wish List and support us, you can share our project, you can follow, like and comment on our social media to help bring awareness of our service, and, you connect us with people you know would like to become a part of our journey.