TAMPA, Fla. — Two Tampa Bay non-profits have teamed up for a very important cause: bringing joy to children in the hospital.
Every month, inside Focus Forward, adults with developmental disabilities make hundreds of cards to be delivered to hospitalized children in need.
The participants understand a simple drawing of teddy bears, balloons or hearts, combined with a message of hope and inspiration, can go a long way for children staying in the hospital.
The staff at Focus Forward said the activity instills their clients with qualities like independence, empathy and compassion.
“So this partnership with the Little St. Nick Foundation is a great way for us to take one of their greatest passions, which is art, and turn that into something that really does a lot of good,” said Program Supervisor Miranda Horr. “I love watching their experience with this, I love watching them make the cards, I love seeing their creativity come to life on the paper, I wouldn’t give that up for anything.”
Raymond Mohler started the non-profit Little St. Nick Foundation when he was just five years old after his own hospital visit for a hip joint disease.
“I had to wear a brace on my legs for two years but was able to be home, and I just wanted to do something for the kids that had to stay in the hospital,” said Mohler. "My birthday being Christmas Eve, I gave my birthday and Christmas gifts back when I turned five, and I just wanted to keep giving. Twenty years later, over two million kids helped, and we keep on growing around the world.”
Every card comes inside a gift bag, hand-delivered by the volunteers at the Little St. Nick Foundation.
“It completely changes the whole hospital experience and environment,” said Chief Giving Officer Wil White. “It kind of takes away that fear, that anxiety, and makes it a lot less scary experience. They pull out that card, they read it, and right away, it’s like, ‘Wow, other people want me to get better.' It’s not just the nurses, not just my parents, it’s other kids that they don’t even know.”
Both non-profit organizations hope to be a voice in their community. When it comes to providing kindness and generosity, there are no boundaries, and you can never have enough.
“We’re happy to have this story on ABC Action News because it really brings awareness and a light to not only our population when it comes to individuals with development disabilities, but it also brings more awareness to the capabilities that our guys have,” said Horr. “They can get involved with projects that you would never even think of and so they are really able to make a difference when it comes to this world.”
