Spirit Halloween Continues to Support the Child Life Program at K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital

Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center Foundation is pleased to announce that Spirit Halloween has contributed nearly $110,000 to Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health at K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital, located at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center. The donation, made possible through the Spirit of Children program in which Spirit Halloween donates proceeds back from the 2023 Halloween season, will support the Child Life program at the Children’s Hospital. Spirit Halloween has made this donation to K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital eight times in the past, contributing nearly $700,000 to benefit our youngest patients. 

“For many children, a visit to the hospital is overwhelming and frightening, and support from the community enables us to improve the pediatric patient experience,” said Harpreet Pall, M.D., MBA, CPE, academic chair and professor, Department of Pediatrics, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, chair, Department of Pediatrics, K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital and regional chair, Pediatrics Southern Market at Hackensack Meridian Health. “Our child life team helps in many ways, including explaining a care plan to a child, providing distractions during treatments and procedures and offering support for children and families during hospitalization. They do a spectacular job but it is not easy work. I am grateful for Spirit Halloween for supporting this program and helping us help our patients.”

The funds that Spirit Halloween donates to partner hospitals, including K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital, are used to help the Child Life team support pediatric patients and families throughout the hospital.  Importantly, the gift to the Children's Hospital will enable additional Child Life programming, including music therapy, and increase Child Life services in the pediatric surgical and emergency departments.

“Spirit Halloween has been an incredible partner to K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital,” said Ellen Hahn, director of Development, K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital. “Many children will benefit from this gift, and we are all very grateful for partnerships, like this one with Spirit Halloween, who recognize the special needs of pediatric patients. I would like to also thank the members of our community who participated in the Spirit of Children program by purchasing costumes during the Halloween season to make this donation possible.”

The Spirit of Children program is made possible through the fundraising campaigns conducted in local Spirit Halloween stores. In addition to the donations collected in stores, customers were able to utilize Spirit Halloween’s 10-for-10 coupon, where they received 10% off their purchase and Spirit Halloween matched every coupon purchase with a 10% donation. Participating 2023 stores included the following locations: Brick, Freehold, Howell, Holmdel, Manalapan, Tinton Falls, two Toms River locations, Wall Township and West Long Branch.

“Spirit of Children provides critical funding to the Child Life Department at nearly 160 partner hospitals, and this support enables Child Life Specialists to help young patients and their families cope with the many stresses of being in a hospital through developmental, therapeutic, psychosocial and educational support while doctors and nurses focus on medical treatment, “ said Richard Tereo, director, Spirit of Halloween Foundation. “We feel a deep sense of pride and privilege in being able to do what we do to support and enhance the tireless work of Child Life Specialists at K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital and all of our partner hospitals across the United States and Canada.” 

To learn how you can support the Child Life program or Children’s Health at K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital, please contact Ellen Hahn, director of Development, at ellen.hahn@hmhn.org or make a gift today at GiveHMH.org/KHCH.