Tablets for Teens

Teens are not forgotten at Hurley Children’s Hospital. The charity Toys for Hospitalized Children, out of New York, worries that hospital donations are often geared toward little kids – with crayons, dolls and Legos being donated to help keep the little ones occupied. So the charity is making it a mission to give older kids something to use in the hospital and at home.

Toys for Hospitalized Children, Community Foundation of Greater Flint and Flint Jewish Federation are joining together to make the holiday season better for teens in Hurley’s Pediatric Unit.

The New York based charity has provided toys to children in 148 hospitals, special-needs facilities, charities and ambulances across the country. Rabbi JJ Hecht II says he wants to make sure teens, in long-term treatments, are getting more age appropriate items to help them through their recovery.

The organizations donated 20 Amazon tablets, 24 Amazon Echos as well as 3 month subscriptions to Hulu. What is unique about this donation is the patients will get to take one of the electronic devices home with them to help them through continuing treatments.

Steven Lowe, Executive Director of the Flint Jewish Federation and Sue Peters, Vice President of Community Impact at Community Foundation of Greater Flint, both joined Rabbi JJ Hecht as the items were donated to our Child Life Department. Patients are excited and already enjoying the devices.

Tablets are always needed here at the hospital to show pediatric patients videos about their procedures so they won’t be afraid. An iPad can cost hundreds of dollars. If you would like to donate, even $5 to help us get more items like this, please donate today at bit.ly/SantaCares4Kids