I spoke at length with Jean Folsom, Associate Director of Development at Children’s Hospital of New Jersey, and her commitment and passion really won me over. Her obvious devotion to the hospital and what it accomplishes was evident in every sentence. She knew patients by name, told their stories with warmth and humor and was deeply proud of the way that Children’s Hospital had helped them. I particularly loved the hospital’s Neonatal yearly picnic, where those children who were born prematurely gather to celebrate lives that were at one time precarious, and are now so very precious.

With the state’s largest pediatric intensive care unit, Children’s Hospital of New Jersey helps nearly 50,000 children, from birth through age 19, every year. Obviously with these kinds of numbers, supplies and toys are constantly being exhausted and are constantly needed.

The “Wish List” is comprised of a lot of the items that the caregivers at Children’s Hospital have said are in short supply. These items include special developmental items that help premature babies feel like they are still in their mothers’ womb, sensory equipment to treat children with learning and behavioral challenges, and playthings to distract a hospitalized child from the tedium and fear that can accompany a trip to the hospital.

Bringing some small amount of comfort and light into the lives of children who suffer from various conditions is a blessing to their families and something they certainly wish for. Children’s Hospital has made it very easy to donate a tax-deductible gift online.  Scroll through the list of approved products. Click the “make a gift now!” link underneath the product(s) you wish to donate. This will take you to a form where you can locate the product(s) and enter the quantity you wish to donate. Done. And one of the best parts of this type of donation is that it's not season-specfic. You can give any time you want, all year long.

Of course I asked Ms. Folsom if these donations really do go directly to the items listed and she assured me that they do (I know we’re all careful about where our charitable funds actually go, as well we should be).  I appreciated her detailing the process for me; it brought the anonymous giving one step closer to impacting a living, breathing child.

Happy Holidays, Children’s Hospital of NJ and thanks for all you do.