From left to right: Dunkin’ Donuts Field Marketing Manager Eric Stensland; Dunkin’ Brands Director of Operations Lane Rodgers; Dunkin’ Donuts Franchisee Natasha Teixeira; Superhero Dunkin’ Donuts Mascot Cuppie; Dunkin’ Donuts Franchisee Kevin Wright; Dunkin’ Brands Operations Manager Tom Juers; Dunkin’ Brands Operations Manager Nicole Pecori.
Siena College women’s basketball senior guard Kollyns Scarbrough (right), visits with Sheldon Wagener (left), age 12, during the Starlight Gowns delivery event.
Pediatric patient Jacob Verchot (left), age 9, shows University at Albany football player Griffin Clancy (right), his superhero drawing during the Starlight Gowns delivery event.
ALBANY, NEW YORK; –The Joy in Childhood Foundation, the charitable foundation supported by the Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins brands, today announced that it will be bringing joy to pediatric patients at the Bernard & Millie Duker Children’s Hospital at Albany Med with a special delivery of Starlight Gowns.
The Joy in Childhood Foundation’s custom Starlight Gowns are high-quality, comfortable hospital gowns designed to look like fun and colorful superhero costumes that kids can wear while undergoing treatment.
In addition to delivering the Starlight Gowns, Capital Region Dunkin’ Donuts franchisees will provide activities for the pediatric patients at Bernard & Millie Duker Children’s Hospital at Albany Med, including creating entries for the Joy in Childhood Foundation’s Starlight Design-a-Gown Contest, along with a donation of warm fleece hats.
Kids of all ages in Albany and around the country can enter the Joy in Childhood Foundation’s Starlight Design-a-Gown Contest. Contest entrants can visit Starlight.org/DDJoyContest to download, create and submit a design to be considered for the next Joy in Childhood Foundation custom Starlight Gown.
“On behalf of our pediatric patients and their families at the Bernard & Millie Duker Children’s Hospital at Albany Med, we wish to thank the Starlight Children’s Foundation, Dunkin Donuts and Baskin Robbins for delivering these very special Starlight Brave Gowns and sponsoring a Day of Joy,” said David A. Clark, M.D., director of the children’s hospital. “I know these wonderful superhero-theme gowns will bring smiles and great joy to our young patients. And special activities like these help give our patients a welcome break from the hospital environment.”
To date, the Joy in Childhood Foundation has distributed nearly 10,000 Starlight Gowns to pediatric patients in hospitals across the country. This delivery is part of the Joy in Childhood Foundation’s three-year, $1.5 million commitment to Starlight Children’s Foundation, which includes support of the charity’s Starlight Gown program.
“We’re proud to support Starlight Children’s Foundation and give children in hospitals, such as Bernard & Millie Duker Children’s Hospital at Albany Med, who are living with illnesses access to Starlight Gowns, which come in fun, colorful designs that are meant to make them feel like superheroes, even on their most difficult days,” said Karen Raskopf, Co-Chair of the Joy in Childhood Foundation.
The Joy in Childhood Foundation provides the simple joys of childhood to sick and hungry kids. Since 2006, the Joy in Childhood Foundation has been deeply embedded in communities across the country and has donated more than $16 million to hundreds of national and local charities.
To learn more about the Joy in Childhood Foundation, please visit www.dunkinbrands.com/foundation or follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/JoyInChildhoodFoundation/.
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About the Joy in Childhood Foundation
The Joy in Childhood Foundation, the charitable foundation supported by the Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins brands, provides the simple joys of childhood to sick and hungry kids. The Foundation brings together a wide range of stakeholders—including franchisees, crew members, employees, partners and guests —and partners with food banks, children’s hospitals, and nonprofit organizations directly committed to serving sick and hungry kids to fund joyful environments, joyful experiences and joyful expressions to ensure that children whose lives are compromised by hunger or sickness have the support and essential services to find joy in their daily lives. Since launching in 2006, the Joy in Childhood Foundation has granted more than $16 million to hundreds of national and local charities across the country.
About Starlight Children’s Foundation
Starlight creates moments of comfort and joy for hospitalized kids and their families. For 35 years, Starlight’s programs have positively impacted more than 60 million critically, chronically and terminally ill or injured children in the US, Canada, Australia and the UK. With your help, more kids and their families will enjoy Starlight Gowns, Starlight Fun Centers and other Starlight programs at a children’s hospital or facility near you. Support Starlight’s work by visiting www.starlight.org and by following Starlight on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
About The Bernard & Millie Duker Children’s Hospital at Albany Med
The Bernard & Millie Duker Children’s Hospital at Albany Med is a 125-bed facility devoted exclusively to the medical needs of infants, children and adolescents, and is the referral center for all seriously ill and injured children from 25 counties in upstate New York and western New England. It is staffed by 140 physicians trained in 40 subspecialties and more than 400 pediatric nurses, therapists, social workers and child-life specialists.