March 23, 2023
Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital earns $15k grant to provide mental health support and comfort kits to patients
TACOMA, Wash. — Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital, the only Level II Pediatric Trauma Center in Western Washington, received a $15,000 grant from Grants for Play, a program from the Children’s Hospital Association in partnership with The Toy Foundation. Mary Bridge Children’s was one of 19 children’s hospitals to receive a grant in the latest round of funding.
Mary Bridge Children’s social work and child life services teams are using the funds to compile and distribute comfort kits for two patient populations — patients facing relocation and patients of the pediatric gender health clinic.
The kits are designed for use in the hospital and for patients to keep upon discharge, and include items such as backpacks, personal care items, stuffed animals, pajamas, fidget toys, and craft and jewelry-making supplies. The comfort kits provide not only tangible items for these patients but also a source of emotional support as they face their medical journeys.
“We’re incredibly grateful for this grant that will allow Mary Bridge Children’s to provide essential comfort items for patients in need,” said Ben Whitworth, chief operating officer of Mary Bridge Children’s. “The hospital can be a traumatic place for many, and with these comfort kits we hope that trauma will be lessened and patients will feel supported by all of us here at Mary Bridge Children’s.”
In 2021, Mary Bridge Children’s received $15,000 from Grants for Play to purchase equipment and toys for patients in the emergency department with sensory processing needs.
For more information about the grant, visit the Children’s Hospital Association’s announcement of this year’s recipients. For more information about Mary Bridge Children’s, including how you can support expanding access to care for all kids, visit www.marybridge.org.
About Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital
Founded in 1955, Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital is the state-designated Level II Pediatric Trauma Center for Western Washington, offering comprehensive care and resources for critically ill and injured children, and is the only pediatric hospital in Southwest Washington. Mary Bridge Children’s also provides primary, specialty, therapy and urgent care services at its outpatient centers and clinics across the Puget Sound region, including Tacoma, Puyallup, Gig Harbor, Olympia, Auburn, Covington, Maple Valley, Federal Way, Renton, Bonney Lake and Silverdale.
Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital & Health Network is more than a place for children to heal. It’s a place for them to grow and thrive. A place for families to come for solutions and support. A place where medical expertise and passion for children and families work together in perfect balance. Mary Bridge Children’s serves children and families, regardless of ability to pay, thanks to generous contributions to the Mary Bridge Children’s Foundation.
Mary Bridge Children’s is a part of MultiCare Health System, the largest community-based and locally governed health system in Washington state. For more information about Mary Bridge Children’s, visit marybridge.org or follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or our Kite Strings blog.