Spirit of Children Creates Halloween Magic for Patients During COVID-19 Pandemic

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Shriners Hospitals for Children — Northern California gave patients a magical, socially distanced Halloween celebration last Friday, thanks to Spirit Halloween stores and their annual Spirit of Children fundraising campaign. They donated costumes, accessories, decorations and games to the hospital. Since 2007, Spirit of Children has donated more than $315,000 to the Northern California Shriners Hospital, and each dollar has directly benefited the therapeutic recreation/child life department here.

“We are so grateful to the dedicated teams at the Spirit Halloween stores and their customers for the generous donation of costumes to the kids in our hospital and their financial contributions that help fund department staff,” said Shriners Hospitals for Children — Northern California's Director of Development Alan Anderson. “The child life department plays an extremely important role in the recovery of children at our hospital. Spirit of Children’s donation allows us to hire additional staff to support our patients’ needs.”

Spirit of Children’s donations make hospitals less scary for kids and their families all year long by providing financial support to child life departments at select children’s hospitals. Therapeutic recreation and child life specialists work to reduce stress and anxiety in patients by engaging them in play each day, which includes everything from card games and art projects to karaoke and line dancing. The Northern California Shriners Hospital is able to hire additional staff members and support augmented music therapy because of this fundraising effort. All Spirit of Children donations stay within local communities and 100% of every dollar contributed goes straight to child life departments at partner children’s hospitals.

The Northern California Shriners Hospital hosts special Halloween events for patients each year, with trick-or-treating around the hospital. Staff members dress up in full costumes and decorate their offices and floors. Some of this year’s themes include Disney’s It’s a Small World After All, Alice in Wonderland, outer space astronauts, scientists and superheroes.

The Northern California Shriners Hospital is thankful to Spirit Halloween stores and the Spirit of Children program for their support. Hosting these memorable Halloween events each year for patients is just one of the ways Shriners Hospitals for Children is helping to provide hope and healing to children every day.