Hospitality Cart Resumes at St. John's Children's Hospital
November 08, 2024
HSHS St. John’s Children’s Hospital and Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Central Illinois will welcome the return of the Ronald McDonald Hospitality Cart to the hospital at a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 18, in the lobby of the children’s hospital, located at 800 E. Carpenter St., Springfield.
Speakers will include Matt Fry, HSHS Central Illinois Market President and CEO, and HSHS St. John’s Hospital President and CEO; Allison Paul, Chief Nursing Officer for HSHS’ Central Illinois Market, who also serves as a board member for Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Central Illinois; and Amber Kaylor, CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Central Illinois.
Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Central Illinois provides the cart, which includes comforting items such as small toys, individual snacks, crossword puzzle books and personal hygiene products to children and their parents while they receive medical care at the hospital. The initiative was introduced to HSHS St. John’s Children’s Hospital in 2014 and was suspended during the recent coronavirus pandemic.
“We are grateful to Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Central Illinois for resuming this valuable project and for being outstanding partners in caring for our community through this and the many other services offered,” said Fry. “The cart availability makes a big difference to the children and parents we serve at St. John’s.”
“We are excited to continue our partnership with HSHS St. John's by bringing the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois Hospitality Cart to families in need,” said Kaylor. “This cart will provide essential comfort and support to children and their families during some of their most challenging moments, offering a small but meaningful way to make their time at the hospital a little easier. Our commitment is to ensure that every family feels supported during their health care journey.”
HSHS St. John’s Hospital volunteers, known as the Samaritans, will staff the cart during designated days/timeframes on the pediatric floor of the children’s hospital. The cart will visit the general pediatric unit, the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), the Pediatric Intermediate Care Unit (PIMC) and the Pediatric Day Hospital.
HSHS St. John’s Children’s Hospital and Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Central Illinois are seeking volunteers to operate the cart and in-kind donations for supplies. Aspiring Samaritans may contact Katie Sundby, Director of Volunteer Services at HSHS St. John’s Hospital, at katie.sundby@hshs.org. Donors can order and ship items purchased off a curated Amazon list directly to the Springfield Ronald McDonald House at 610 N. Seventh St., Springfield, Ill., 62702, or deliver them to the House from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Speakers will include Matt Fry, HSHS Central Illinois Market President and CEO, and HSHS St. John’s Hospital President and CEO; Allison Paul, Chief Nursing Officer for HSHS’ Central Illinois Market, who also serves as a board member for Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Central Illinois; and Amber Kaylor, CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Central Illinois.
Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Central Illinois provides the cart, which includes comforting items such as small toys, individual snacks, crossword puzzle books and personal hygiene products to children and their parents while they receive medical care at the hospital. The initiative was introduced to HSHS St. John’s Children’s Hospital in 2014 and was suspended during the recent coronavirus pandemic.
“We are grateful to Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Central Illinois for resuming this valuable project and for being outstanding partners in caring for our community through this and the many other services offered,” said Fry. “The cart availability makes a big difference to the children and parents we serve at St. John’s.”
“We are excited to continue our partnership with HSHS St. John's by bringing the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois Hospitality Cart to families in need,” said Kaylor. “This cart will provide essential comfort and support to children and their families during some of their most challenging moments, offering a small but meaningful way to make their time at the hospital a little easier. Our commitment is to ensure that every family feels supported during their health care journey.”
HSHS St. John’s Hospital volunteers, known as the Samaritans, will staff the cart during designated days/timeframes on the pediatric floor of the children’s hospital. The cart will visit the general pediatric unit, the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), the Pediatric Intermediate Care Unit (PIMC) and the Pediatric Day Hospital.
HSHS St. John’s Children’s Hospital and Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Central Illinois are seeking volunteers to operate the cart and in-kind donations for supplies. Aspiring Samaritans may contact Katie Sundby, Director of Volunteer Services at HSHS St. John’s Hospital, at katie.sundby@hshs.org. Donors can order and ship items purchased off a curated Amazon list directly to the Springfield Ronald McDonald House at 610 N. Seventh St., Springfield, Ill., 62702, or deliver them to the House from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday.
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