KALISPELL — Logan Health Children’s Hospital in Kalispell is hoping to spread Christmas joy this holiday season during its seventh annual Toy Box event.
The program serves families whose children are receiving medical care during the holiday season, offering support when they need it most.
"We don't want them to sit and stress and worry about the last little things, and this just gives them that little bit of extra cushion that they need," Amy Rohyans Stewart said.
Stewart serves as Logan Health Child Life Coordinator and has witnessed the program's impact firsthand.
Over the past six years, the Toy Box has supported more than 300 families and 850 children receiving care at the hospital. The program extends beyond inpatient families to include outpatient families in need.
"I am sure we have given over thousands of gifts over the course of time because we support not only our in-patients during the holidays, but also like this year we supported 46 outpatient families in need," Stewart said.
The initiative recognizes that no family expects to spend the holidays at a hospital with their child. The Toy Box aims to reduce stress and create positive holiday memories during difficult times.
"If you're here during the holidays you don't have everything done, and so to be able to just offer a little bridge for families, and they didn't expect it and they come up and they are just mesmerized by the special place that we create for them," Stewart said.
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Among the families benefiting from the program is Katelynn, who is spending time at the Children's Hospital due to the premature birth of her twin boys. She expressed gratitude for the community support that makes the Toy Box possible.
"Thank you to all the families that donated and staff that put in time, they are definitely binkie boys as they start learning how to feed, so we did some outfits and binkies and some little tummy time toys to look forward to in the future," Katelynn said.
Community sponsors and donations make the Toy Box possible. The program ensures that all siblings of children receiving care at the hospital also receive free gifts.
"Pick a game that the family's going to enjoy, pick a book for each, it just gives them a little bit of a break and something joyful during this season," Stewart said.
