Spirit of Children Provides Fun and Funding

Locally Raised Funds Support Child Life Department Far Beyond Halloween Season

Spirit of Children recently presented our child life department with a donation of $74,866. The funds make clinic visits easier for young patients and their families through non-medical treatment and healing play. Proceeds were collected at local Twin Cities area Spirit Halloween stores, SpiritHalloween.com and from business partners. One hundred percent of local donations stay in the Twin Cities community.

The Spirit of Children program has supported us since 2008 and has raised a total of $486,779 for our local child life department over the years.

Donations provided by Spirit of Children bring joy and smiles to young patients far beyond the Halloween season. Funding enables the child life staff to acquire the best tools, education and training needed. Additionally, funding helps the child life department purchase sensory, educational and entertainment items including interactive bubble rovers, illuminated wall panels, fiber optic tunnels, iPads and toys used for distraction during procedures.

The donation follows an alternate in-clinic Halloween celebration for pediatric patients made possible by Spirit of Children Halloween Care packages sent to all 147 partner hospitals in October. Shriners Children's Twin Cities patients enjoyed reverse trick-or-treating, costumes and treat bags donated by Spirit of Children. In past years, Spirit Halloween volunteers hosted in-person celebrations at nearly 100 partner hospitals and clinics. Due to the pandemic, visitors were restricted from visiting hospitals to protect the health of young patients, hospital staff members and Spirit volunteers.

About Spirit of Children

At the heart of Spirit Halloween is Spirit of Children, a program which focuses on making hospitals less scary for kids and their families. Since its inception in 2007, Spirit of Children has brought smiles, laughter and a much-needed escape to thousands of pediatric patients in 147 hospitals and clinics across the United States and Canada. One hundred percent of the money collected each year is given directly to the child life departments at local partner hospitals and clinics, such as Shriners Children's Twin Cities. Spirit of Children raised over $12 million in 2020, bringing its total collections to more than $77 million since the program’s inception. Spirit encourages customers to help make a difference in a child's life by donating at their local Spirit Halloween in season, donating online anytime at SpiritHalloween.com, or spreading awareness via Facebook and Instagram by using #SpiritofChildren and #MoreCowbell in their photos. For more information, please visit the Spirit of Children website.