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RE/MAX First Toy Drive back at Children's Hospital of Michigan
The holidays can be a fluid time for many - and tough for those stuck in the hospital during the season. But donor drives like the one hosted by RE/MAX First can go a long way to making it easier.
DETROIT (FOX 2) - For Maureen Stys, who manages many of the Child Life Team at Children's Hospital of Michigan, the holiday season can be particularly tough - a lot of kids come through their doors during the time.
But that's where donor campaigns like the one out of RE/MAX First come in handy.
"Little things make a big difference, so things like match box cars, Play-doh," she said. "We serve babies as young as one day old or a couple hours old all the way up to young adults in their 20s."
For the past two years, RE/MAX First has raised $160,000 for pediatric cancer research and programming at the hospital.
Agents themselves like Candice Thompson participate in a special initiative called "angel agents" where employees donate part of their paychecks to help sick kids in need.
"It gives every single agent in our company an opportunity to donate a portion of their commission check to all of the children in the hospital, whether it’s $5 or one hundred," she said. "If you're not giving back to the community then what’s the point? You have to be good with your community and what better way than children?"
This year, the goal is overwhelm the hospital with gifts. Tons of gifts.
But in order to make a greater impact, they’re asking for the community’s help. On Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., agents and hospital employees will be collecting gifts. To bring some good luck, the big guy in red himself will be there.
And while the gifts certainly lighten the mood, for members of the Child Life Team, they’re also extremely helpful when it comes to developmental teaching and support.
"A lot of these items that you see here are a great way to do that because we are talking about medical information which can be very scary," said Stys.
Every year, the Children’s Hospital of Michigan gives nearly 8,000 gifts to patients in and out of the hospital.