Addison, a sophomore at Commack High School, recently completed a meaningful service project that brought comfort and joy to young patients at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. Addison chose this hospital because it’s where her doctor works for her Type 1 Diabetes, and she has spent time in the Children’s ER there herself. From her own experience, she knows how upsetting and nerve-wracking it can be to go to the hospital, especially as a child. She wanted to find a way to help other kids smile and get through those hard times with a little more joy.
After reaching out to the Child Life Program at Stony Brook, Addison was thrilled to hear that the staff was excited to collaborate with her. They shared how much of a difference new and unopened toys can make in a child’s hospital experience, helping to provide comfort, distraction, and happiness during what can be very scary or uncertain moments.
Addison quickly got to work organizing her toy drive. She set up donation boxes at three public libraries in Smithtown on Long Island and contacted the principal of Bretton Woods Elementary School in Hauppauge, where she received approval to send out information about the drive to all staff members. She also arranged for a donation box at Sukoff Orthodontics in Merrick, her uncle’s practice.
The response was overwhelming. “Everyone was eager to be on my side and help me,” Addison said. Thanks to her hard work and the generosity of her community, she was able to collect over 100 new and unopened toys for the children at the hospital.
Through this project, Addison hopes the toys bring smiles and a sense of comfort to children facing difficult medical situations—just as she once did. Her project shows how a personal experience, combined with compassion and determination, can inspire real change and brighten the lives of others.
