Volunteers from local Spirit Halloween stores, patients and families to celebrate Halloween at Children’s Hospital in New Orleans

“Spirit of Children provides kids in hospitals with much-needed play and distraction,” Steven Silverstein, President and CEO of Spirit Halloween said. “We see first-hand how our parties create magic that transcends the kids’ difficult situations and provides a sense of normalcy as families navigate through challenging and heart-wrenching medical situations. Every child should be able to experience the joy of Halloween.”

To date, the Spirit of Children program has raised $452,192.00 for Children’s Hospital’s Child Life Department. A hospital’s Child Life department helps patients and their families regain a sense of normalcy by providing them with guidance and coping mechanisms in these times of stress and fear. The grants provided by Spirit of Children enable the hospital staff to acquire the best tools, education and training for these situations. The funds assist in hiring additional Child Life staff, extending Child Life hours and providing a full-time Child Life Specialist in the Emergency Department, as well as purchase educational and entertainment items such as iPads and toys used for distraction during procedures. Spirit of Children funding has also helped hospitals create dedicated playrooms, teen lounges and separate family space for long hospital visits.

About Spirit Halloween

Spirit Halloween (spirithalloween.com) is the largest Halloween specialty retailer in the country with 1,300 locations in strip centers and malls across North America. Celebrating 34 years of business, Spirit is the authority on all things Halloween, offering one-stop shopping for everything from costumes to decor and party goods to accessories. In addition to being a fun and interactive event for shoppers, Spirit stores offer complete selections of costumes and accessories for infants/toddlers, children, ‘tweens, teens, and adults along with exclusive decor you won’t find anywhere else.

About Children’s Hospital New Orleans

Children’s Hospital is a 247-bed, not-for-profit regional medical center offering the most advanced pediatric care to children from birth to 21 years. With more than 400 physicians trained in more than 40 subspecialties, it is the only full-service hospital exclusively for children in Louisiana and the Gulf South.