Starbucks Joined The Brooklyn Hospital Center for Toy Giveaway Holiday Parties on December 7

TBHC and Starbucks partnered up for the first time to sponsor a toy drive to give back to Brooklyn in a special way. The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) staff also joined in on the holiday cheer with its 4^th annual holiday graduate party for NICU babies. Starbucks stores across New York City collected toys from employees to create holiday giveaways and baskets for babies, children and families. “TBHC was one of the lucky receivers of this generosity,” says Alexa Kreisberg, Director of the TBHC’s Child Life program. “Toys were given to our pediatric department and distributed to patients and their siblings.”

Children ages three months and up received such goodies as teddy bears, Barbie dolls, action figures and books. The holiday party was themed Disney’s Frozen and included festive music, decorations, Starbucks treats, warm drinks and raffle tickets. Some families won gift baskets full of treats and Starbucks products for the holiday season. Children and their siblings beamed at their newly unwrapped toys. Some NICU babies even got a chance to sit on Santa’s lap. Many families thanked TBHC and Starbucks for hosting the memorable holiday event. The efforts made a huge difference for those children in need.

“Every kid and their siblings got a toy! We wanted the kids and their families to forget their illnesses and enjoy the holiday spirit with their family,” says Nicole Briggs, a Starbucks Manager at the 55 Broad Street location. “We wanted to provide a positive impact to more families. We have never partnered with hospitals before. Being at TBHC was very exciting!”