TK! Gives Back to the Community - December 2024

By Pamela A. Flores & Sangeetha Loganathan

The TARGet Kids! team came together for another successful year-end community give back activity. Through the fall we rallied to collect items that were delivered on December 16, 2024, to three institutions that included some grocery items, books, and toys from the TARGet Kids! team.

The Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Toronto Family Room at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) was one of the three beneficiaries of our group effort. It is a "home away from home" for families who have children being treated at SickKids. Patients’ family members like siblings and parents can come in to do some laundry, take shower, and relax while staying close to their child's bedside. In this way, they can still enjoy their time together as a family even while staying in the hospital. Our team collected individual-sized packaged snacks like fruit gummies, cookies, chips, trail mix, as well as books and activity sheets which the families can enjoy during their stay in the family room. We were fortunate to meet the wonderful staff and volunteers who were very accommodating and warm.

Our team’s goodness also manifested when we delivered a pile of books to the SickKids Family Centre. This center serves as space for the children’s library, a health information library, and an activity space for families to visit. Located at the center of the hospital, its accessible for inpatient and outpatient families. We donated a wide selection of books , from board books for babies to fiction ones for the youth, for which many families will surely be able to enjoy every time they visit the Family Center.

Our last stop for that day was the Robertson House. It is a short-term emergency shelter that is operated by the City of Toronto, catering to mothers, children, and pregnant women. The facility prioritizes providing a comfortable, safe, and healthy environment, ensuring residents have a productive stay. Meals are prepared in accordance with the Canada Food Guide, with three meals and an evening snack provided daily. Research Assistants facilitated the collection of baby formulas and donated essential items, including diapers and supplements. The team's generosity is acknowledged, as their donations bring hope, comfort, and tangible support to families at Robertson House, reminding them that they are cared for and not alone.

A big thank you to everyone for making this endeavor possible. We once again proved that TARGet Kids! is a rich source of hope and inspiration and we will continue to do so not only through our academic work but also through successful community engagement activities.