UnitedHealthcare and Project Sunshine Bring Cheer to 1,000 Miami Pediatric Patients

More than 60 UnitedHealthcare employees and senior leaders spent an afternoon assembling nearly 1,000 arts and crafts kits for children hospitalized in South Florida.

By Sonia Diaz

More than 60 UnitedHealthcare employees and senior leaders spent an afternoon assembling nearly 1,000 arts and crafts kits for children hospitalized in South Florida.  Through a partnership with Project Sunshine, a non-profit organization that provides free educational, recreational and social programs to children facing medical challenges, UnitedHealthcare is able to bring smiles to pediatric patients and their families.  UnitedHealthcare and Project Sunshine have worked on similar volunteer efforts in dozens of different markets across the country this year.

The arts and crafts kits will be enjoyed by young patients and their families during extended hospital stays. Each kit contains fun items, such as crayons, colorful stickers and a journal that will bring much needed relief from the anxiety and isolation often related with hospitalization. The kits also provide an opportunity for children to explore their creativity with their families and express how they’re feeling.

“Being hospitalized can often be a stressful and emotional experience for children and their families,” said Jeff Alter, CEO of UnitedHealthcare’s Employer and Individual business.  “We’re hoping these arts and crafts kits bring a smile to the kids’ faces and give them a fun, creative distraction during their time in the hospital.”