Providing the Bravery Boxes to our Partners
Each of our partners receive a small teal bin that is usually placed visibly on a hospital unit. In smaller settings, the bravery box may be kept in storage and brought out when needed. We communicate regularly with Child Life Specialists, nurses, and staff to ensure that the bravery box stays full of fun toys and understand the purpose of these toys.
We allow the hospital staff to determine when the bravery box is needed. Not every child will need the bravery box and some patients will require multiple visits to help their hospital stay go better. This is why we encourage donations of smaller items to allow for staff to have flexibility in how frequently they use the bravery box. When a child needs that extra incentive to help get through a tough procedure, we want to be there for them!
How our Partners Use the Bravery Boxes
The staff who care for children are some of the most amazing people we have ever met. Whether they are caring for a patient awaiting a heart transplant, providing critical care in the Emergency Department, or comforting a child at Urgent Care, they are amazing at what they do!
Patients who have multiple lengthy hospital stays don’t understand the need for certain uncomfortable procedures. Bravery Box toys provide a reward for facing their fears and allowing the doctors and nurses to provide their cares. In the Emergency Department and Urgent Care Centers, frantic families may not always grab a toy on the way out the door. Our toys provided much needed soothing and distraction for these tense times.
In all of these cases, the toys in the bravery boxes provide a much needed incentive and reward for children to face difficult procedures. Children don’t always understand the bigger picture of why they need care. But they do understand getting a toy at the end of it. For children who will face a lifetime of complicated procedures, having a positive experience will set them up for future success.
Keeping the Bravery Boxes Full
Every month, we deliver nearly 400 toys to our partnering hospitals and clinics. Each of these toys represents a tough procedure bravely faced, a tense moment alleviated, or a celebration of something challenging a child has faced. We can’t provided these moments of joy without your help. Through community toy drives and direct donations, we have been able to sustain our program, delivering over 20,000 toys since 2019. To find out how you can help support our mission, visit our Ways to Donate page.
