Spirit Halloween raises nearly $60,000 for Children's Hospital

From left to right: Sarah Miller, Tiffany Horner and Ashley Kane, Child Life Program; Charles LoPinto, Annamarie Naszali-Lipan and Nicholai Bird-Conliff, Spirit of Children; Jennifer Shearn, Child Life Program; Gil Pak, operations director, Penn State Health Children's Hospital; Kari Barelmann, Child Life Program fellow; Dr. Leslie Walker-Harding, chair of pediatrics, Penn State Health Children's Hospital.

Representatives of Spirit Halloween stores have presented a check for $59,787 to the Child Life Program at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital. The amount reflects proceeds from the company's 2016 Spirit of Children campaign. In all, the campaign raised $7 million for more than 130 children's hospitals across the U.S.

Each fall, Spirit Halloween offers a coupon through which customers receive 10 percent off their order and in turn, Spirit of Children donates the amount saved back to a local Child Life Program. Customers can also make in-store and online donations to support the campaign.

At Penn State Health Children’s Hospital, the funds allow the Child Life staff to welcome a fellow to the team for one year to gain professional experience. The money also helps support Child Life's newest employee, Kaia, the resident facility dog. To date the Spirit of Children campaign has generated more than $299,000 for the Child Life Program.

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