A large donation of toys led to smiles on the faces of parents in Hartford on Wednesday. The Mattel Children’s Foundation donated 3,500 toys to Hartford Healthcare to distribute to families in its network.
On Wednesday morning, families were able to pick out toys for their children.
“When they called me I was thinking to myself, like what a perfect time because the economy and the money situation is a little hard. So it thought it was a great opportunity and I was excited to know that I could get more gifts for my kids,” said Tiana Rivera, who has a baby girl and three boys ages 3, 5 and 9-years-old.
Joze Cornejal and his wife brought their baby girl in for an appointment and were chosen to receive toys as well for their 6- and 7-year-old daughters at home, along with their 14-year-old son.
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“It was a surprise,” said Cornejal. “It does a lot, trust me, it does a lot.”
This is the second time Mattel donated toys to Hartford Healthcare, but the first time during the holiday season. The toys are being distributed at Hartford Healthcare’s other hospitals and programs around the state for children this holiday season.
“We are so appreciative. We are a therapeutic day school,” said Ari Steinberg, the clinical program manager for the Institute of Living Grace Webb School. “I think we'll have a lot of happy and excited students as well as families. It just allows us to give to them things that they might not necessarily be able to get on their own.”
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Hartford Healthcare representatives added that this was a great way to help families, as well as strengthen the bond between the healthcare system and community.
