FRANK LEO & ASSOCIATES Gift Delivery and Ribbon-cutting in Emily’s House Snoezelen Room

Thank you to FRANK LEO & ASSOCIATES for their best gift drive ever! This year, they raised $18,024, plus $330 in gift cards, and five large SUVs full of toys and gifts for our children and families.

Watch video highlights from the gift delivery:

Ten representatives of FRANK LEO & ASSOCIATES visited Emily’s House children’s hospice to deliver toys, and to participate in a ribbon-cutting in the Emily’s House Snoezelen Room (therapeutic sensory play space), which was updated with funds from their fundraising in a previous year.

Frank Leo himself participated in unloading the toys, witnessed the demo of the Snoezelen Room sensory equipment, and toured Emily’s House with our CEO, Rauni Salminen. Special thanks to Sam and Dom who mobilized the annual FRANK LEO & ASSOCIATES HOLIDAY GIFT DRIVE 2023: for Emily’s House Children’s Hospice in Memory of Ava. Thank you, also, to everyone who participated in this campaign, for the gifts, gift cards, non-perishable food donations, media awareness, and family of support for children’s paediatric palliative care. Your donations are already bringing joy to our children and families!

Funds raised this year will go towards a new Snoezelen Sensory Cart (deluxe), to bring therapy and interactive engagement to children confined to a hospital bed; a Waterless Bubble Tube or Interactive Whirlwind Tube to engage the imaginations of our children; and, Emily’s House Family Events and Recreational Outings for in the year ahead.

In the six years that FRANK LEO & ASSOCIATES has led this corporate/employee fundraising campaign, they have:

Raised/donated a total of almost $60,000 toward special hospice projects and programming in support of children with a life-limiting illness and complex disability; plus, approximately 20 large vehicles/ SUVs full of toys and gifts for our hospice families.
Lifted the spirits and made the holiday season brighter for almost every one of our Emily’s House families with children who were active on our hospice caseload these last six years. Including children, child siblings and loved ones cared for in this timeframe, approximately 962 people have been directly impacted by the gift drive in six years – nearly 1,000 people! (Numbers do not include the Christmas 2023 impact).
Helped impact every child who received recreation/medical respite that included therapeutic or sensory play in our Emily’s House Snoezelen Room at Emily’s House since 2021. Funds donated by FRANK LEO & ASSOCIATES for the room refresh/renovation made the space more inclusive, accessible and engaging with new sensory installations. The FRANK LEO & ASSOCIATES-funded room upgrade made the space more inclusive, accessible and exciting with new sensory installations.
Supported children and strengthened families. Throughout 2023, our children were able to participate in Emily’s House Children’s Recreation Experiences – with thanks to the funds FRANK LEO & ASSOCIATES donated last December. Children accessed “purposeful play” through special events and programming at our hospice home, home visits, and recreational outings in the community, (i.e., March Break and Summer Camps, seasonal events at Emily’s House, trips to the Royal Ontario Museum, and even in-hospice visits from zoo animals!)
Mobilized an “army of elves” (hospice volunteers and care team staff) to participate in special moments of generosity: helping parents select a toy or gift for their child from our free, holiday “pop up shop” for hospice clients; or hand-delivering special gift packages to be opened and enjoyed during the holiday season.