enCourage Kids Foundation

As we gather this Thanksgiving, our hearts are filled with deep gratitude for you—the compassionate enCourage Kids Foundation community. Your unwavering support brings light into the lives of pediatric patients, filling their hospital rooms with moments of joy, hope, and comfort as they navigate challenging medical journeys. You are the heartbeat of our mission. Your generosity helps transforms fear into courage and isolation into connection, especially during the holidays when every child deserves to feel safe and cared for. Because of you, nearly 10,000 children have received the gift of an enCourage Kids Bear this year. With your help, a cuddly enCourage Kids Teddy becomes so much more than a toy—it becomes a source of strength and a constant companion, offering comfort through the toughest treatments and procedures. Thank you for being the reason a child feels a little braver, a little less alone, and a lot more loved. We are proud to come together to share the abundance of hope we've created with children who need it most. From all of us at enCourage Kids Foundation, we wish you and your family a holiday filled with love, warmth, and endless blessings. Thank you for being a part of our family.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving! The best way to get into the spirit is to practice gratitude. Swipe for 5 simple ways to practice gratitude with your child as we prepare for the holiday season. What are you most grateful for this Thanksgiving? Here at enCourage Kids, we are most grateful for our inspiring and generous community. ???? #encouragekids #thanksgiving #practicegratitude

Pediatric diabetes, whether Type 1 or Type 2, impacts countless children, and managing the condition is a daily responsibility. Here’s how you can support kids with diabetes: 1?? Educate and Empower:?Learn about the basics of diabetes management, including blood sugar monitoring and insulin use. Help kids gain the knowledge and confidence to manage their diabetes independently as they grow. 2?? Create a Supportive Environment:?Encourage healthy eating habits and provide balanced meals. Help kids participate in school, sports, and social activities by ensuring they have the necessary tools and plans to manage their condition safely. 3?? Provide Emotional Support:?Acknowledge the emotional challenges that come with living with diabetes. Listen to their concerns and provide reassurance that they can live a full life with the right support and care. 4?? Build a Health Team:?Regular checkups with healthcare providers like pediatric endocrinologists are key. Work with doctors, diabetes educators, and support groups to ensure the best possible care and resources for the child. #NationalDiabetesMonth #PediatricDiabetes #DiabetesAwareness #encouragekids

This Giving Tuesday, you can make the holidays brighter for children facing their toughest battles. For families with kids in the hospital, the season isn’t filled with joy and togetherness—it’s filled with uncertainty, procedures, and sterile rooms instead of holiday cheer. But with your help, we can change that. A gift of $35 will provide a hospitalized child with an enCourage Kids Teddy Bear—bringing comfort and courage when they need it most. Your donation also supports therapeutic playrooms and creative activities that turn hospital stays into moments of hope, laughter, and healing. This holiday season, let’s ensure no child spends their days in a hospital without feeling the warmth and support of the world outside. Together, we can bring them moments of joy and remind them they are never alone. Donate today: https://lnkd.in/euq3mMSG #encouragekids #helpchildren #givingtuesday

November is Native American Heritage Month, a time to recognize the contributions of Indigenous peoples to culture, history, and science. Among their many achievements is their lasting impact on modern medicine. Native Americans developed sophisticated medical practices rooted in their deep understanding of the natural world. Did you know they used willow bark (the precursor to Aspirin) for pain relief and fever reduction? Beyond remedies, Native Americans practiced holistic healing, integrating spiritual, physical, and environmental factors into their care, a perspective that modern medicine increasingly values. Their contributions continue to shape modern medicine, offering valuable insights into sustainable and effective healthcare practices. Swipe for 5 Indigenous inventions! ???? #encouragekids #nativeamericanheritage

This Giving Tuesday, let’s give children in hospitals something priceless: the comfort of love, the warmth of a hug, and the magic of hope. For a child facing long, lonely days in a hospital, a Teddy Bear isn’t just a toy—it’s a companion in fear, a friend in loneliness, and a reminder that someone cares deeply about them. ?? With a gift of $35, you can bring this magic to a child— a child who needs to know they’re not alone in their fight. Your generosity will transform hospital rooms into places of courage and resilience. Imagine a child holding their Bear, feeling braver before a surgery or smiling for the first time in days. That’s the power of your gift—it’s more than a Bear; it’s a lifeline of love and healing. ?? This December 3, let’s be the reason a child smiles through the tears, laughs through the fear, and feels wrapped in care when they need it most. Will you help us bring joy, play, and hope to pediatric patients? https://lnkd.in/euq3mMSG #GivingTuesday #GiftOfHope #TeddyBearComfort #HealingThroughLove #encouragekids

Every day, a child wakes up in a hospital room, facing fear, loneliness, and uncertainty. They miss the simple joys of childhood—playing, laughing, and being surrounded by love. But YOU can change that. ?? At enCourage Kids, we believe no child should face a medical journey without hope. Your kindness can fill their world with comfort, healing, and moments of joy that remind them what it feels like to just be a kid. This year, because of your generosity:??? Nearly 10,000 hospitalized children hugged a comforting enCourage Kids Bear.??? Children in medical facilities found joy through play, music therapy, and sensory support.??? Kids with severe medical needs attended adaptive camps, gardened, and created art.??? Facility dogs brought courage and companionship to young patients during their hardest moments. But so many children still wait for a little light in their darkest hours. Imagine a scared child clutching a bear that feels like a warm hug. Picture a young patient laughing with a therapy dog or discovering the magic of play in a hospital playroom. YOU can create these moments of joy and healing. ?? Give today and bring hope to a child who needs it most. Your gift, no matter the size, can make a hospital stay brighter, a family’s burden lighter, and a child’s smile shine again. ?? Donate now and help us get a head start on #GivingTuesday: https://lnkd.in/euq3mMSG Please share this post and ask your friends and family to join you. Together, we can transform fear into hope, and loneliness into love. #enCourageKids #HopeForKids #GivingTuesday #HolidayGiving #SpreadJoy

We're honored to partner with St. Mary's Healthcare System for Children to support their incredible Summer Olympics Camp Program for children and young adults with special medical needs. Thanks to a $7,500 grant from enCourage Kids Foundation, the Summer of 2024 was filled with joy, inclusion, and unforgettable memories! ?? St. Mary’s provides programs and services to a highly diverse population, with children and families of differing cultures and faiths across the socioeconomic spectrum. Approximately 70% of their patient population identify as an underrepresented minority. They place a major emphasis on providing care to those who are economically disadvantaged, as indicated by a 90% Medicaid eligibility rate among patients. From adaptive sports equipment to sensory bean bags, sports inflatables, and even a special day with exotic animals, this program, funded by enCourage Kids, brought smiles to kids and young adults with a wide range of conditions, like Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Spina Bifida, and more—all while they received critical care from St. Mary’s expert team of pediatric specialists. As Nancy McKee, Development Associate at St. Mary’s, shared: "Your grant has made such a tremendous impact on the Summer of 2024 for St. Mary’s Kids, and we look forward to partnering with the enCourage Kids Foundation again in the near future." ?? Swipe through to see the fun and the incredible smiles your support made possible! #enCourageKids #MakingADifference #StMarysKids #InclusiveCare #SummerToRemember

? What an unforgettable night at enCourage Kids Foundation’s Serving Up Smiles event! ?? I had the incredible honor of performing at this amazing event that raised over $200,000 to support pediatric patients and their families. ???? The atmosphere at Current at Chelsea Piers was truly magical, with delicious food, incredible wines, and the best magic entertainment by yours truly—but the magic didn’t stop there. ? Unlike magic at corporate events, I tailored my performance to help fuel the generosity of the crowd, with a little magic and messaging that made everyone believe in the power of giving back. ???? At the end of the day, the best trick is what everybody does when supporting this amazing organization and their mission. Thank you to all the guests who donated to such a meaningful cause. Together, we’re “making hospitals a better place to get better”! ???? Event: enCourage Kids Foundation enCourage Kids Foundation's 10th?Annual Serving Up Smiles Entertainment:?Fun Corporate Magic Magician:?Matias Letelier Venue:?The Pier Sixty Collection Event Planner:?Jayme Posner and Regine Coloso Photographers:?@artphotofilms @mink_byedna #enCourageKids #IllusionistMatias #ServingUpSmiles #CompanyHolidayParty #CorporateEvents #EndOfYearCelebration #FunCorporateMagic #IllusionistMatias #MagicMoments #NewYorkMagic #HolidayParty #WatchThis #EventEntertainment #MindBlown #HolidayPartyMagic #CorporateEntertainment #CloseUpMagic #MentalismMagic #PickpocketPerformance #HolidayVibes #UnforgettableEvents #MagicAtWork #magiciansofinstagram?#magictricks?#illuionist?#mentalist?#newyork?#illusion?#entertainer?#magicshow?#nycevents?#corporatemagician?#magicnyc?

Our President and CEO, Jean Butler, recently attended an unforgettable night at Gotham Comedy Club which supported NY Giants Devin Singletary’s Foundation and St. Barnabas Heath System! And Teddy came along! ??? Huge thanks to Dante Miller and Devin Singletary of the NY Giants, Bruce Beck from WNBC and Mike Williams—formerly of the NY Jets and now with the Pittsburgh Steelers—for meeting Teddy and showing their support. Teddy isn’t just a cuddly bear; he’s a symbol of comfort and hope for kids facing tough challenges. Everyone loves Teddy, and it’s clear why—he makes a real difference! Jean was honored to share Teddy’s story with such an inspiring group of stars. ???? #encouragekids #celebrityspotting #thankyou #gothamcomedyclub #helpchildren