Partnership Highlights

Regional Organzations that are making a difference

Starlight is grateful to our generous donors who are committed to helping us reach our goal of serving every seriously child and their family members, no matter where they live or for how long they need help.

Thunderbirds Charities Help Pediatric Patients
Starlight Arizona is pleased to announce that Thunderbirds Charities have generously donated $50,000 to sponsor the construction a Starlight Site care room at The Arizona Burn Center at Maricopa Medical Center. Starlight Sites transform dreary and intimidating hospital treatment rooms into warm, child-friendly spaces, making the treatment process less frightening.

“We are thankful for this generous donation and look forward to unveiling the new Starlight Site care room at the Arizona Burn Center in February 2011. Thunderbirds Charities make a difference,” said Arizona Community Development Officer Jo Ann Yeo. “We are extremely thankful for their partnership and continued generous support.”

Maracay Homes Fills our House With Love

During the past several months, Arizona-based homebuilder, Maracay Homes, contributed significant cash and in-kind donations to support Starlight’s hospital-based and outpatient programs across the state. Maracay’s “Fill Our House with Love” Toy Drive kicked off in mid-November and included a six-week promotional schedule on KYOT--FM Smooth Jazz Radio to promote a statewide campaign for Starlight in support of seriously ill children in Arizona hospitals. Starlight’s Global Ambassador, Dave Koz, personally donated his vocal talents for radio spots to promote the toy drive and heavily promoted the campaign on his radio show (Thanks Dave and KYOT-FM!).

Maracay Homes model home communities were decorated with adorable toy collection boxes, posters and stars. Community members, vendors and employees of Maracay Homes donated thousands of toys (each valued at $10 to $25) that were distributed to hundreds of pediatric patients throughout Arizona during the week of December 20.

On December 17, Maracay Homes sponsored a magical holiday-themed Great Escape event at the Phoenix Zoo. More than 250 Starlight children and their family members enjoyed an evening that included dinner for all and individual cookies on a stick fashioned after Starry’s likeness along with hot chocolate. Kids delighted in an ornament craft activity, holiday carolers with special guest appearance by Santa with toys for each child. The evening ended with everyone experiencing the beautiful Zoo Lights.

The Wayne Foundation Supports Starlight

The Wayne Foundation founder Charles Keller, recently contacted Starlight and shared his desire to create a magical moment in a seriously ill child’s life. Using his replica of the Batmobile, each month Mr. Keller will give a Starlight child and his or her family a chance to join him in fighting crime as part of a new Ride-A-Long program.

“You can see this car from miles away, just imagine the gift of joy this will bring to so many seriously ill children,” said Starlight community coordinator, Rebecca Arvizu.”

Along with each Batmobile experience The Wayne Foundation will also donate $250 to support Starlight programs in the name of the Starlight child crime fighter that month to give them the experience of “giving back.”

“We are so excited about this new relationship with The Wayne Foundation, no villain illnesses stand a chance with the heroic Wayne Foundation helping Starlight families living in Gotham Maricopa County!” added Rebecca.

To learn more click here.

Many Thanks

Starlight would also like to recognize the following generous supporters who have made cash and in-kind gifts between April 2010 and November 2010 to support our hospital-based and outpatient programs:

$4,250 and above
Thunderbirds Charities $50,000
Maracay Homes $10,000
Coyotes Charities $9,250
Frank Edward Piccolo Foundation $5,500
Advanced Controls Corporation $5,000
Climatec $5,000
Kitchell Corporation $5,000
Phoenix Suns Charities $5,000
The Steele Foundation $5,000
Sun Mechanical Contracting, Inc. $4,550
Alan W. Muhs $4,250
BCS Enterprises, Inc. $4,250
Sundt Foundation of Phoenix $4,250

$500 to $4,249
Brewer Law Firm, PLLC
Deborah I. Malone
Ferguson Enterprises, Inc.
Hardy Insulation, Inc.
Howard “Bud” Bedingfield
Jon Ziegler
Modern Industries
In-kind Support:
California Pizza Kitchen
Clareity Consulting
Crush Recording Studios
Dr. Honora Norton and Michael Elert
Jerry Dailey
Jobing.com Arena
Mad Science of Scottsdale/NE Phoenix
Sony Pictures
Tim’s Toyota Center
US Airways Center
Xpedx

The organization makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of its supporters. We apologize for any inadvertent omissions or inaccuracies.

Einstein Bros. Bagels Partners with Starlight

Einstein Bros. Bagels, a leader in the quick casual restaurant industry, recently announced a partnership with Starlight to sponsor a Fun Center mobile entertainment unit in each Starlight-supported hospital where Einstein Bros. opens a new location.

The very first Fun Center sponsored by Einstein Bros. was unveiled on Sept. 13, 2010, at Duke Children’s Hospital & Health Center in Durham, N.C.

“Starlight Children’s Foundation is one of the nation’s most meaningful causes, and we stand side by side with this organization to provide entertainment and financial support for Starlight programs,” said Jeff O’Neill, chief executive officer of Einstein Noah Restaurant Group.

“We recognize the importance of philanthropy and look forward to working with Starlight to make the lives of hospitalized children a little better through these Fun Centers.”

The Gift of Play

In 2010, Hasbro donated more than 900 toys valued at almost $14,000 to Starlight children through the company’s Gift of Play program.

Starlight volunteer elves distributed the games and toys to seriously ill children in Las Vegas, Jacksonville, Los Angeles and Minneapolis.

A Simple ‘Like’ Goes a Long Way

Wyndham Worldwide recently announced that its Wishes by Wyndham philanthropic program will donate $60,000 to be equally divided between its three signature charities: the Association of Hole in the Wall Camps, Christel House International and Starlight!

During a three-month Facebook campaign that began in August, Wyndham pledged to donate $1 to its signature charities
(up to $60,000) for every new person that “liked” its Facebook page. Through the campaign, Wyndham gained almost 5,500 Facebook fans, who shared nearly 7,000 Facebook posts and tweets about the program.

“As a result of the great response from the social community and in the spirit of social good, we decided to donate the full $60,000 to
our signature charities,” said Mary Falvey, executive vice president and chief human resource officer of Wyndham Worldwide. “This
campaign not only gave us a great opportunity to provide additional funding to our signature charities, but it also allowed us to extend awareness of these great organizations within the social community.”

Thank you, Wyndham for your amazing support and to everyone who recruited ‘Likes’ for Starlight!

Fun Center™ Round-Up

Colgate-Palmolive Company
Last year Colgate-Palmolive funded the placement of 89 Fun Center mobile entertainment units through its General Market campaign in hospitals around the country. An additional 49 were place through Starlight and Colgate’s fourth annual Show the Love online voting challenge.

One Starlight Fun Center was awarded to each of the 20 participating hospitals and Colgate donated an additional Starlight Fun Center every day throughout the month of February to the hospital that received the most online votes by midnight EST each day.

Wyndham Hotel Group
In conjunction with its championship pro golf tournament, Wyndham Worldwide made contributions to several children’s charities, including Starlight. Several PGA Tour players helped to unveil a Fun Center at Brenner’s Children’s Hospital. Wyndham also placed Fun Centers at University of Maryland Hospital (MD), University Community Hospital in Tampa (FL), Children’s Hospital of Orange County
(CA), Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children (FL), Texas Pediatric Surgery Center (TX), Stroger Hospital of Cook County (IL) and Scottsdale Healthcare (AZ).

Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) celebrated the 2010 World Series by unveiling four Fun Centers at hospitals located in the cities of the final four teams that competed for a spot at the World Series.

Below is a list of the lucky recipients:

• New York Yankees — New York Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital (NY)
  
• Philadelphia Phillies — DuPont Hospital for Children (PA)
  
• San Francisco Giants — San Francisco General Hospital Foundation (CA)
  
• Texas Rangers — Medical City Children’s Hospital (TX)

Qdoba Mexican Grill
This year Qdoba Mexican Grill placed four Fun Centers in hospitals around the country: Children’s Hospital & Medical Center (NE), St. Luke’s Hospital (MO), Good Samaritan Hospital (WA), and Sacred Heart Medical Center (WA).

Insomniac Games
Insomniac Games recently placed three Fun Centers, one at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles (CA), one at Providence Tarzana Medical Center (CA) and the other at Duke University Hospital (NC).

Major League Soccer
Soccer players Dwayne De Rosario, Jon Conway and Geoff Aunger recently joined Major League Soccer (MLS) for a Fun Center dedication at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. The hospital visit by the players and the Fun Center dedication were part of the MLS Cup trophy arrival celebration that kicked off the 2010 MLS Cup festivities.

Nestlé
Nestlé unveiled 18 new Fun Centers in partnership with California Pizza Kitchen frozen pizza, Stater Bros. Markets, Gelson’s, Save Mart, Lucky and Food Maxx stores.