TAMPA, Fla., (WFLA) - St. Joseph's Children's Hospital held its annual Christmas in July on Friday morning.
Many community members dropped off toys for the patients. The hospital said they give out the gifts to children for celebrations, holidays, and when they have surgeries and procedures.
It may not feel like Christmas outside, but to the kid's at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital, it sure is.
"This day really has our community wrap their arms around us and bring toys and joy to children throughout the whole year, it stocks our closets to be able to provide support to those children all year-long," said Sarah Naumowich, President of the Children's Hospital.
Every person that donated has the children on their hearts, especially Deputy Jordan Ream.
"My son spent 16 months with St. Joe's when he was born 4 months premature. We got to participate in this Christmas event here. We also partnered with Amazon and my wife also put on a toy drive, so we have a lot of toys to give to the kids," he said.
He said while his son, John, was a patient at the hospital, being able to get gifts for the holidays made a huge impact.
"It was just amazing, we got to feel like we actually had a Christmas," Deputy Ream said.
St. Joseph's is always in need of toys and donations to help their patients and families.
"Actually, the financial support is huge for us to, because that allows us to bring in services to the hospital to help kids out. So, we have massage therapists, yoga therapists, art therapists that can come in and bring in extra things for the kids," said Emily Calcines, Manager of Clinical Services.
The toys and different therapies are a tool to help the pediatric patients get through scary times.
"What the community does for these kids is everything, so something so small goes so far in the eyes of a child. Just even something as small as a coloring book, stickers, but even the bigger things, the Legos, the Barbie Dolls," said Brittany Hamilton, Child Life Specialist.
His son being in the hospital is a time Deputy Ream said he will never forget, and he is happy to be helping families with John by his side.
"It feels amazing, all I want to do is be able to give back to an amazing organization and help families in the situation that I was in," he said. "He's at home, he's two years old, still has the trach, but he's off the ventilator during the day. He's just the happiest little boy."
Christmas in July goes throughout the month, so you can make a toy donation through the end of July, but you can donate online any time of the year. If you would like to donate online, click here.
