Keep Up the Caring

Please consider helping patients and families throughout the year by donating new, unused items to the Child Life Department! The Child Life Department provides play and preparations for medical procedures, and donations help provide support and comfort for our pediatric patients. Through play, child life specialists help children and parents understand what is happening and create effective ways to help cope with hospitalization. You can find our most requested items by following this link: https://www.myregistry.com/giftlist/keepupthecaring

All donations must be pre-scheduled. Please call the main Child Life Department office line at 410-955-6276 or email [email protected] to schedule a drop off.

Donations

All sorts of donations can improve a child’s hospital stay by promoting health and even bringing some fun:

1. A cash or gift card donation will allow staff to purchase items most needed for our patients. Checks should be made payable to Johns Hopkins Child Life and mailed to the address below. Gift cards can be sent to the same address.

   Johns Hopkins Children’s Center Child Life Department
   Bloomberg 7217
   1800 Orleans Street
   Baltimore, MD 21287
   410-955-6276
2. Your donation helps bring healing to our patients and hope to their families. That’s why we’ve carefully curated our wish lists to maximize your generosity’s impact:
• Department Wishlist: Wishlist for helping patients and families during hospitalization.
• Many donors find it easier to purchase these items through our Keep up the Caring gift registry.
• Please Note: In accordance with infection control regulations, we accept only new toys and gifts. Please understand, donors are not able to deliver gifts directly to patients. For more information, contact the Department of Child Life at 410-955-6276 or email [email protected].
3. When making any donation, you can specify a Child Life specialist for use on a specific unit of the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center. Contact the Department of Child Life at 410-955-6276 or email [email protected].
4. Funds (and endowments) can be created and fundraisers held to benefit the Department of Child Life. For more information, contact the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center Office of Development.

Blank Cloth Dolls and Blankets

Thank you very much for dedicating your time and talent for the patients at Johns Hopkins Children's Center. On behalf of our patients, THANK YOU!  When you are ready to make your donation, please use our mailing address, or, call the office to schedule a time for drop off. Again, on behalf of our patients, thank you.  

Blank Cloth Dolls

It is very important to follow the pattern so that the doll reflects the shape and proportion of a person as much as possible. While our supplies do change, we regularly need dolls made of fabric that best matches African American and Hispanic skin tones. Please use only solid colored cotton fabric that matches skin tones. We cannot use dolls made from fabric with designs. We are also typically in need of gowns with fabrics that are appealing to boys of all ages, even teens!

Download the pattern for the blank cloth dolls and the pattern for gowns.

Blankets

Patients greatly appreciate this lovely gift while they are at our hospital, clinics, or emergency room.  Brightly colored fabrics, patterns, sports themes, etc. are the most popular for the children and teens. School age and teens make up about half of our patients at any given time. We always need blankets for them! 4' X 5' is the suggested size blanket for this age group.