Toy maker Fisher-Price and its parent company Mattel delivered a big gift to the John R. Oishei Children's Hospital on Monday. The company's $3 million donation will help build a Family and Child Resource Center in the new facility. Along with toys, the center will have a computer and video game area, consultation rooms, and meditation areas with access to a winter garden.
Executive Vice President of Fisher-Price Global Brands David Allmark says the East Aurora company has a 25-year history with Children's Hospital and the company is "privileged" to support the new facility on the Buffalo-Niagara Medical Campus.
"It's really about recuperation and rehabilitation and really giving an opportunity for children and parents to interact during their visits to the hospital," Allmark said.
"Whether it be just through basic storytelling or being able to spend time to relax or really communicate and allow toys to be that medium to help explain what's going on to a child during those very difficult and stressful times for the child or the parent," said Allmark.
Construction of the new hospital is set to begin this spring. The project is slated for completion in 2016.