PANDA CARES® CENTER OF HOPE OPENS AT CHILDREN’S SPECIALIZED HOSPITAL’S LONG TERM CARE FACILITY IN MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ

Children’s Miracle Network Partner, Panda Express, raises funds in-store and online to inspire hope and promote healing for kids with complex medical conditions and life-limiting illnesses

Mountainside, NJ – Children’s Specialized Hospital (CSH) Foundation is proud to announce the opening of the Panda Cares® Center of Hope, made possible by Panda Express® associates and guests, whose generosity is helping to change kids’ health, to change the future.

The Panda Cares® Center of Hope inspires hope and promotes healing by providing specially curated programs that address each child’s entire well-being, including their mental, emotional, physical and spiritual needs. Programs offered at the Children’s Specialized Hospital Panda Cares Center of Hope include therapeutic play and art therapy, designed to give children the courage and strength to thrive.

“We’re so grateful to Panda Express for this generous contribution to our Long-Term Care Center,” said Alissa Memoli, President and Chief Development Officer at CSH Foundation. “This addition will benefit the children who live at the hospital and make their daily lives more enjoyable and fulfilling.”

The Pediatric Long Term Care (LTC), Respite Care, and Palliative Care services at Children's Specialized Hospital provide exceptional care for children with complex medical conditions. The two CSH LTC centers in Mountainside and Toms River are home to many medically fragile children whose families' current circumstances no longer allow them to be cared for in the home or other community settings. The Mountainside LTC Center was recently renovated to implement technology and interactive spaces that enhance patients’ quality of life. The addition of the Panda Cares® Center of Hope aligns with CSH’s commitment to family-centered care and will further enrich patients’ experiences.

“We are deeply grateful to Panda for their generous donation of the playroom at our Mountainside Long Term Care Unit,” said Patrick Sweeney, Assistant VP, Long Term Care at CSH. “By fostering creativity, play, and a sense of peace, it offers a vital sanctuary for healing and growth. We are inspired by Panda's commitment to the whole child, and this gift will uplift our children in ways that resonate far beyond the hospital's walls."

Panda Cares® Centers of Hope across the country are made possible by donations from Panda Express® associates and guests. Funds raised in-store and online at Panda Express benefit each store’s local community. Following a multimillion-dollar commitment to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals to fund Panda Cares® Centers of Hope, Panda and CMN Hospitals have debuted Center of Hope locations at several hospitals in the U.S. from California and Texas to Hawaii and Washington D.C.

Since 2007, Panda Express and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals have partnered together to change kids’ health to change the future. To date, Panda has raised more than $150M for hospitals affiliated with CMN Hospitals, including Children’s Specialized Hospital.

“We are proud to partner with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals to bring the vision of the Panda Cares® Center of Hope to life and are humbled to be part of the healing journey for the families and kids at these hospitals,” said Dr. Peggy Cherng, co-founder and co-CEO of Panda Restaurant Group. “Children are our future, and through this partnership and curriculum designed to give children the strength to thrive, we will bring smiles and hope to communities nationwide.”

Panda Express has committed to raising $75,000 annually for Children’s Specialized Hospital for the next ten years to support the hospitals greatest needs.