More About Starlight Children's Foundation

Our Mission

• Starlight Children’s Foundation Delivers happiness to seriously ill children and their families

• Vision: Starlight can improve every child’s mental and emotional well-being to help them thrive as they navigate a serious illness.  

• Starlight was founded in 1982 and aims to deliver happiness to hospitalized children and their families to help alleviate stress, fear, and feelings of loneliness during their hospital stay.  

• Starlight is America’s broadest-reaching charity focused on sick kids and recognized as an integral part of the total care of hospitalized kids.

• Starlight programs make the hospital an easier place to be by unleashing the power of play, empowering kids with a renewed sense of optimism, resilience, and courage to endure long hospital stays.

Because of Your Donations

• Hospitals and families can receive Starlight programs free of cost.

• Your donations help kids feel less afraid of their treatments or being in the hospital.

• When kids use Starlight programs, they experience less trauma and emotional distress.

• Your donations help kids feel courageous and confident during their hospital stay.

• Hospitalized kids thrive with Starlight programs — they find their inner strength and a sense of empowerment.

Power of Play

• Play gives kids many ways to address challenges they face in the hospital.

• Play helps kids’ overall healing process by allowing them to socialize with others and feel better emotionally.

• Play lets kids bring elements of kids’ everyday lives into the hospital setting, reconnecting them to their home life.

Starlight Gaming

• Powered by Nintendo®, Starlight Gaming Stations and Handhelds let kids play from the comfort of their hospital bed because it’s designed to roll anywhere in the hospital.

• Hospital-approved Starlight Gaming Stations and Handhelds meet safety protocols and come pre-loaded with 25 kid-friendly games.

• When kids play on Starlight Gaming Stations and handhelds, they feel less stressed and anxious.

• Play through Starlight Gaming empower kids and increases their self-esteem.

• Playing on the Starlight Gaming Stations and Handhelds helps kids feel more in control over their situation. 

• When kids play games on the Starlight Gaming station, they don’t feel their pain as much.

• Playing video games on the Starlight Gaming Stations and Handhelds give kids familiarity and structure so it helps them feel less afraid of staying at the hospital.

• Starlight Gaming Stations and Handhelds help assist patients’ physical therapy, too!