Investing in the Future | CHOC Champions & Marriott Next Gen Members Give Back to CHOC

This past Monday, we had the pleasure of enjoying an evening Angels game with our CHOC Champions and Marriott Next Gen members! Before taking them out to the ball game, both groups met at Oggi’s Pizza & Brewing Company to enjoy some light refreshments and learn more about CHOC’s dedication to family-centered care. Kelsey Chapman, who has been a Child Life Specialist at CHOC Children’s for three years, spoke to the group about how their team works with the patients and families at CHOC. She explained how the Cherese Mari Laulhere Child Life Department at CHOC Children’s strives to normalize the hospital environment for our patients and families. “Normalizing” the hospital experience is the process of making things like medical equipment and procedures feel less strange or foreign. By  doing this, patients and their family members can feel more at ease while at the hospital and can focus on what is most important: feeling better.

Every dollar raised through CHOC’s Children’s Miracle Network partnership with Marriott, as well as all funds raised by the CHOC Champions program, go directly to support Kid’s CARE, CHOC’s unrestricted fund that provides dollars to the greatest need of the hospital. This includes programs like Child Life, Music Therapy and Pet Therapy.

An incubator for change and innovation, Marriott’s Orange County Next Gen Business Council is a group of young professionals within Marriott who collaborate to pioneer new and exciting ways to enhance and transform the business. From participating in the CHOC Walk to partnering with CHOC Champions, the Marriott Next Gen Business Council members are incredible supporters of, and advocates for CHOC.                                  

CHOC Champions is a group of young industry professionals who leverage their skill sets to create a profound impact on the lives of children in our community being treated at CHOC Children’s. Through social media, networking events, and volunteerism, we are a new generation of Southern California philanthropists looking to provide a more opportunistic future for today’s children. Interested in getting involved? Sign up to be a CHOC Champion today! Visit https://www.choc.org/giving/choc-champions/ to register and learn  more, or simply text “chocchamps” to 41444, and you will receive a link to confirm your registration.

Thank you to all our CHOC Champions and Marriott Next Gen members who came out to learn more about CHOC and enjoy some hot summer night sports! We are so grateful for all that you do to support the families and children in our community!