Written by: Ate Ren dela Cruz, Board Member
Every year kids await the start of one special month where they get to visit loved ones, receive toys and gifts, and have more time with their families, often going out to new places to just enjoy the company of family – there is no doubt the coming of the Christmas season brings joy to children’s hearts. However, though this is the case of most kids, there are some who are afflicted with illness ranging from mild to severe, and have to be admitted to the hospital during the most wonderful time of the year. That is why it was our delight when the team at Philips reached out to partner with us for a special visit to bring blessings and joy to 50 children from Quirino Memorial Medical Center.
It is always so meaningful to us when companies choose to go out of their way to help the underprivileged, and it speaks much of their organization’s culture and priorities. It was especially heartwarming to us as the company opted to visit the hospital, a place that is much in need of holiday cheer with the coming of December. Our ates and kuyas came to QMMC in the morning of December 1, ready to give back to the children with gifts and surprises in tow!
We started the morning with our Philips volunteers introducing themselves to the children, to get them more comfortable as we celebrate the day with them. We also played some games to bring smiles to the kids’ faces, and their ates and kuyas joined in on the fun via our U! Happy Games – Arrange Yourself, Balloon Power, and Christmas Alphabet – which was a delight to witness as the kids got more and more energetic and fond of their new ates and kuyas. But that was just the start of what Philips had in store for them — bringing more amazement and wonder, the kids also got to enjoy a bubble show, a magic show, and a puppet show!
Of course after a jampacked lineup, our volunteers also distributed meals, eating with the kids and their parents and getting to know them even more. The generosity kept on coming, as they also handed out storybooks after mealtime! We capped off the morning with a group photo — it truly was a heartwarming sight as love and joy filled the air throughout the event, with the children experiencing the magic that the season brings, and our volunteers no doubt experiencing the warmth that volunteering brings as well. Thank you to our generous and loving Philips team for sharing love to our QMMC kids!
