Connecting Joy Grant

The Connecting Joy Grant, provided by the Joy in Childhood Foundation, aims to enhance the hospital experience for children battling illness through engaging gaming programs. This initiative supports children's hospitals and nonprofits by funding equipment, staffing, and connectivity, ensuring children can enjoy gaming at their bedside. With grants ranging from $25,000 to $150,000, the program focuses on offering joy and distraction, helping young patients cope with their hospital stays while facilitating connections with peers.

The Joy in Childhood Foundation
The Joy in Childhood Foundation, Inc. provides grants to hundreds of nonprofits – big and small – making a difference in the lives of kids battling hunger or illness across the country. Organizations include food pantries, children’s hospitals, camps and programs designed to provide joy to those who need it most.
Gaming is an excellent way to help kids who are hospitalized stay engaged in a fun activity that meets all energy and ability levels.
The Dunkin’ Connecting Joy program helps bring comprehensive gaming programs to hospitals.  Gaming is not only a wonderful activity for kids of all ages and abilities, it can help distract kids and provide a sense of normalcy when they are hospitalized. This grant program supports hospitals with equipment, staffing, connectivity, and other needs so that kids can enjoy gaming experiences at their bedside and even play with family and friends back home. Connecting Joy brings joy to patients at children’s hospitals providing an outlet for kids to work on cognitive skills, gain a sense of mastery and control, and offer positive distractions that help them better cope with hospitalizations.
Types of Programs
Organizations can apply for a variety of support including:

• Pediatric Gaming Technology SpecialistSystems and connectivityVirtual programming that connects pediatric and teen patients with other patients their age
• Funding

Eligibility

To be eligible for funding, applicants must be a children’s hospital, general hospital with dedicated pediatric department, or nonprofit organization serving children battling illness within geographic proximity to Dunkin’ locations. A focus of the program is to specifically provide the experience to teens.

Children's hospitals, general hospitals with a dedicated pediatric department, or nonprofits serving children battling illness within geographic proximity to Dunkin' locations.