Thursday, October 1, 2026
Long Island Jewish Valley Stream Hospital hosted a community toy drop-off aimed at supporting children who pass through its emergency department, offering comfort during what can be an intimidating hospital visit.
The event on Dec. 15 brought together local business owners and hospital staff to provide new, unwrapped toys that will be kept on hand and given to children who come to the emergency department for care.
The initiative was coordinated through a partnership between the hospital and community members who wanted to give back to their neighborhood hospital. While LIJ Valley Stream is not a dedicated pediatric facility, it regularly treats children in its emergency department, alongside adult patients. According to hospital staff, the toys serve as a small but meaningful way to ease anxiety for young patients and their families during emergency visits.
Marie Ledogar, manager of patient and customer experience at LIJ Valley Stream, said the collaboration first began over the summer, when the same group organized an initial toy donation. That first effort highlighted a clear need for age-appropriate items, particularly stuffed animals, which can be comforting for very young children. The success of the summer donation prompted organizers to return during the holiday season to continue the effort.
“It’s a distraction, it’s entertainment, it could be therapeutic, but it also communicates that welcoming message to the child and to their parents,” Ledogar said. “From the patient experience standpoint, that’s something that we really wanted to do, because coming into a hospital can be very scary, but it creates that overall positive experience for them, and it also helps to build that trusting relationship with the care team.”
Although the event coincided with December, hospital representatives emphasized that the toys are not intended as holiday gifts. Instead, they are meant to provide distraction and reassurance for children at any time of year, especially while waiting for treatment or test results in the emergency department.
Dr. Salvatore Pardo, chair of emergency medicine at LIJ Valley Stream, said children make up a consistent portion of the hospital’s emergency department visits, with several pediatric patients seen daily. Emergency physicians and nurses are trained to care for children, and most pediatric cases are treated directly at Valley Stream. When a child requires a higher level of care or hospital admission, the emergency department coordinates transfers to Cohen Children’s Medical Center, including specialized transport when needed.
From the emergency department’s perspective, having toys available can make a noticeable difference. They can help calm children who are frightened by the unfamiliar environment and also provide comfort to children who are accompanying family members receiving care.
“It’s a very impactful thing for the child,” Pardo said. “They feel like they are seen and recognized. They don’t want to be there. So if you give them something to play with or interact with, I think it really kind of helps the child.”
The toy drive was organized by Kevin Aburto, who has run similar initiatives for several years with a group of fellow local business owners. After becoming more involved in the Valley Stream community, Aburto shifted his focus to supporting LIJ Valley Stream, recognizing that hospitals without pediatric centers often receive fewer toy donations despite still caring for children. The group pooled funds, collected donations and purchased toys specifically chosen to be suitable for hospital use.
Hospital leaders described the donation as an example of strong community-hospital ties. Staff members said seeing residents support young patients reinforces the hospital’s mission to serve its community and enhances the overall care experience.
“It’s very touching for me, in light of all the things that healthcare is going through, some things that are driven politically, but the fact of the matter is, there’s not a lot of money to go around to kind of address these types of needs,” Pardo said. “And then when we get these donations, it really makes it a lot easier for the hospital to stick to their mission and try to really focus on where we can enhance care or things of that nature that directly impact the patient. So, getting these donations is vital and helpful.
“The other thing that I think is important is the recognition of Valley Stream hospital, that we are looking to really serve the community,” he continued. “And this is a message to me that we are being more visible in the community, and that that’s a good feeling as well.”
The toys donated on Monday will remain available throughout the year, ensuring that children who arrive at LIJ Valley Stream’s emergency department — whether for minor injuries or serious emergencies — leave with a small source of comfort during a difficult moment.
