The Pediatric Hospitality Cart at East River Road Clinic is a volunteer-supported program designed to provide healthy, nutritious snack bags to pediatric patients and their families during medical appointments. Serving the Departmental and Behavioral Pediatrics Unit, Pediatric Behavioral Health and Wellness Unit, and Pediatric Neurology Unit, the cart offers a simple but meaningful gesture of comfort for families navigating often lengthy and challenging visits.
Many families travel significant distances—often 30 miles or more—for care. Providing a ready-to-go snack bag helps ease that burden, ensuring children have access to nutritious food and offering caregivers one less thing to worry about during their visit.
This initiative builds on the success of the AC6 Pediatric Hospitality Cart at Strong Memorial Hospital, expanding that model of care and compassion to the East River Road location. With consistent volunteer support, the cart operates Monday through Friday for four hours each day, serving families year-round.
Community involvement is central to the program’s success. Volunteer groups and individuals are invited to sponsor a designated week by donating 500 prepared snack bags (a one-time commitment per week). Each snack bag costs approximately $1.41 to assemble. Sponsors are recognized with signage on the cart during their selected week, with opportunities to support multiple weeks for those interested in a greater level of involvement.
Through this collective effort, the Pediatric Hospitality Cart helps create a more supportive, compassionate healthcare experience—making a difference one snack bag at a time.
