Senator Parker Spreads Holiday Cheer to Hospitalized Children

Brooklyn, NY- While many parents were shopping and preparing for the revelry of the holidays on Friday, December 20^th, others that were sitting by their children’s bedsides in Brooklyn’s hospitals received a surprise appearance from Senator Kevin Parker, who visited the pediatrics departments of both Kings County Hospital Center and the State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate Medical Center, to spread holiday cheer and distribute toys. Family members and their children were all smiles to receive an unwrapped toy from the Brooklyn lawmaker who distributed more than 700 toys among the community-based organizations and churches of his district this year, and in previous years.

“Part of the joy of the holidays for a child is being surrounded by loved ones, opening presents and seeing the spirit of Christmas by experiencing the generosity of caring neighbors and community members and organizations  ” Senator Parker said. "Knowing that I can help bring the spirit of Christmas into the hospital rooms of our community’s children is a great joy for me. It is also an opportunity to acknowledge our community’s medical professionals who provide such important care over the holidays and throughout the year,” Senator Parker continued.

On hand to accompany Senator Parker during his visits were Kings County Hospital Center’s Executive Director, Ernest J. Baptiste; Associate Director Debra Lesane, and Michael Harrell, SUNY Downstate’s Assistant Vice President for Community and Governmental Relations and Lisa Smith, Director, Downstate Child Life Center.

Toys were generously donated by Sunbird Corporation, Northfield Bank, and private individuals.

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About Senator Kevin Parker

Senator Kevin S. Parker is intimately familiar with the needs of his ethnically diverse Brooklyn community that consists of 318,000 constituents in Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood, Ditmas Park, Kensington, Windsor Terrace, and Park Slope. He is the Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee and the Committee on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, Assistant Democratic Leader for Intergovernmental Affairs, and Chair of the Democratic Task Force on New Americans.