Robert & Joan Dircks Foundation Provides Funding for Medical Missions For Children's Giggles Theater
Funding will support videoconference field trips at Medical Missions for Children's new theater at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital
Paterson, New Jersey, January 5, 2005 - Medical Missions for Children (MMC), a non-profit organization dedicated to elevating the care of catastrophically ill children in underserved U.S. and international communities, today announced that it has received financial assistance from the Robert & Joan Dircks Foundation to support videoconference field trips at the new Giggles Theater at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital in Paterson, NJ.
The Robert and Joan Dircks Foundation focuses on programs and projects that provide opportunities to children and individuals who are physically, mentally or economically disadvantaged. The Foundation concentrates on small non-profit organizations that provide programs and projects that prevent or solve problems, rather than meet basic needs.
Medical Missions for Children, in partnership with St. Joseph's Children's Hospital, has developed a unique healing experience for its young patients. Giggles Children's Theater, a 70-seat theater also able to accommodate children in wheelchairs and beds, and located within St. Joseph's Children's Hospital, brings local and regional performing artists directly to pediatric patients - through weekly performances and hands-on activities. Music, drama, puppetry, dance, storytellers break the monotony and bring brightness to these sick children.
In addition to live performing artists, the theater will provide these pediatric patients access to "videoconference field trips" - live, interactive educational sessions to such places as the Cincinnati Zoo, NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. These videoconference field trips are designed to expose the hospitalized children to programs and organizations outside the children's normal realm of experience. They have the opportunity to learn first-hand about icebergs, bugs, spacecraft, and great works of art, for instance.
"One of our key partners, Polycom, has provided us leading edge videoconference technology that enables us to conduct exciting field trips to hundreds of providers around the world," says Becky Angelo, executive director, Giggles Theater at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital. "And funding provided by The Robert & Joan Dircks Foundation will enable us to reach these groups on a regular basis. Thanks to the foundation's help, children right here in Paterson, NJ, will travel around the globe, meet other children, and explore thrilling new worlds." About Medical Missions for Children
Medical Missions for Children (MMC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to elevating the care of catastrophically ill children in underserved U.S. and international communities. MMC created and manages its programs through the organization's Global Telemedicine and Teaching Network™ (GTTN) - an interactive, satellite and Internet-based communications platform. The Global Telemedicine & Teaching Network supports the real-time treatment of remote, critically ill children, and through a fully FCC licensed broadcast station, WMMC, broadcasts worldwide an extensive program of continuing medical education. Medical Missions for Children is headquartered at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital in Paterson, NJ. Visit for additional information.
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