Spirit Halloween Donation Tops $1 Million for Golisano Children's Hospital

Funds will support the hospital's child life program to bring comfort to young patients.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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Golisano Children's Hospital in Rochester, New York celebrated a major milestone as Spirit Halloween's annual donation campaign surpassed $1 million in total contributions to the hospital's child life program. The funds help keep the hospital's playrooms and play decks open seven days a week to support young patients during their stays.

Why it matters

The child life program at Golisano Children's Hospital plays a crucial role in providing comfort, distraction, and normalcy for pediatric patients and their families during difficult hospital experiences. The significant donation from Spirit Halloween's annual fundraising campaign ensures the program can continue operating at full capacity to meet the needs of the community.

The details

Since 2008, local Spirit Halloween stores have raised money through their Spirit of Children campaign to support the child life program at Golisano Children's Hospital. This year's donation of nearly $100,000 pushed the total contributions over the $1 million mark. The funds help provide staffing support to keep the hospital's playrooms and play decks open seven days a week.

  • Spirit Halloween has been running the Spirit of Children campaign since 2008.
  • The $1 million milestone was reached with the latest donation of nearly $100,000 in 2026.

The players

Golisano Children's Hospital

A pediatric hospital in Rochester, New York that provides specialized care for children.

Spirit Halloween

A seasonal Halloween retail chain that runs an annual fundraising campaign to support children's hospitals across the United States.

Wendy Lane

The child life program manager at Golisano Children's Hospital.

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What they’re saying

“We rely heavily on the community to help support our programing. These funds that we received today help provide staffing support to keep our playrooms and our play decks like you see behind me open.”

— Wendy Lane, Child Life Program Manager (whec.com)

The takeaway

The long-running partnership between Spirit Halloween and Golisano Children's Hospital demonstrates the power of community support to make a meaningful difference in the lives of pediatric patients. The $1 million in donations ensures the hospital's child life program can continue providing essential services and comfort to young people during their most vulnerable moments.