Grand Foundation Celebrates July Season of Giving Toy Drive

Grand Foundation celebrated a month of giving during their first July Season of Giving toy drive to benefit the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation (POTCF). Employees and customers at Illinois Grand Appliance stores in Orland Park, Chicago, Crystal Lake, Downers Grove, Forest Park, Lake Zurich, Libertyville, Naperville, Round Lake Beach and Waukegan collected over 200 toys, $120 in gift cards and $3,125 to help children and teens fighting cancer. The Orland Park-based non-profit organization provides comfort and distraction from painful treatments to children and teens diagnosed with cancer by providing a toy or gift card in 62 hospitals across 20 states nationwide.

The Grand Foundation is a charitable organization managed and funded by the founding family of Grand Appliance. The purpose of the Grand Foundation is to provide funds to organizations, groups and individuals to foster growth and opportunity especially concerning youth, education and the local communities they serve. Grand Foundation Executive Director Meagan Gauri said, “The Treasure Chest Foundation spoke to me as my father has cancer. I can’t imagine what it must be like for a mom to have a child fighting cancer. We are pleased to help a worthy cause.”

Treasure Chest Foundation CEO and Founder Colleen Kisel said, "We are extremely grateful to the Grand Foundation for their support. Their tremendous donation of toys, gift cards and funding will help brave children and teens battling cancer. "

The POTCF is a unique organization whose services impact more than 14,600 young cancer patients in 62 cancer treatment centers in 20 states across the nation and in the District of Columbia. Nowhere else in the nation does such a program exist. Colleen Kisel founded the organization in 1996 after her then seven-year-old son Martin had been diagnosed with leukemia in 1993. Ms. Kisel discovered that giving her son a toy after each procedure provided a calming distraction from his pain, noting that when children are diagnosed with cancer their world soon becomes filled with doctors, nurses, chemotherapy drugs, surgeries and seemingly endless painful procedures. Martin celebrated his 28th anniversary of remission from the disease in March of this year.

If you would like further information about the Treasure Chest Foundation, please contact Colleen Kisel at 708-687-TOYS (8697) or visit the Foundation’s website at www.treasurechest.org.