Plainfield First Graders Donate Hundreds of Toys to Children's Hospital

Submitted by Plainfield School District 202

Photo: Liberty Elementary School first grader Madelyn Maldonado (front row, middle of photo in pink Frozen T-shirt) and her twin brother, EJ, (next to Madelyn in green T-shirt) pose with the hundreds of toys donated by Maldonado and her first-grade class to the Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago.

PLAINFIELD, IL — Liberty Elementary first-grader Madelyn Maldonado knows that kids who are in the hospital sometimes need a little help keeping their spirits up.

Madelyn’s twin brother EJ had a liver transplant at Chicago’s Lurie Children’s Hospital in 2011. So earlier this year she promised to donate 100 goody-filled stockings to children there this holiday season.

On Wednesday, Dec. 16, the 6-year-old and her family delivered on that promise, giving the hospital 435 toys, games, books and crafts donated by Madelyn, her classmates and Liberty Elementary School.

“She wanted to give back to the other kids in the hospital by delivering stockings filled with goodies over break,” said Jeanette Denton, Madelyn’s first-grade teacher.

Madelyn knew the toys would make the children in the hospital happy, she said. She’d like to collect more items for the hospital next year.

Liberty Elementary School has established a reputation of giving back to the community and Principal Dana Karczewski is proud of Madelyn for continuing that tradition.

“Madelyn is proof that even a very young child can recognize how important it is to be aware of the needs of others and do something about it,” Karczewski said.

Hospital officials told Madelyn she is the first person to give a donation like this, Denton said.