Feel Good Friday - Zdravotní Klaun (The Healthcare Clown)

Happy Feel Good Friday from the Czech Republic! I’m in Prague and want to highlight the local organization, Zdravotní Klaun, which translates into the Healthcare Clown.

Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Prague, Zdravotní Klaun has helped both pediatric patients and seniors endure the process of medical treatment with a smile. Their mission is “to bring joy, good spirits, and hope to places in need”. Those places are primarily hospital rooms and specialized clinics and care centers for seriously ill children or seniors.

Let’s start with their programs for children. The most common is pairs of medical clowns dressed as doctors and nurses visiting children’s wards to “prescribe laughter, banish stress and sadness, encourage small patients and prescribe more than a large amount of humor.” The medical clowns consult with medical staff on the condition of the children before their visit. You can watch this short video to see the clowns in action without having to translate the website.

In addition to children’s hospital wards, the medical clowns also visit intensive care units, emergency rooms and host virtual clown parties. For children with long-term illnesses, there is a weekly program that teaches them skills such as magic and juggling and culminates in a performance for their parents, other patients and staff.

The programs for seniors include medical clown visits to geriatric departments of hospitals, homes for the elderly, treatment centers for the chronically ill, and hospice centers. The clowns enlist the seniors to perform in variety shows based on their memories and favorite activities. Zdravotní Klaun also provides seminars for healthcare professionals to share techniques and methods of open communication the professionals can use with their patients.

Currently, there are 93 professional healthcare clowns in the Czech Republic who make over 300 visits each month to 66 hospitals, 11 nursing homes and one hospice center. That’s a lot of laughter and joy.

If you’d like to support the work of Zdravotní Klaun there are many ways to do so. If you live in the Czech Republic you can become a healthcare clown . The rest of us can make a donation and spread the word on social media. Like the Zdravotní Klaun Facebook page, follow them on Instagram and subscribe to their YouTube channel.

Feel Good Friday - The Happy Camper Project

Summer is in full swing and for many children that means summer camp. That makes today a great time to learn about an organization that supports summer camps around the world, The Happy Camper Project.

Headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, the mission of The Happy Camper Project is “to inspire giving and sustain youth center programs by funding informal learning experiences.” As the philanthropic arm of Happy Camper Live their vision is “ to bring the joy of summer camp to every kid in the world.”

The Happy Camper Project raises funds and provides programming support to help summer camp and youth programs meet their financial and operational needs. This allows these camps to continue to offer their activities to their students, campers, families, and communities. Founder and CEO Allison Miller talks more about the organization in this short video.

The Happy Camper Project works with “diverse, mindful, positive youth organizations” that empower young people to learn new skills, take healthy risks, share their stories and create community. Supported programs include summer camps, after school programs, extracurricular clubs and virtual and in-person youth programs serving children ages 2-18.

One year-round, virtual experience is the Happy Camper Hangouts. Focused on children in the foster care system, the hangouts have virtual camping activities like classes in martial arts, dance, or arts and crafts. Campers make connections with their peers and counselors in breakout rooms and build confidence doing group activities.

Donations are used to create Happy Camper Care Packages, which are sent to camps based on their individual requests and needs. Items in care packages for individual campers may include sleeping bags, headlamps and backpacks; clothing and toiletries; or books and games. Programs receive kits focused on camping essentials, arts and crafts, games, science and sports.

If this has inspired you to send your kids to summer camp you can review a list of options here. If you’d like to help The Happy Camper Project bring the joy of summer camp to every kid in the world you can do that too. Volunteer your time, make a donation and spread the word on social media. Follow The Happy Camper Project on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn. Happy camping!

Feel Good Friday - SF LGBT Center

It’s Pride weekend in San Francisco, which culminates in a giant parade on Sunday. What a great time to learn about an organization that supports the LGBTQ+ community year round, the SF LGBT Center.

Opened in 2002 and located in San Francisco, California, the mission of the SF LGBT Center (the Center) is “to connect our diverse community to opportunities, resources and each other to achieve our vision of a stronger, healthier, and more equitable world for LGBT people and our allies.”

 

The four priorities of the Center are: “to foster greater opportunities for people to thrive, organize for our future, celebrate our history and culture and build resources to create a legacy for future generations.” They do this through their programming and resources.

Programs cover areas such as arts and culture, community building, and services focused on employment, finances, small businesses and youth. Specific examples include art gallery exhibitions, first-time homebuyer workshops, a New Entrepreneur Training Program and a drop-in program and mental health services for LGBTQ youth. This calendar shows upcoming events.

In addition to the programs and resources located at the Center, this link on the website has information about 181 other Bay Area organizations which you can filter by education, employment, health, housing, immigration, legal, social, trans and youth. If you have questions, the Center has answers.

In 2023, the Center saw over 100,000 visitors and provided direct services to almost 6,000 people. That’s 1,500 people attending programs and events, 1,000 hours of gender-affirming mental health support to LGBTQ youth, 1000 people accessing financial literacy resources and over 500 job seekers receiving employment support. You can read more details about the Center’s impact in the 2023 Year in Review.

Much of the way the Center achieves these results is with the help of over 1,000 volunteers who provide administrative and event support as well as staff the welcome desk and provide drop-in mentoring. 

If you’re looking for a way to help the Center build a stronger, healthier, and more equitable world for LGBTQ+ people and their allies, volunteering is a great way to do it. Other ways to support the Center include making a donation and amplifying their work on social media. Follow the SF LGBT Center on Facebook or Instagram and subscribe to their YouTube channel. Happy Pride!