MELVILLE, N.Y./PRNewswire/ -- Holiday Cheer for Children, an annual initiative dedicated to brightening the holidays for children and families, will make holiday wishes come true this year for more than 1,000 children at multiple locations around the country. Now in its 15th year, Holiday Cheer for Children is a flagship program of Henry Schein Cares, the corporate social responsibility program of Henry Schein, Inc. (NASDAQ: HSIC), the world's largest provider of health care products and services to office-based dental, animal health and medical practitioners. The program is supported by the Henry Schein Cares Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization that works to foster, support, and promote dental, medical, and animal health by helping to increase access to care for communities around the world.
Team Schein Members contribute their own time and money to sponsor individual children through the Holiday Cheer for Children program to ensure that each child's holiday wishes come true. Clothing, toys, games, and other gifts are presented to participating children and their families at special holiday celebrations held at multiple Henry Schein locations, including Melville, NY; West Allis, Wisconsin and Indianapolis, Indiana. Food baskets are also given to families in need through the program.
"Words fail to express how much this program means to our families, many of whom face some of the toughest challenges during the holidays," said Linda Buczynski, co-coordinator, parent partner of the Family Support Services Program, Pederson-Krag, based on Long Island. "The success of Henry Schein's Holiday Cheer for Children program is shown on the children's faces as they open the gifts that they wished for."
Each year, Henry Schein partners with local social service organizations to help identify children and families who would benefit from participation in the Holiday Cheer for Children program. Henry Schein's largest annual event takes place at the Company's worldwide headquarters in Melville, N.Y., where Team Schein Members sponsored 605 area children this year. The celebration on December 5 included a special dinner, chocolate fountain, cotton candy machine, Santa and Mrs. Claus, music and other games and festivities.
"Henry Schein's commitment to giving back to our communities is embedded in our belief of doing well by doing good, and this value is shared by every Team Schein Member, companywide," said Gerry Benjamin, Henry Schein's Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer. "The Holiday Cheer for Children program is a wonderful opportunity to help make the holiday season special for children and their families. We look forward to this event all year."
Human services organizations on Long Island receiving donations this year include: Bethany House; Madonna Heights; Nassau County Department of Social Services; McCoy Center; Family Service League (FSL); YES Community Counseling Center; Mpowering Kids; Family and Children Association (FCA); Hispanic Counseling Center (HCC); The Raymar Children's Fund; and Pederson-Krag.
