#NotJustForMoms2022
Dennis, a single dad of five kids ages 7, 6, 5, 3 and 2, was receiving treatment and eventually corrective surgery for scar tissue, requiring repeated visits to Parkland Hospital. He was told about Annie’s Place at the onset and has taken advantage of the free childcare program during appointments for over a year now. “My kids love it,” he said. “They are extremely happy there. It’s is a good service for people who have kids and can’t afford childcare. I mean, I was over there in appointments for hours at a time and didn’t have to worry about my kids. They are well taken care of. They play. They interact with other kids. It’s a blessing, and it’s great!”
Dennis started spreading the word to friends, who couldn’t believe that such a high-quality childcare option existed at no cost to patients. “I tell people about Annie’s Place all the time, and they are surprised. I’ll post on Facebook that I have a doctor’s appointment, and they say, who will take care of your kids? I say, nobody. I take them to Annie’s Place. It’s a wonderful blessing.”
Now Dennis’s kids anticipate his doctor appointments with excitement so they can return to Annie’s Place to play. “I’ve been telling them that at the end of school, when I go to my next doctor appointment, they all get to go to Annie’s Place. They’ve been asking me every day when I go to the doctor again, because they like coming to Annie’s Place so much. Everyone is so nice to them, and they love playing there. They tell me they have so many toys to play with and activities to enjoy.”
One day Dennis’s daughter asked if he could stay longer at his appointment so she would have more time to play. “I never get to play with ALL the toys,” she told him. “Can’t you be gone longer so I can play with all of them?”
Thanks to donations from partnering organizations like Studio Bella for Kids, Spanish House, and National Charity League, Annie’s Place is able to send kids home with activity kits, something particularly appreciated by Dennis’s kids. “They send my kids home with stuff to do, little gift bags containing coloring books, pencils, chalk, toys and more. The kids never know if they will get something, but they know that if they do, it will be something fun. They get to learn while playing with them, too. They really enjoy that!”
Following a post-operative stay in the hospital for several days after surgery, leading to more frequent follow-up checkups, Dennis especially appreciated the ease with which he was able to sign his kids up to be dropped off at Annie’s Place. “All you have to do is text the number you are given, and they respond by the next morning confirming that you have somewhere safe to take your kids, where they are treated well and have fun. For me, that’s really comforting. I’m so grateful for that. I know that the whole way home they will be telling me what they’ve done and asking when they can go back. It’s awesome. This is really something. A lot of my friends don’t even believe me about it. They say, you don’t have to pay for this? I don’t even have to bring a diaper bag! You just bring your child. For a single parent, that’s a great blessing, and I’m very thankful.”
Dennis encourages other parents to take advantage of the service themselves. “I see people in the hospital dragging their kids in and out, and I wish they knew that they don’t have to do that.”