Credit Unions, Democratic National Convention, RealClearPolitics Enriching Community by Providing Health and Wellness Garden for The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 15, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Credit unions are joining forces with the Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) and RealClearPolitics to build an outdoor Health and Wellness Garden at Karabots Pediatric Care Center, part of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), positively impacting the hospital's young patients and enriching the local community.

In the months leading up to the 2016 Democratic nominating convention in July, credit unions will work with the DNCC to create a space at CHOP's Karabots Pediatric Care Center that will serve as a resource for vitally important patient and community engagement programs, including nutritional experiences, physical activity and a site to host events for patient programs, such as Reach Out and Read.

"Not only will hundreds of young patients at CHOP be able to utilize the outdoor space, the local community will benefit from the fresh foods and educational resources that will be made available," said Rev. Leah Daughtry, CEO of the 2016 Democratic Convention. "We are pleased to join the Credit Union National Association (CUNA), the Pennsylvania Credit Union Association and RealClearPolitics in this project that will impact Philadelphia in such a positive way. The garden will be a great asset to patients and their families from all across the region that will be sustainable for the future."

"Pennsylvania credit unions' efforts impacted many lives at the 2000 Republican National Convention, and we are very pleased to partner with CHOP this time around to build a Health & Wellness Garden for its Karabots Pediatric Care Center," said Patrick Conway, president/CEO of the Pennsylvania Credit Union Association. "Whereas other organizations and industries travel to the convention host cities and throw big parties the week of the convention, credit unions "leave behind" a tangible project that will impact the local community long after the balloons have dropped and the visitors have left. This truly is the credit union difference."

Credit unions have a time-honored tradition of "leave-behind" projects in cities hosting national party conventions, ensuring that the space created today continues to serve local communities long after the conventions leave town. The Pennsylvania Credit Union Association is spearheading the $300,000 fundraising effort to cover the costs of the project, and joins the CUNA and RealClearPolitics, a Washington, DC-based non-partisan publication covering politics and policy, as lead sponsors of the effort.

"Local credit unions have a long history of supporting The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia," said Madeline Bell, president and CEO of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "The outdoor Health and Wellness Garden at our Karabots Pediatric Care Center will be a vital resource for patient families and community members alike, and we look forward to welcoming members of the Pennsylvania Credit Union Association and the Democratic National Convention Committee to Philadelphia as we embark upon such an exciting project."

Construction will unfold over the spring and summer, and will include volunteer opportunities for credit union employees, convention staff and those in the community to lend a helping hand.  Plans call for a ribbon-cutting event to take place during the week of the convention, which will be held July 25-28.  A companion project is being undertaken by credit unions at UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, site of the 2016 Republican National Convention.

About Pennsylvania Credit Union Association: Credit unions are financial cooperatives that provide affordable financial services to help their owner/members. The Harrisburg-based Pennsylvania Credit Union Association is a trade association that provides legislative, promotional, educational, and operational support for credit unions in Pennsylvania. There are 471 credit unions headquartered in Pennsylvania with assets in excess of $38 billion dollars and 3.8 million members. For additional information about credit unions or to find a credit union near you, visit www.ibelong.org.

About The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia: The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 as the nation's first pediatric hospital. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of pediatric healthcare professionals and pioneering major research initiatives, Children's Hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children worldwide. Its pediatric research program is among the largest in the country. In addition, its unique family-centered care and public service programs have brought the 535-bed hospital recognition as a leading advocate for children and adolescents. For more information, visit http://www.chop.edu.

About RealClearPolitics: RealClearPolitics is the trusted, non-partisan, convener in a content-rich media environment; thoughtfully curating the best coverage from every angle of the day's most critical issues. One of RCP's most notable features – the RCP Poll Average – is the most cited source for U.S. political polling information. The RCP Poll Average provides a more accurate read on the status of the election. The accuracy of the RCP Poll Average is unmatched and trusted enough to be used in campaign communication documents, as well as being widely cited by hundreds of news organizations, including: The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Financial Times, FOX News, CNN and USA Today. With a wide array of news and analysis available online, insiders rely on RealClearPolitics as the authoritative source for reporting, commentary, and analysis on all sides of the pressing public policy issues coming to the fore in 2016 - and the politics surrounding those issues heading into, and beyond, the election cycle.

CONTACTS:
Michael Wishnow (Pennsylvania Credit Union Association), 717-234-3156
Morgan Finkelstein (Democratic National Convention Committee), 941-993-2298
Emily DiTomo (The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia), 267-426-6063
Meg Szabo (RealClearPolitics), 202-644-8784

SOURCE The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Related Links

http://www.chop.edu