Cheering, pajama-clad Amazon associates recently welcomed children and families who have been affected by childhood cancer to Amazon’s Kent fulfillment center.
The Sept. 6 event was part of the Amazon Goes Gold Campaign, a month-long effort to raise awareness for childhood cancer and elevate this devastating disease as a national health priority, according to an Amazon media release. Amazon associates across the country wore pajamas to work on Sept 6-7 to honor all children fighting cancer, with the company donating $1 million to the American Childhood Cancer Organization plus $1 for every employee who came to work in their PJs.
One of the VIP guests in attendance was Penny Armstrong, 5, of Kent. She and her family were given a guided tour of the high-tech facility before joining the others in attendance to pack and ship care packages of gifts to childhood cancer care hospitals across Washington state.
This hands-on packing and shipping experience was a highlight for children and families at the event, where the kids were able to choose from hundreds of toys, games and books donated by Amazon, and associates recreated the shipping and packing process on a kid-friendly scale so the VIP guests could experience the process first-hand. One of the centers receiving a custom care package was Seattle Children’s Hospital where Penny gets her care.
The event came to a close with the announcement of cash donations totaling $60,000 to Seattle Children’s, Spokane Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital, the Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital and the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Alaska & Washington.
Representatives of Make-A-Wish and the American Childhood Cancer Organization were also in attendance as sponsors of the children being honored at the event.
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