PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. — The Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation presented a $13,400 grant to CalvertHealth Medical Center on Wednesday morning, funding the purchase of mobile gaming carts designed to bring entertainment and distraction to hospitalized children and their families.
The ceremony took place at 10 a.m. on December 10, 2025, in the main lobby of CalvertHealth Medical Center at 100 Hospital Road in Prince Frederick. Local Dunkin’ franchisees joined hospital leadership for an oversized check presentation that included balloons, fresh donuts, coffee, hot chocolate, and an appearance by Dunkin’s mascot, Sprinkles.
The grant will allow the hospital’s Child Life Program to acquire two state-of-the-art gaming carts stocked with age-appropriate video game consoles, tablets, and interactive games. These mobile units can be wheeled directly to patient rooms or common areas, offering young patients a temporary escape from medical procedures, long waits, or extended stays. Child life specialists use such tools to reduce anxiety, explain treatments in kid-friendly terms, and normalize the hospital environment for children facing illness or injury.
CalvertHealth, the only acute-care hospital serving Calvert County’s roughly 94,000 residents, admits hundreds of pediatric patients for everything from routine surgeries to emergency trauma care. The medical center’s pediatric unit and emergency department see thousands of children annually, many from families who travel from rural parts of the county or neighboring St. Mary’s and Charles counties.
The Joy in Childhood Foundation, the charitable arm of Dunkin’, activated in 2006 and has now distributed more than $50 million to organizations that help children experiencing hunger or illness. The $13,400 award to CalvertHealth is one piece of a $6.5 million nationwide funding round announced for 2025. Grants in this cycle range from $5,000 to $50,000 and support hospitals, food banks, and youth programs in communities where Dunkin’ restaurants operate.
Southern Maryland’s Dunkin’ network includes more than 30 locations across Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s counties. Franchisees in the region raised funds for the foundation through in-store canister collections, percentage-of-sales days, and employee giving campaigns throughout the year.
Child Life Specialist Amanda Burch, who will oversee the new gaming carts, explained that the equipment must meet strict infection-control standards and be durable enough for daily hospital use. The carts will feature locked storage, easy-to-sanitize surfaces, and multiple charging stations so several children can play simultaneously in shared spaces like the pediatric playroom or infusion center.
Hospital volunteers and the CalvertHealth Foundation, the nonprofit fundraising arm of the medical center, have long partnered with community businesses to enhance patient experience. Previous corporate-supported projects include renovated outdoor healing gardens, teen lounges, and sensory rooms for children with developmental needs.
Wednesday’s event drew staff members, patients able to visit the lobby, and several local Dunkin’ employees wearing branded aprons. Children in the crowd received mini donuts and Sprinkles stickers while photographers captured the ceremonial check handover.
The gaming carts are expected to arrive at CalvertHealth in early 2026 following vendor bidding and customization. Once in service, they will join other distraction tools such as iPads, board games, and craft kits already provided through the Child Life Program.
For Calvert County families, the grant represents another example of how national foundations and local businesses collaborate to soften the hospital experience for Southern Maryland’s youngest patients.