Sophie’s Squad Partners with Children’s MN with $50,000 Donation

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL (Nov. 8, 2022) Sophie’s Squad is excited to partner with Children’s Minnesota with a $50,000 donation to help fund the athletic / play aspects of Children’s Minnesota’s new inpatient mental health unit.

Children’s Minnesota will open their inpatient mental health center at its St. Paul hospital. Annually, the center is expected to care for more than 1,000 children and adolescents, meeting the urgent mental health needs of the most vulnerable kids in Minnesota and the region. The inpatient unit will be the first in the east metro to serve kids under 12 years old, and one of few in the state to admit all kids, even those with other complex medical conditions. For more information: Children’s Minnesota Mental Health Facility

The need for inpatient care is acute, and a key aspect of care for children is the ability to play and move around.  Sophie’s Squad President Terry Hughes commented, “The ability for kids to move around, play, and just be kids at the facility aligned with our values. We are excited to help with this project to address this critical need and help wherever we can in the near future.”

Sophie’s Squad Vice President Mary Miller also added, “We continue to look for ways to support athletes at all levels, a partnership with Children’s Minnesota just makes sense”.

“We are so grateful to Sophie’s Squad for supporting critical care and programming in Mental Health at Children’s Minnesota,” said Jamie Winter, director of emergency department and inpatient mental health. “Their commitment to the program will make an incredibly meaningful impact on our patients seeking care throughout the mental health continuum at Children’s Minnesota.”

About Children’s Minnesota

Children’s Minnesota is one of the largest pediatric health systems in the United States and the only health system in Minnesota to provide care exclusively to children, from before birth through young adulthood. An independent and not-for-profit system since 1924, Children’s Minnesota is one system serving kids throughout the Upper Midwest at two free-standing hospitals, nine primary care clinics, multiple specialty clinics and seven rehabilitation sites. As The Kids ExpertsTM in our region, Children’s Minnesota is regularly ranked by U.S. News & World Report as a top children’s hospital.

About Sophie’s Squad

Sophie’s Squad was founded in 2021 to improve the mental health of athletes from youth to college by raising awareness of mental health issues and removing the stigma associated with seeking help.

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