Walmart, Sam’s Club staffers raise $100,000 for Columbus hospital

Employees of Walmart and Sam’s Club have raised more than $100,000 for Columbus Regional Health through the Children’s Miracle Network campaign.

The local money is just a sliver of the $35 million-plus donated nationwide, with the cash going to assist 170 hospitals across the U.S., the Arkansas-based retailer and Children’s Miracle Network said Thursday.

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“Walmart and Sam’s Club associates’ support for children treated at our partner hospitals has always been rooted in an authentic desire to help kids in need,” John Lauck, president and chief executive officer of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, said in a statement. “Their passion is amplified millions of times over by customers and members who believe in our mission to give kids a chance at a better life. Their incredible response to the store- and club-level fundraising efforts are inspiring and impactful.”

Columbus Regional will use the money to expand and renovate the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Midtown Medical Center, with it providing more space and privacy for families of infants born premature and with special needs. The project is scheduled to be completed in late 2018.

“The generous support from the customers and associates makes a huge impact on what we are able to provide for our smallest and most precious patients,” said Christina Clifton, Children's Miracle Network Officer at Columbus Regional Health Foundation. “We could not provide the state-of-the-art equipment and services that we do without the hard work of the Walmart, Sam’s and Walmart Neighborhood Market employees, as well as the generosity of the community.”

For more information on Children’s Miracle Network and its hospital network, visit online at www.cmnhospitals.org.

This story was originally published December 22, 2017 at 11:57 AM with the headline "Walmart, Sam’s Club staffers raise $100,000 for Columbus hospital."