Health

Polinsky Center Benefits From Pay It Forward Campaign

Reading Time: 2 minutes

It’s a gift that will help some special children put their best feet forward this holiday season. 

San Diego-based Millennium Health donated more than 500 pairs of new shoes for youth at the A.B. and Jessie Polinsky Children’s Center on Thursday. The holiday donation is part of the company’s Pay It Forward campaign.

“It is always difficult for children to be separated from family, but especially this time of year,” said Supervisor Greg Cox, County Board of Supervisors, District 1. “This gift to the children at the Polinsky Center is going to help brighten the holidays for them.”

The Polinsky Children’s Center provides temporary emergency shelter for children who must be separated from their families for their own safety or when parents cannot provide care. The center provides a variety of services to the children there, including health, education and support programs. It also provides essential items such as clothes and shoes.

“Millennium Health challenged its employees to make a difference in their communities, and they are doing exactly that for the children at the Polinsky Center,” said Supervisor Dave Roberts, County Board of Supervisors, District 3. “This is a great example of what it means to pay it forward.”

Based in San Diego, Millennium Health’s Pay It Forward campaign challenged employees to do good deeds in support of their communities. For each good deed – which ranged from helping neighbors in need to donating time or supporting community organizations – the company purchased a new pair of Converse shoes. The final tally is more than 500 new pairs of shoes for the children served by Polinsky.

“Millennium is a committed partner here in San Diego and in communities across the country,” said Howard Appel, Millennium Health’s president. “I could not be more proud than to have witnessed the amazing stories of care, kindness, charity and citizenship demonstrated by this Pay It Forward Campaign. While Millennium is honored to pay those stories forward to the Polinsky Children’s Center to highlight and support their important work, we are also thrilled that this was a national campaign by our employees to volunteer, donate and help others in need.”

Approximately 150 children are brought to the Polinsky Children’s Center each month, ranging in age from babies to teens. The shoe donation will not only benefit children at the center over the holidays, but also youth who will be at the center in the year ahead.

Tom Christensen is a communications specialist with the County of San Diego Communications Office. Contact