Thank you, Big Lots, for Giving Big and Helping Kids Everywhere!
In the past three years, Big Lots has raised over $11 million during their in-store fundraising campaign for life-saving pediatric research and care at Nationwide Children's Hospital. The point-of-sale campaign offers customers and associates the opportunity to support Nationwide Children's at stores across America and provides Nationwide Children's patient champions around the country toy shopping sprees for children being treated at the hospital.
Together with Big Lots and the Big Lots Foundation, Nationwide Children's is taking a stand to advance the treatment, research, and care associated with pediatric Behavioral Health. For too long this patient population has bone undiagnosed and under-served. Through a transformational commitment, the Big Lots Behavioral Health Pavilion, the largest pediatric research and treatment facility on a pediatric campus in the country, will be complete in 2020.
In addition to being a distinguished corporate sponsor, Big Lots associates are generous with their time. Since 2013, volunteers from the Big Lots corporate office in Columbus began visiting the hospital’s Family Resource Center twice a month to deliver a variety of books and healthy snacks to patient families. Furthermore, Big Lots is a sponsor of the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Columbus Marathon & ½ Marathon Encore Mile. Each mile along the marathon route is represented by a hospital patient champion and the Encore Mile welcomes past marathon Patient Champions to help cheer on race participants.
"Give Big" named 2017 Gold Halo Award Winner
Nationwide Children's Hospital and the Big Lots Foundation are thrilled to be named the 2017 Gold Halo Award Winner in the Point of Sale Campaign category. The Halo Awards are North America’s highest honor for corporate social initiatives and cause marketing and presented by Engage for Good. This prestigious CSR and cause marketing award looks at social good campaigns targeted at consumers and/or employees involving a company and cause.
Big Lots Behavioral Health Pavilion
In recognition of the transformational $50 million gift from Big Lots and the Big Lots Foundation, Nationwide Children’s Hospital named the new behavioral health treatment and research center in their name. When it is completed in 2020, this pavilion will be the largest research and treatment facility, on a pediatric campus, in the country.
In March of 2020, the Big Lots Behavioral Health Pavilion opened its doors. Featuring inpatient services, intensive outpatient services, a Psychiatric Crisis Department and research all under one roof, this integrated pediatric behavioral health approach serves as a model for other health care systems across the nation. Go on a behind the scenes tour of this state-of-the-art building, in the video above.
Thank you Big Lots for a BIG move to create a brighter future for our next generation!
Big Lots Behavioral Health Scholarship
The Big Lots Behavioral Health Scholarship is an award of up to $10,000 to the support of a graduate student pursuing education and training in Behavioral or Mental Health, Psychology, or Social Work. This scholarship is made possible by Big Lots Foundation and held by the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Foundation.
Meet the 2020 Big Lots Behavioral Health Scholarship Recipient
Susanne Nyaga
Howard University
Meet Susanne Nyaga, a graduate student at Howard University, and the 2020 recipient of the Big Lots Behavioral Health Scholarship. Susanne is currently earning her master’s degree in social work at Howard University and is expected to graduate this December.
While maintaining a 4.0 grade point average, Susanne serves as the Parliamentarian of the Howard University School of Social Work Student Council Association and is in the process of helping to re-write the Association’s constitution. 
Susanne completed her undergraduate studies in social work at Ryerson University in her hometown of Toronto, Ontario. There she became the first Black woman to hold the title of president of the Ryerson Students’ Union. Nyaga oversaw a $7 million operating budget, 11 full-time staff and 50 part-time staff.
Susanne also was the president of the United Black Students in Canada. In this role, she helped plan the National Conference for Black Students in Canada, which is the largest Black student conference in the country.
Susanne hopes to open a not-for-profit in Toronto that will provide educational support, including before-and-after-school programming, for school-aged children, at no cost. Additionally, she seeks to provide a range of affordable or free services to parents, such as mental-health counseling, pro-bono legal support and adult educational programs.
"Give Big" named Gold Halo Award Winner
Nationwide Children's Hospital and the Big Lots Foundation were named the Gold Halo Award Winner in the Point of Sale Campaign category. The Halo Awards, presented by Engage for Good, are North America’s highest honor for corporate social responsibility initiatives and cause marketing campaigns targeted at consumers and/or employees. This prestigious CSR and cause marketing award looks at social good campaigns targeted at consumers and/or employees involving a company and cause.
Give Big with Big Lots
Your gift supports life-saving pediatric behavioral health research.
