Child Donates Birthday Party Gift Money to St. Francis Center

St-Francis-Lopez-DonationSt. Francis Center, an adolescent residential treatment program located on the Franciscan St. Margaret Health-Dyer campus, recently received a $150 donation from Dyer residents Laura Lopez and her son, Alex. Lopez’s sister, Rebecca Kozak, works in the Cardiovascular Services and Cardiac Rehabilitation Department at Franciscan St. Margaret Health-Hammond, which participated in adopting some St. Francis Center clients during the Christmas season for an Adopt-a-Family program.

Kozak visited St. Francis Center to deliver the gifts and shared with Lopez what she learned about the center and its mission. As a result, Lopez requested that for Alex’s seventh birthday, in lieu of gifts, that donations be made to St. Francis. Alex agreed and $150 was collected at his party and presented on his behalf to the center by his mother. Alex is shown at the party, second from left, in the front row.

Guadalupe Florez, the center’s intake coordinator, told Lopez she admired the values Lopez is teaching her children and that the act of kindness would be shared with center residents as a model for how one’s actions may have a positive impact on others. The money will be used to purchase clothing for residents and additional books for the center’s library. The St. Francis Center is a residential treatment program for youths, aged 12 to 18, who require a highly structured and controlled environment to help them achieve maximum success. For more information or to make a donation, contact at (219) 865-2141, ext. 45896.