Joseph “Joey” Aiden Roth has been named a finalist for the National Philanthropy Day Honors, which recognizes extraordinary charitable work by individuals and organizations across the country.
Earlier this year, the general public voted Roth as one of several finalists in the Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy category. The final selection will take place in July, and the National Philanthropy Day Honors will take place on November 12 in New York City.
Roth, age 9, founded Jar for Change, a nonprofit that places jars in schools, libraries, grocery stores and other public places so people can donate their loose change. In August 2014, he donated $5,000 to his birthplace, Woman’s Hospital, to help women and babies in need. He has since raised nearly $10,000 total.
The funds are being used to meet a very special need in the NICU at Woman’s: virtually connecting parents with their babies when they cannot physically be in the NICU. For a new mother, it’s devastating to have a baby in the NICU. It’s even more difficult if she has complications after childbirth and cannot be by her baby’s bedside. The funds Roth raised enabled Woman’s to launch a program called Joey Time (a play on Apple’s Face Time). During a Joey Time session, nurses set up an iPad next to the baby’s incubator, and the mom can use another iPad to see her baby. Not only does this help with bonding, but it also makes it easier for her to be a part of her baby’s care team.
The National Philanthropy Day Honors are sponsored by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), the largest global community of charities and charitable fundraisers. AFP works to promote ethical and effective philanthropy and fundraising.
For more information about the National Philanthropy Day Honors, visit www.npdlove.com. For more information on Jar for Change, visit www.facebook.com/jarforchange. To support Woman’s through the Jar for Change effort, please visit www.womans.org/giving.
About Woman’s: Since its inception in 1968, Woman’s has evolved to become so much more than a place focused only on delivering babies. The organization has made it a priority to address profound problems in the community that affect women and babies, including infant prematurity, sexual assault care, HIV/AIDS transmission prevention, access to breast cancer screenings and more. Without continued support, Woman’s community programs and services could be reduced in scope or eliminated due to Medicaid reductions and state budget issues. For more information, call 225-924-8720 or email giving@womans.org.