The Joan Jacoby Fund at Bridgeport Hospital was established by Milt and Bunny Jacoby in 1988 in memory of their daughter Joan, who died of cancer at age seven. The logo for the fund is part of a mural painted in Joan’s memory that includes her favorite things; clowns, strawberries, flowers, and ice cream.

Over the years, the fund has raised over $110,000 for initiatives that provide comfort and emotional support to parents of hospitalized children. Most recently, a gift from the Joan Jacoby Fund enabled the PT Barnum Pediatric Center to open Bunny's Café, in memory of Bunny Jacoby, as a refuge for parents who often spend 24 hours a day in the hospital with their children.

Located in the Pediatric Center, Bunny’s Café is a place where parents can get a cup of coffee or a snack, catch up on their email, and meet and talk with other parents sharing similar experiences. The response from parents and staff members has been overwhelmingly positive including comments like, “It is such a warm comfortable place to enjoy a brief respite while my child sleeps. I can’t thank you enough.” And “The parents have a place to relax, chat with each other, and catch up on the days’ news while their child is being cared for.” The Café exudes the warmth and caring of Bunny, Milt and the whole pediatric staff.

Milt Jacoby

The fund has made a tremendous impact on the level of supportive care Bridgeport Hospital provides to pediatric patients’ families. Other examples of the Joan Jacoby Fund dollars at work include:

Pediatric Waiting Room	Small Pocket Size Toys for Surgease
Sleep Chairs	Parent Amenity Bags

Resources for the fund are raised through donations from the public and parents of patients. This year, the Joan Jacoby Fund will support the purchase of parent amenity bags. These totes contain personal care items to help make a parent’s stay with their child a little more comfortable.

To make a donation to support the needs of parents of hospitalized children, please click on “Donate Now” and choose the “Joan Jacoby Fund” from the dropdown menu.

For more information, please contact the Bridgeport Hospital Foundation at 203/384-3522 or aschud@bpthosp.org.