Franciscan Children’s Announces Plan to Use Legos in Ongoing Campus Construction

The organization’s Outpatient Entrance has already embraced a colorful and fun makeover!

(Boston, MA – April 1, 2016) – Franciscan Children’s, a local nonprofit specializing in providing medical, mental health and education services to children with complex needs, announced today that they will embrace Lego bricks as a primary material in ongoing campus construction.

For nearly 83 years, Lego has manufactured toys and playthings embraced and enjoyed by families around the world. Their popular Lego bricks (often referred to simply as “Legos”) have provided hours of fun and entertainment for children, and are now increasingly embraced more practically in the construction industry.

“As an organization that specializes in providing exceptional care and education for children, adopting Legos into ongoing campus enhancements was a no-brainer for us,” says John Nash, President and CEO of Franciscan Children’s. “One of our core values here at Franciscan is positivity – it’s important for us to bring a positive, playful spirit with humility to our work each day. What better way to bring a smile to a child’s face than to incorporate the toys they’ve come to know and love into our physical foundation and environmental décor.”

Lego construction has already begun on the exterior of Franciscan Children’s buildings, and changes are being implemented inside the building as well.  Child Life staff are partnering with the facilities team to refit the therapy gym with equipment that is built out of Legos.  In the organization’s CBAT program, staff are working around the clock to build bedroom furniture for residential spaces out of the plastic bricks.  Staff in the Kennedy Day School are hard at work constructing adaptive classroom equipment from the small building blocks, and all of the exam chairs in the Dental Clinic have already been replaced by multicolored Lego recliners.

Once construction is complete, hospital administration will take on their next big challenge:  making true-to-life MiniFigures for every child who visits Franciscan Children’s.

Further photos and updates about the project will be shared via the organization’s social media platforms – Facebook, Twitter and Instagram – in the coming weeks.

Franciscan Children’s, so every kid can joke.

About Franciscan Children’s

Located in the Brighton neighborhood of Boston, Franciscan Children’s provides a compassionate and positive environment where children with complex medical, mental health and educational needs receive specialized care from people who are committed to excellence, innovation and family support, so that children can reach their fullest potential and live their best life.