Newswise — COLUMBUS, Ohio – Thursday morning, tween clothing retailer, Justice presented Nationwide Children’s Hospital officials with a check totaling $1,472,837. The amount represented the total dollars raised during Justice’s national holiday campaign that benefited The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s. It was the first time in the more than three-year corporate partnership between Nationwide Children’s and Justice that the ascena retailer launched a holiday campaign that singularly benefitted Nationwide Children’s.

“On behalf of the patients, families and staff, I thank Justice and their customers for their growing commitment to Nationwide Children’s Hospital during the past 3 years,” said Steve Allen, MD, Chief Executive Officer at Nationwide Children’s. “Justice’s generosity will ensure Nationwide Children’s continues to help children across the globe through the discovery of cures and treatments that will lead to unparalleled clinical care.”

From Nov. 1-Jan. 7, Justice invited customers to donate at the point of purchase at more than the 950 store locations in the United States and Canada.

Additionally, when it can be an especially challenging time to be in the hospital, nearly 3,000 generous and compassionate Justice customers and community members provided special holiday wishes on Justice-designed e-cards and snowflake cards for patients who spent the season at Nationwide Children’s.

“We are pleased with the success of this campaign and its ability to drive a significant financial outcome that supports the tremendous services Nationwide Children’s provides,” said Justice President Lece Lohr. “It’s a testament to the passion our customers and associates have for a cause that directly benefits the health and well-being of children.”

In the more than three years since partnering with Nationwide Children’s, Justice has raised over $3 million for the hospital.

About Justice Justice, a division of Ascena Retail Group, Inc. (NASDAQ-ASNA), is the largest tween lifestyle specialty retailer in the world. Known as the premier destination for fashion-aware tweens, Justice provides the hottest fashion merchandise and accessories for tween girls, ages 7–14. Justice celebrates tween girls through an extraordinary experience of fashion and fun in an everything-for-her destination. Today, Justice operates over 950 stores throughout the United States and Canada, along with an international presence in Asia, Mexico, Latin America, and the Middle East. Visit shopjustice.com for store information and to shop online.

About Nationwide Children’s HospitalNamed to the Top 10 Honor Roll on U.S. News & World Report’s 2016-17 list of “America’s Best Children’s Hospitals,” Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of America’s largest not-for-profit freestanding pediatric healthcare systems providing wellness, preventive, diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitative care for infants, children and adolescents, as well as adult patients with congenital disease. Nationwide Children’s has a staff of more than 11,000 providing state-of-the-art pediatric care during more than 1.2 million patient visits annually. As home to the Department of Pediatrics of The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Nationwide Children’s physicians train the next generation of pediatricians and pediatric specialists. The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of the Top 10 National Institutes of Health-funded freestanding pediatric research facilities. Nationwide Children’s remains true to the original mission since its founding in 1892 of providing care regardless of a family’s ability to pay. More information is available at NationwideChildrens.org.