Newswise — Neptune, N.J. – December 11, 2015 – On Saturday, December 12, 2015, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., the Meridian Community Resource Center at Freehold Raceway Mall (located near Macy’s on Level One) , will host a gift wrapping extravaganza called Wrapped in Love. The center will offer gift wrapping services for shoppers and accept voluntary donations in support of K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital –the most comprehensive provider of pediatric care in Monmouth and Ocean counties.

In addition to gift wrapping services, refreshments will also be served throughout the event. While donations are voluntary, the public is encouraged to embrace the holiday spirit of giving and support K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital.

“Being hospitalized at any time of year is never easy, but it’s even more difficult for children,” says Steven Kairys, M.D., medical co-director and chief of pediatrics at K., Hovnanian Children’s Hospital. “It’s particularly tough around the holidays. The gift wrapping event at the Meridian Community Resource Center is a wonderful way for shoppers to cross gift wrapping off their list, and support children who are in the hospital during the holidays.”

The Meridian Community Resource Center, together with its partners - the Arc of Monmouth and the United Way of Monmouth County - work together to help the community achieve many facets of wellness, including physical, emotional and financial health. At the center, the public can find the following:• health educational programs for children and adults• preventative health screenings• support groups• access to Meridian Health physicians, programs, and services• respite services for caregivers• adult employment and vocational training• financial coaching, money management and other resources to build economic wellness, and• access to volunteer opportunities.

For more information about Wrapped in Love, or any of the other programs and services offered through the Meridian Community Resource Center, please call 800.560.9990 or visit www.MeridianHealth.com/CommunityResourceCenter.

About Meridian Health:A leading not-for-profit health care organization in New Jersey, comprising Jersey Shore University Medical Center and K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital in Neptune, Ocean Medical Center in Brick, Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank, Southern Ocean Medical Center in Manahawkin, Bayshore Community Hospital in Holmdel, and Meridian Partner Companies that include home health services, skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers, ambulatory care, ambulance services, fitness and wellness centers, and outpatient centers. In April, Meridian Health and Raritan Bay Medical Center signed a definitive agreement to merge. In May, Meridian Health and Hackensack University Health Network also signed a definitive agreement to merge. Meridian Health has consistently been rated among the top performing health systems in New Jersey for clinical quality, is one of the FORTUNE “100 Best Companies to Work For” for six consecutive years, and is the recipient of numerous state and national recognitions for patient care and nursing excellence. Meridian Health is a member of AllSpire Health Partners, an interstate consortium alongside six of the nation’s leading health systems, to focus on the sharing of best practices in clinical care and achieving efficiencies. With more than 100 convenient locations, over 1,800 beds, nearly 13,000 team members, and affiliations with more than 2,000 of the area’s finest physicians, Meridian Health is a leading health care provider in New Jersey, providing quality health services, facilities, and programs. For more information, please visit www.MeridianHealth.com.

About K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital at Jersey Shore University Medical Center: K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital at Jersey Shore University Medical Center is the most comprehensive provider of pediatric care in Monmouth and Ocean counties. At the heart of Meridian Pediatric Network, the hospital includes a pediatric emergency department and acute care units supported by over 100 pediatric sub-specialists working together with community pediatricians to deliver the most complete, most coordinated care for kids in our communities. Whether it’s complex surgery or treatment for a chronic condition, the team of physicians, nurses and caregivers at K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital treats each child as one of their own in a friendly and convenient setting, close to home. For more information about K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, call 1-800-DOCTORS, or visit www.khovnanianchildrenshospital.com.