Local Dairy Queen® restaurants to support Niswonger Children’s Network for Miracle Treat Day

Blizzard® sales to benefit children's hospital

Treating yourself to a Dairy Queen® Blizzard® on Thursday, July 27, will go a long way to helping local children and families, as Miracle Treat Day returns to benefit the Ballad Health Niswonger Children’s Network. 

Participating Dairy Queen restaurants in the Appalachian Highlands will donate $1 or more for every Blizzard® treat purchased throughout the day. Proceeds will benefit the Niswonger Children’s Network, including the ongoing Hope Rising campaign to expand Niswonger Children’s Hospital. 

“The support we receive from our partners helps us bring quality care to children in every corner of the Appalachian Highlands, and we love partnering with Dairy Queen every year for Miracle Treat Day,” said Jack Simpson, president of Ballad Health Foundation. “The ongoing support from our partners ensures every child in the Appalachian Highlands can look forward to a bright future, no matter where in our region they live.” 

Miracle Treat Day is a nationwide fundraiser that benefits more than 170 Children’s Miracle Network hospitals across the United States and Canada each year, providing 32 million treatments to children across the U.S. and Canada each year. As the regional affiliate of Children’s Miracle Network, Niswonger Children’s Hospital receives all local fundraising, retail partnerships and sponsorship support – which means all money raised at regional Dairy Queen® stores on Miracle Treat Day will benefit children of the Appalachian Highlands.

“Our commitment at the Niswonger Children’s Network is to ensure every single child has unencumbered access to the care they need, when they need it,” said Chris Jett, chief executive officer of the Niswonger Children’s Network. “What we love about partnerships like these is that they give everyone the opportunity to contribute to the future of children’s care in our region – not to mention, it gives people the opportunity to treat themselves on a hot summer day!” 

Launched in 2021, the Niswonger Children’s Network has extended its work to reach throughout the region and last year announced its $30 million Hope Rising capital campaign to expand and enhance services available for children and families. The campaign includes a vertical expansion of the existing hospital, which will house a new, state-of-the-art neonatal intensive care unit and an institute for pediatric subspecialties. 

Additionally, the formation of the Niswonger Children’s Network has ensured a high standard of pediatric care that expands beyond the children’s hospital. So far, the network’s expansion has included the addition of two pediatric emergency rooms at Bristol Regional Medical Center and Indian Path Community Hospital, a new Children’s Resource Center at Johnston Memorial Hospital and family-centered programs such as Strong Starts and Strong Futures. 

Since 1984, Dairy Queen has raised more than $130 million nationwide for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals through fundraising efforts including Miracle Treat Day, the Miracle Balloon campaign and other local initiatives. 

More information about Miracle Treat Day can be found at https://www.dairyqueen.com/en-us/miracle-treat-day/.

Gifts to the Ballad Health Niswonger Children’s Network can also be made any time by visiting https://www.balladhealth.org/foundation/ways-share-your-support.