San Diego Zoo

San Diego Zoo Global will increase the number of zoos, aquariums, and children's health care facilities throughout the United States that are partnering to benefit hospitalized children and their parents. The zoo will extend the reach of its San Diego Zoo Kids program, a 24-hour, commercial-free broadcast channel that combines video from zoos and aquariums to create educational and entertaining animal stories that children and their parents can experience during their stay in a children's hospital, pediatric facility, Ronald McDonald House, or hospice center. The zoo will expand this programming for 75 additional pediatric facilities, reaching a million additional children. The project will also forge new partnerships between zoos, aquariums, and hospitals located in close proximity to one another so they can work together to benefit their communities. Ongoing evaluation of the channel will be integrated into the project plan to provide data to be used to monitor, improve, and measure the project's effectiveness.