Continuing its dedication to giving back to the South Florida community, President and CEO Craig Zinn of Craig Zinn Automotive Group (CZAG) has initiated an animal assisted therapy endowment at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. CZAG will fund the initial needs of the program, while building the endowment of $500,000 to provide income from interest and fund the program in perpetuity.
Upon seeing how valuable and joy-filled the hospital’s Animal Assisted Therapy Program is to so many young patients, CZAG wanted to ensure the program is funded in perpetuity. Animal assisted therapy has been shown to improve mood, reduce stress and anxiety, and provide a sense of comfort and companionship to patients, including children.
The endowment provides necessary funding to purchase an additional therapy dog for Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, as well as supplemental costs associated with having an additional handler on staff at the hospital.
“We couldn’t be happier to deepen our relationship with Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital through our animal assisted therapy endowment,” said Zinn. “For more than four decades, we have made community giving a priority across all of our dealerships. Our success comes through our deep-rooted relationships and giving back to the community.”
“We would like to thank Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital for doing extraordinary, life changing work in the community and look forward to seeing our relationship grow,” he continued.
“We are so grateful to Craig Zinn and the entire team at CZAG for their unwavering support of our children, families and our team,” said Caitlin Stella, CEO, Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. “This is simply a pawfect gift! Our therapy dogs are an integral part of our care team, offering love, encouragement, and a sense of calm that only they can offer. They help create a fun and child-friendly healing environment that motivates and encourages patients to reach their goals. We cannot do what we do without support from donors like CZAG and the Zinn Family. We are so thankful!”
CZAG’s initiatives include other year-round opportunities to impact the lives of the young patients and their families staying at the hospital. While CZAG has supported countless organizations and charities throughout the community for more than 40 years, South Florida’s Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital and Memorial Healthcare System have become an enduring source of inspiration to Craig Zinn and CZAG.
CZAG is also the proud donor of the “Short Stop” at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital’s Emergency Room. The “Short Stop” is an area dedicated to quick care and is designed to treat minor emergencies and allow for quick discharges. In 2021, the area was renamed Craig Zinn Automotive Group Shortstop to honor CZAG’s continued commitment to the hospital and its programs.
About Craig Zinn Automotive Group
As president and CEO of Craig Zinn Automotive Group, Craig Zinn owns and operates Lexus of Pembroke Pines, Toyota of Hollywood, Subaru of Pembroke Pines, Lexus of North Miami, and Acura of Pembroke Pines offering new and used makes and models. The company’s mission is to be South Florida’s finest automobile dealership group, known for superior products, community involvement, and for helpful, courteous, and caring associates dedicated to delivering the ultimate client service experience. It is also passionate about community service as evident by its philanthropic endeavors. Over the course of 40+ years, it has made charitable contributions to the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Foundation, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Spread Joy Toy Drive, CBS’ Neighbors 4 Neighbors Adopt A Family 4 the Holidays Operation Elf Program, Subaru’s annual Share the Love event, and Light-Up the Harbor for Children’s Harbor, to name a few. Headquartered out of Hollywood, Florida, the corporate team can be found at Toyota of Hollywood located at 1841 North State Road 7, Hollywood, FL 33021 or https://www.czgroup.com/. It can also be found on Facebook at @zinnautogroup.
About Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital
Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital is one of the nation’s leading pediatric hospitals, offering a comprehensive scope of healthcare services and programs in a caring, compassionate setting designed specifically for children. The level one pediatric trauma center combines advanced technology, the expertise of some of the region’s most diverse, board-certified specialists, and a patient and family-centered focus to heal the body, mind, and spirit. Part of Memorial Healthcare System, the pediatric hospital in Hollywood, Florida, recently doubled in size, adding four floors, including a comprehensive cardiac care floor, an intraoperative MRI, an inpatient rehabilitation gym, family and staff support areas, and the 14th Garth Brooks Teammates for Kids Child Life Zone, among other offerings. To learn more, visit jdch.com and connect with @jdchospital on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.
