Team Schein Member Margaret Watt shares a holiday gift with an eager Holiday Cheer for Children participant during the Melville event. (Photo: Henry Schein/Business Wire)
Trade Winds

Henry Schein hosts Holiday Cheer for Children event

Melville-based Henry Schein and Team Schein Members from around the globe are celebrating 25 years of the company’s “Holiday Cheer for Children” program. 

The company hosted a “Holiday Cheer for Children” event at its Melville headquarters, where 100 children and their families opened presents while enjoying a fun-filled night with dinner, games, and music.

In addition, 300 children received gift cards purchased through support from the Henry Schein Cares Foundation to help alleviate some of the financial burden many individuals face during the holidays.

“We are pleased to celebrate 25 years of fostering holiday joy for families all over the world,” Stanley M. Bergman, chairman of the board and CEO of Henry Schein, said in a company statement. “‘Holiday Cheer for Children’ is not just an initiative, it is a reflection of Team Schein’s commitment to giving back to the communities in which we live and work. Thank you to all of Team Schein, who throughout the years, has helped keep the spirit of the program alive. We look forward to many more years of Holiday Cheer to come.”

Since 1999, the corporate initiative has helped more than 20,000 underserved children and their families experience a cheerful holiday season, with Team Schein Members donating clothing, toys, gift cards, and more. 

In support of the communities surrounding the company’s corporate headquarters, Henry Schein partnered with 10 Long Island-based social service organizations to pre-identify participating children and their families, including: Bethany House; Espoir Youth Program, Inc.; Family and Children’s Association; Family Service League; Hispanic Counseling Center; Madonna Heights; Nassau County Department of Social Services; The Raymar Children’s Fund; WellLife Network; and YES Community Counseling Center.

“The ‘Holiday Cheer for Children’ program embodies the true spirit of the holidays – giving, generosity, and kindness,” said Mark Wenzel, assistant director at YES Community Counseling Center. “From the exuberant child whose eyes light up when they receive a gift, to the grateful parent whose anxiety is relieved because they are able to purchase food for a holiday meal, this program has helped make the past 25 years unforgettable for many.”

Henry Schein is a distributor of healthcare-related products and has operations or affiliates in 33 countries and territories. The company’s sales reached $12.6 billion in 2022, according to the statement.

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Trade Winds

Trade Winds is written by journalists from the Long Island business community.