MercyOne Central Iowa has been awarded more than $144,000 from Variety – the Children’s Charity to enhance the care and services to Iowa children at MercyOne Children’s Hospital and MercyOne House of Mercy. The largest part of that donation, a $129,000 grant, was awarded to the MercyOne Children’s Hospital. The funds will be used to remodel the MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center Pediatric Emergency Department to enhance care provided to children and families. This project will renovate five exam rooms, including two rooms that will be updated with behavioral health design and safety standards. The remainder of the donation, a $15,901 grant, was awarded to MercyOne House of Mercy to create a large family visitation room for the children and families of residential patients. “We are so pleased to partner with Variety and are grateful for its ongoing generosity to our MercyOne family,” said Shannon Cofield, president of MercyOne Des Moines Foundation. “The organization’s enduring legacy of serving the most urgent needs of kids in our community is outstanding, and we are appreciative of the important care these grants will provide.” Variety – the Children’s Charity is dedicated to improving the lives of children who are underprivileged, at risk, critically ill or living with special needs.