The concept for David’s Treasure Tree toy closet came about as Robin and Joe Kanarek were searching for ways to honor their son’s memory while helping others. It was in talking with their close friend, then Stamford Representative Christel Truglia, that they came up with the idea of a toy closet created specifically for pediatric patients.

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The Kanareks chose Stamford Hospital as its first toy closet location because of the family’s strong ties there – Robin had been a volunteer and had also worked as a diabetes nurse educator there, and her parents, Carl and Dorothy Bennett, were also leading benefactors, with both the cancer center and the hospital’s campus named in their honor. The doors to David’s Treasure Tree toy closet first opened at Stamford Hospital in 2003. Its doors were beautifully decorated with original commissioned artwork by award winning author/illustrator Judith Casely. The toy closet offers free, new, age-appropriate gifts to any child admitted to the hospital. These “treasures” made possible through gifts of toys and monetary donations from local organizations, businesses and the community.

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In 2017, Stamford Hospital opened a new state-of-the-art pediatric unit—the Steven & Alexandra Cohen’s Children Unit and a new closet was created to align with the nautical theme of the unit. The new closet was then named David’s Treasure Chest.