National Recognition for Pediatric Dining Innovation
Morrison Healthcare’s Retail & Culinary Innovation Team has earned national recognition for its Pediatric Experience Dining Program: Spreading Smiles One Meal at a Time, receiving Business Intelligence Group’s (BIG) 2026 Sales and Marketing Excellence Award (or “SAMMY”) and Ragan PR Daily’s Product Launch Award in its annual Content Marketing Awards.
Program Overview: Reimagining Pediatric Healthcare Dining
Launched in Fall 2025, Spreading Smiles One Meal at a Time reimagines the role food plays in the healthcare journey for children. Designed to transform mealtimes into engaging and memorable experiences, the program features nutritious, age-appropriate menus for patients ranging from toddlers to teenagers, along with experiential offerings such as themed snack carts and celebration carts that bring moments of joy to the hospital environment.
Thoughtful, Collaborative Development
Developed in collaboration with Morrison Healthcare chefs and registered dietitians, the program is rooted in a deep understanding of the unique nutritional and emotional needs of pediatric patients. Today, it is being implemented at children’s hospitals across the country, helping create positive dining experiences that support comfort, healing, and overall well-being.
“This program was born from the simple idea that every child deserves moments of joy, comfort, and normalcy during their healthcare journey,” said Kevin Dorr, Senior Vice President of Culinary Strategy and Innovation for Morrison Healthcare. “This recognition belongs to the countless chefs, dietitians, operators, and caregivers who came together to turn that vision into reality. Seeing the positive impact on patients and families is the greatest reward and reinforces why this work matters so deeply.”
About the Awards
The SAMMY Awards honor the organizations, campaigns, teams, technologies, and individuals setting the standard for excellence in sales and marketing through strategic execution and measurable impact. This is the third time Morrison Healthcare’s Retail & Culinary Innovation team has received a “SAMMY.”
The Ragan PR Daily Content Marketing Awards recognize outstanding storytelling and content strategies that drive meaningful results for organizations.
The awards recognize not only the program itself, but also the collaborative effort behind bringing it to life and sharing its impact with healthcare organizations nationwide. Teams across culinary strategy, operations, marketing, and communications worked together to support the program’s creation. The rollout included a coordinated campaign with promotional resources and marketing materials for both internal team and external audience awareness.
Broader Impact and Industry Alignment
“This pediatric experience program shows what’s possible when innovation and compassion come together,” said Brian Salter, Vice President of Culinary for Morrison Healthcare. “Our teams have successfully brought this program to life across hospitals nationwide, creating experiences that go far beyond a meal. By combining engaging themes with fun recipes, children are genuinely excited to eat, and we’re helping deliver a sense of comfort during what can often be a challenging time for patients and their families.”
Spreading Smiles One Meal at a Time demonstrates Morrison Healthcare’s commitment to redefining the hospital dining experience and elevating the role food plays in patient care. Complementing Morrison Healthcare’s program, its sister sector, Crothall Healthcare, launched its environmental services (EVS) best practices for pediatric hospitals and units earlier this year. By focusing on “recurring moments,” Crothall Healthcare’s program delivers a continuous series of cheerful, warm, and meaningful touchpoints for children and teenagers throughout their stay.
Crothall Healthcare and Morrison Healthcare’s focus on elevating the care experience for every patient highlights a critical priority for Compass Healthcare: taking proactive, innovative action to reimagine healing environments to better support patients, their families, and their communities.
