In 2024, Hearts of Hope donated $100,000 to Texas Children’s Hospital North Austin which have enabled them to support patients and their families in many ways. 
 

• Hearts of Hope established an Austin Family Support Fund with $75,000.  Upon inpatient admission, each patient family fills out a questionnaire that helps the Social Work teams know who needs support with housing/food/transportation/other needs. The team also regularly visits each patient and family in the NICU, PICU, and Acute Care on an ongoing basis in case any situations arise.  The team is also available to all outpatient and emergency center patients and regularly assists patients and families that are dealing with a trauma or crisis in the emergency center.

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• The hospital has also been able to give patient families that are food insecure free “caregiver trays” which are meals from the hospital cafeteria twice a day.
   

• We have given out 19 new car seats to families experiencing financial hardship car seats so their children can ride safely in the car.

 

Hearts of Hope ATX established a $25,000 Child Life Fund to support Austin patients by

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• Providing teddy bear backpacks to Cancer patients with tiny models of relevant health equipment that the patient can use on their teddy bear. This enables the child to play and get familiar with using the equipment on the teddy bear, minimizing patient anxiety when hospital staff utilize that same equipment in the hospital. For example, teddy bear can have a tiny IV drip, or a heart monitor.

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• Purchasing various toys, art supplies, crafts and games to keep patients of all ages entertained and occupied during their stay in the hospital.

 

• Creating a “Butterfly Room”.  The hospital is in the process of creating a bereavement room for families to offer a private, quiet space for families to grieve lost patients. This space will contain baby and children’s clothing, end-of-life books that families can take home, various memorabilia that can be tailored for each patient.   

 

• Purchasing books in English and Spanish that educate patients, siblings and parents and offer an opportunity understand death and process their loss:

I Miss You: Grief and Mental Health Books for Kids

The Invisible String

Forever Connected

When Dinosaurs Die: A Guide to Understanding Death

Ben’s Flying Flowers

Sun Kisses, Moon Hugs

Ida, Always

The Memory Box: A Book About Grief

More Than Sad: Feelings After Someone Special Dies

The Next Place

Sad Isn't Bad: A Good-Grief Guidebook for Kids Dealing With Loss
Healing Your Grieving Heart for Teens: 100 Practical Ideas
Tear Soup: A Recipe for Healing After Loss
The Grieving Teen : A Guide for Teenagers and Their Friends
We were gonna have a baby, but we had an angel instead