HopeKids has allowed us to have so much fun and make so many memories we would have never been able to enjoy otherwise.
I'm new to Hopekids and have only been to a few events. But, so far we've loved every single one we've gone to. It's really great to be able to take my family to do stuff we wouldn't otherwise financially be able to do. It's gives joy and hope to so many children out there with critical health problems. It gives them something to look forward to!! They are truly amazing!!
Our daughter Gracie is a HopeKid. She was born with a special heart and she got a transplant when she was a baby. She was four when she was playing with her dolls and had a stroke. So now she can only move her right arm and leg a little bit. She uses a wheelchair to get around most of the time; she has leg braces which help her to stand and walk short distances. We are at the hospital a lot for appointments to look at her special heart, to watch her brain, to get poked for labs, physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy, but Gracie is awesome through it all. Our family joined HopeKids in 2019. We started going to events because HopeKids made the events safe for Gracie who has a weak immune systems because of her heart transplant. It has been awesome to see Gracie hangout with other kids like her. She’s the only student in her class in a wheelchair but when we go to HopeKid events wheelchairs are everywhere and she doesn’t feel different. We have attended over 60 events. Gracie’s favorite was Skateland because she got to push her wheelchair to its limits! Our family loves the concerts and the musicals because we get to sing and dance; it is so much fun! Our family also loves the sporting events like the professional bull riders or the monster trucks! We also like the date night events because it’s cool that the parents get a break too. We are so grateful for HopeKids. Every time we go to events we meet other families who get our situation - who understand our health restrictions, food restrictions and our consistent trips to the hospital. Our family really looks forward to doing activities that don’t involve us going to the hospital. HopeKids gives our family Hope, which is a powerful medicine.
We found HopeKids just before my son turned 18 years old. I appreciate how he'll get to participate through the years, as well as his siblings, dad, and I, and that HopeKids truly becomes like an extended family. I'm telling all of our friends who have special needs children about HopeKids so they too can potentially have some fun in life and less stress, even if for a moment.
HopeKids is such an incredible organization! As a mom of a child with two rare diagnoses, they have given our entire family so much light and fun memories in our toughest times. Not only do they care for the medical child, but they focus on the full family. We are so grateful!
HopeKids has helped make the challenges of raising a child with a life threatening condition a little easier. Thanks to them, we’re able to enjoy lots of fun activities without the added financial burden during an already difficult time. They truly brighten our days with the wonderful events they organize.
My oldest son was diagnosed with hemophilia A, a blood disorder that can be life threatening. My family and I moved to the valley to be closer to the hospital just in case the worst happens. We came across hopekids at an outreach family event and we applied. Since being accepted, I have been able to bring my kids to new experiences we wouldn’t have been able to afford before. Also, my son loves receiving cards from members of the organization. They have made us feel loved and accepted.
HopeKids has been a blessing to my family and I. The resources they provide and all the event that they offer to families alike. I could t be more blessed to be apart of such an amazing group.
This is a wonderful organization that offers fun opportunities both in person and virtually to families with sick children. They offer tickets to movies and baseball games, equine therapy, and many other fun events. They also have a lot of virtual options for people who may not be able to attend in person such as games and support groups.
HopeKids has been amazing to provide our family with opportunities that bring joy to all of us! When living with complex medical needs within the family, it can be difficult on the whole family. HopeKids allows us to enjoy the things typical families may take for granted!
HopeKids gives families the opportunity to enjoy time together at a fun outing without worrying about their kids medical needs or struggles.
Our family has received so much support from Hopekids. They provide monthly free programming that allows our family opportunities to make memories while in the midst of battling a childhood life threatening critical illness. Not only have we had the opportunities to make memories, but we have also received critical family support. They connect with everyone in a deeply personal level, getting to know your family and the challenges you face. Our family is forever grateful for their support.
They have been such a huge part of our journey. Providing experiences and memories that are not only meaningful but accommodating.
We joined HopeKids late November of 2023 and jumped right in, filling up our depleted tanks with everything HopeKids has to offer families. We joined HopeKids at a time when we desperately needed community here in Texas. HopeKids offers a specialized and unique support system that we had been missing all long. There is nothing like this in Florida, at least not when we lived there. (They will be launching a Florida chapter, hopefully this summer.)
We are able to attend various events alongside other families similar to ours: both in person and virtually. The online events have been very pivotal for our family as our daughter is often hospitalized or we are juggling multiple medical appointments each week. Whether our daughter is in the hospital or not we are still able to receive support, a sense of belonging, community, and camaraderie. Because of HopeKids we have something on our calendar to look forward to outside the scope of the daily and weekly medical care our daughter requires.
We are big on doing what we can, when we can to create meaningful memories with both of our children, while we are still able to do so. HopeKids strives to provide our family with weekly and monthly experiences where both of my children can just be kids and my husband and I are seen, valued and honored.
I will never forget our first HopeKids event. We wore our matching family pajamas to a HopeFlick movie to see The Polar Express. I had never seen it before, and we had never watched the movie as a family. I will never forget walking into the movie theater that day and the feeling I felt. The whole bottom front row was reserved for wheelchair families.
Our family usually stands out when we go places, and I wish I could say that as a compliment, but it is not. People stare, they quickly look away and dodge eye contact altogether, or I get looks of pity. Rarely, very rarely does someone see my daughter then see me and smile. So, I have become accustomed to having a stern look on my face and keeping my gaze forward in response to said gestures.
But on that day, we didn’t stand out and I remember feeling relieved. I remember looking around and seeing other young children, like my own with profound disabilities and medical complexities in wheelchairs take up that entire front row. I remember feeling so seen. I remember feeling an uncommon feeling of dignity and honor, as wheelchair accessible seating was set aside for my daughter and companion seating for our entire family was reserved for us, that morning.
I remember hearing kids stemming, hearing medical equipment go off during the movie, and hearing nonverbal children like my daughter vocalizing and in that moment, I remember feeling safe. Both of my children were able to be themselves and I didn’t have to minimize, dismiss, negate or apologize for our everyday reality for the sake of someone else’s comfortability any longer.
I knew then, these were my people and our life hasn’t been the same since.
HopeKids considers the whole family unit and not just the sick kid. The emphasis is not just on my daughter, but my son is equally thought of too and for that we are thankful. HopeKids also cares about the impact that having a child with a life-threatening medical condition(s) has on marriages.
I firmly believe that HopeKids has saved the life of at least one child and one parent / caregiver by providing tangible hope in hopeless
situations. That reason in and of itself is enough to rally around this exceptional organization. HopeKids is actually meeting the needs of a forgotten and displaced people group in our society.
We need your help so that HopeKids can continue to reach more families. We need your partnership in order for HopeKids to further advance both the short and long term impact they have within our community. We need your support in order for HopeKids to be able to continue providing a vast array of events year- round.
Thank you for your support whether it is through volunteering your time and/or financial contributions. We are so grateful for you!
HopeKids has provided us with experiences and friends we wouldn’t have met. The events are always something to look forward to amidst many appointments, procedures, and illness.
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HopeKids has provided our family with uplifting experiences, support, and joy a lifetime of treatments, appointments, and hospitalizations.
HopeKids has been a huge blessing to our family. Through the most difficult times Hope Kids has made it possible to experience and cherish special moments with my son Noah who has a life threatening genetic condition. This organization has enhanced our life and has given us the gift of joy, togetherness, and unforgettable moments like going to Sea Life, concerts, Sesame Street Live at the Theater, mother’s Bible study, and more! I am forever thankful. HopeKids is #1!
Hope Kids has provided a community of support for families who are going through some of the worst moments of their lives. It brings brightness to those dark times and opened up friendships that truly understand the heart ache. Thank you so much!
Hope Kids has been such a neat organization for our family. We don’t have a lot of free time to do fun activities but Hope Kids offers families of high risk medical need kids and their families an opportunity to get away from the not so fun part of life and enjoy life! It’s such a blessing. They offer anything from mom’s day outs to sporting events. We are so thankful for any opportunity to not have to stress about financial burdens of life and enjoy the good times. Thank you! Hope Kids is truly amazing.
HopeKids has brought so much joy in to many difficult periods in our family’s life. Having a medically fragile child in your family is roller coaster for your entire family, siblings included. So many highs and many lows. HopeKids provides us a stress free, cost free break from reality when we need it most. It also provides community and the knowledge that we are not alone and people care. HopeKids is an incredible organization, filled with many incredible volunteers and individuals. We are so grateful they are in the DFW metroplex!!
HopeKids is the most amazing organization! It provides sensory friendly events where our daughter can be herself and most importantly a community of support for her and us!
HopeKids means the world to our family. Through variety of thoughtful, fun events, HopeKids has brought us joy, connection and life long memories during a difficult medical journey. The team at HopeKids cares so much about these kids and families!
HopeKids is a huge light during the most difficult time for our family. They have supported us and kept us positive during complicated times. The amazing people behind Hopekids are a blessing to many many families in the area. We have had so many amazing memories for our family that we would not have had without them.
Hopekids has been such a wonderful experience for my daughter and our family. I love to see her light up when we get to go to events we wouldn’t normally be able to. Thank you HopeKids!
Our family was introduced to Hopekids a little over 6 months ago and they have been such a blessing! The last 4 years have been extremely difficult navigating my youngest daughter’s medical condition. With constant hospital stays, surgeries and doctor’s appointments, trying to keep her and her sisters in good spirits seemed nearly impossible. Struggling with financial difficulties, Hopekids has given our children the chance to remember what it feels like to just be a kid and enjoy fun activities. They have provided them with opportunities to forget even for just a little while the struggles and just have fun! I will forever be grateful for all the work they do to provide our family with these special moments!
Wonderful nonprofit helping to create lasting memories for families going through the difficult time of having a family member going through the cancer journey.
I truly don't have enough words to express what HopeKids has meant to our family. It has been nothing short of a godsend for my son Christopher, my daughter Elizabeth, and for us as a family.
HopeKids has given our children something that every parent wishes they could give — pure joy, hope, and a sense of belonging, even during the hardest times. Through the incredible activities, events, and opportunities they provide, my kids have been able to experience moments of happiness that have lifted their spirits and strengthened their hearts in ways that are impossible to measure. Whether it’s a special movie screening, a private event, or simply a day filled with laughter and smiles, HopeKids has created memories that we will cherish forever.
But it’s not just about the events — it’s about the community. It's about feeling understood. It's about finding other families who know exactly what the road looks like and being surrounded by compassion, encouragement, and unwavering support. HopeKids has made us feel less alone in a journey that often feels isolating.
For Christopher and Elizabeth, HopeKids has been a bright light — a constant reminder that even in the face of challenges, there is so much to look forward to. For us as parents, it has been a lifeline. HopeKids gives us strength by giving our children smiles. It gives us hope by giving them happiness.
HopeKids doesn't just create events. They create hope. They create life-changing moments. They create family.
We are forever grateful.
Jeremy Deysach
Since joining hope kids it's like finding family who understands everything your going through. We have made lasting friendships and connections since joining hope kids. They give our family time to just be together not having to worry about the next hospital stay the next medical issue. They give us the ability to just feel accepted ❤️
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Hope kids has been an amazing organization that goes out of their way to plan and organize adventures to give kids like my son Kaleb something positive to look forward to. When he has something fun to look forward to after a long month of seizures and other health issues. Hope kids put a smile on his face knowing that he has something fun planned coming up something took forward to that is positive and not just another doctors vist or procedure.
Hopekids is an amazing organization. We look forward to the Hopekids events. They do a wonderful job at providing family’s like mine who deal illness a chance to experience events that would not otherwise be able to attend. Thank you so much to hopekids!! We will forever be grateful for hopekids.
Hopekids has been amazing for my family. They are extra support and love my daughter needs. They’ve given us experiences we would have never gotten had it not been for them. They love my child and cheer her on and they’ve also created a good close knit community of medical parents and children and they make us feel a little less alone in the big medical battles our children are facing. There are not enough words to say how appreciative we are of Hopekids and all they do for our family.
We have 7 kids in our home. All special needs. We are older and on a fixed income. Hope kids has been amazing. We are able to get out into the community and experience events we otherwise could not afford. Seeing my children’s faces light up. We are beyond grateful!
Hope kids has been amazing for our family, we hadn’t had many outings as a family due to health issues our children have. Hope kids has been a way for this to begin to change for our family.
Hope kids encourages us to participate in social activities and events where we know we will be accepted. We are so grateful for helping us bond as a family and community.
Hopekids has offered some amazing opportunities that kept our family hopeful during an extremely hard year.
Hope Kids of Tennessee has been such a blessing to our family! It has allowed us to do things with our children that we wouldn't otherwise be able to do!
HopeKids has allowed my family the opportunity to go to free, thoughtful, fun and important events as we heal and handle our medical child's journey.
My 7 year old medically complex son has gotten to experience so many incredible things thanks to Hopekids! He has spent so much time in the hospital and getting various surgeries and we worried about what all that trauma would do to him. The experiences he’s had through Hopekids stand out more than any of the negative memories he has of his procedures. We are so very grateful he has had once in a life time experiences through this organization…memories that will last a lifetime. As a bonus, my other children have also been a part of most of these experiences. Siblings are not often recognized for all they go through with medically complex family members and it means so much that Hopekids includes them. We will forever be grateful we are a Hope family!
Our middle son was 4 years old when he was diagnosed with Leukemia. Hopekids gave our son and his brothers something to look forward to while he underwent 3+ years of chemotherapy. We were so grateful for the movies, plays, sporting events during this difficult time. We cannot say enough how life changing Hopekids was for our family.
Hope kids has allowed our family to venture out, trying new things, attending events we never otherwise would have known about or been able to afford. Having a kiddo with chronic disease makes getting out a second thought. But when presented with so many fun and unique opportunities, we have been able to take the leap! From theater and music to professional sports, to Christmas parties including visits with Santa and our very first ever "real" Christmas wreath that we got to bring home and hang in our door, Hopekids has provided our family with truly unforgettable experiences!
The events should be posted on the same day every month. The activities are always booked right away. There are only 4-5 activities a month. Tickets to a game is in the last row where players look like ants. I can hardly sign up to do 1 activity a month. There are 10 spots for hospital visits and actual activities are always filled.
I am the mother of a HopeKid! My children ALWAYS looked forward to the fun events that they were able to participate in, from private movie screenings to picnics to arts and crafts sessions. They loved it all. After my HopeKid passed away I thought we would no longer be a part of HopeKids. I was brought to tears when they reached out to me and said “once a HopeKids family, always a HopeKids family”. I have since been able to experience hope and healing through the events that HopeKids has provided to me a a bereaved mother. Thank you HopeKids!
They took us on as recipients immediately. We feel we have a safe community that offers so many opportunities that accommodate our family’s special needs. We feel we have access to places and events that we otherwise would struggle or never be able to enjoy. We value being a part of their network so much. HopeKids does give us hope. We have something to look forward to, somewhere to go that isn’t another doctor’s appointment or therapy session. We get to have a bright spot on our calendar and meet with families who can relate to our challenges. We LOVE HopeKids!!!!
We always have a great time at HopeKids events! The volunteers are a lot of fun which makes for all the more excitement. HopeKids truly brought Hope into our own little family!
My son was diagnosed with cancer when he was 5 years old. We spent weeks in the hospital after diagnosis but the day we got home I signed up for Hope Kids. That afternoon we were at our first event, a TCU baseball meet and greet pizza party! How amazing! We got to take a break from the scary new life we just got tossed into and enjoy some FUN as a family while meeting other families who were in our same shoes. It was exactly what we needed and it continues to feed our soul 6 years later to help new families and support this truly amazing foundation. We have been immensely blessed by Hope Kids.
Our time with our daughter is priceless and fire to high costs, it's hard to make memories with her before she passes. HopeKids has given us a variety of opportunities that mean the world to us. It's also given my son and husband special time that helps them forget the stress of my daughter's illness. We're so grateful for HopeKids!!
This group has been a blessing to our family. It came at the right time being new here dealing with our daughter’s cancer and knowing no one. They welcomed our family with open arms, helped us know we are not alone and are so inclusive with all the things they have going. It’s so family oriented and we feel just that like family. They deserve more recognition. And what’s even more great is just because one is in remission or no longer going thru treatment they don’t kick you out of the group once’s your a hope kid always a hope kid and that’s amazing. Thank you hopekids for everything you have done even in the short time we entered.
-the Pangelinan familia in CO
We discovered Hope Kids a few months after my 6 year old was diagnosed with leukemia. This group has been such a blessing to our family. For the 1st 9 mos of our son being diagnosed, we couldn’t go any where and was pretty much confined to our home and the hospital. This group has provided us an opportunity to try new activities with all of our kids in a clean, healthy environment. I have been able to meet other parents and children going through similar medical/health situations. The variety of activities always amazes me because they put such thought into what activities would be fun and appeal to our kids of varying age ranges.
Lastly, they also offer emotional and spiritual support to families. I have sent prayer requests in and they have acknowledged my requests.
We absolutely love this foundation!
Below are just a few photos of the different activities that we were able to take part in thru Hope Kids.
HopeKids has been such a blessing to our family. We are grateful for all of the volunteers at the HopeKids events. HopeKids events are something positive to look forward to that create special memories with our family and our HopeKid.
HopeKids offers us support as a family in many different ways. Through devotionals, offering us a chance to do an activity as a family at no cost, visits to see a child in the hospital, gifts and so much more! Having a child with significant medical needs is hard, but HopeKids offers us HOPE!
HopeKids gives our families amazing opportunities to participate in community events. They help not just our kids with profound disabilities but our whole family, helping us creative memories together.
We have been a part of hope kids Minnesota family for all most 2 years. It has been such amazing family to be apart of. Our daughter has been in and out of hospital the past 8 months thay have been so supportive.we have been able to make some great friends that under stand or are going thuw same or similar things.to be able to do things as a family and let our daughter be a kid amazing. I have even been able to be apart of some great online mom groups that have helped. Thank you hope kids Minnesota for you do.
Hopekids is an excellent organization. It gives medical-sensitive families something to look forward to. In the sea of doctor appointments, therapy, infusions...Hopekids brings joy to my family by offering family fun events. At a time when all our extra funds are going toward medical expenses, this is greatly appreciated. They do a great job!
Thanks to HopeKids my family has been able to participate and have a blast in events that we normally would not have been able to attend if it wasn’t for HopeKids. Thank you so much HopeKids.
Hope Kids has given our family an absolutely priceless amount of fun together by being able to take part in so many wonderful events we otherwise wouldn’t have been able to.
Live sporting events, community events with other families, musical concerts, fine arts performances, and a countless amount of virtual events as well- they have all played a big part in our overall happiness despite major medical changes this past year for our Hope Kid!
We are able to we plan family trips to the specialists to coincide with fun events and instead of our other children resenting their sibling’s intensive schedule taking them from their family and friends- they now look forward to their sibling receiving the care they need because they’re also able to look forward to fun, special events they can attend right alongside them! Thank you for thinking of and including the entire family, Hope Kids!
The work you have done by providing these activities have allowed us to still have such a bright light and special memories made despite other challenging things occurring medically. We will be forever grateful!
Incredible organization that lifts up and brings light to children with life threatening conditions and their families! We are so grateful to have HopeKids in our life.
My daughter has an autoimmune disease and she always feels like an outcast. Then we met HopeKids. They are an incredible group of people that provide so many awesome, fun events and nobody is left out! My daughter loves being able to attend the events and getting to meet so many new families. We love being a part of HopeKids!
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My daughter has been a member of HopeKids since 2019 I believe. They have allowed us to enjoy time together without the stress of any medical concerns or financial concerns. Without HopeKids, we wouldn't be able to go out and do any activities. We are so very thankful for this program and all the people involved.
We joined HopeKids about a year ago, and it has been absolutely life changing. Having a medically complex cold can feel so isolating at times, but HopeKids has given us an amazing community of other families who get it. Medical bills make finances tight, and through HopeKids’s free events, we are able to create so many special memories, which we would not be able to do without them.
Fumbling through my child's cancer diagnosis at just 1 year old, life was filled with nothing but grief and sadness. Along our journey, we discovered HopeKids and the fog was lifted. For the first time in a loooong time, our hearts were full and we actually had HOPE. Thanks for everything you do, HopeKids. We love YOU!!
This nonprofit is amazing. My son enjoys all the experiences that they offer. Without this nonprofit many things my son has been able to do would never have been possible. The best thing they did for my family was an all expenses paid family trip to Montana. That was a once in a lifetime experience, which was back in September and my son keeps talking about it and wants to go back. My son has made many new friends with the other kids and looks forward to seeing them during the events. It also gives the parents a chance to connect with other parents and families that are going through something similar and are able to understand all the emotions that most people can't relate to. The support to the kids and the families is incredible amazing.
HopeKids gives families like ours fun and hope! We are so grateful for all the activities that allow our family to do “normal” things that are either not conducive to kiddoes with special needs, or activities that are beyond our means. Thank you, thank you HopeKids!
HopeKids is an amazing organization. Our family has been a part of HK for ten years since they launched a chapter in North TX! Shortly thereafter, I became a volunteer leading the prayer ministry team. Having the unique view of being a “client served” and “volunteer”, has filled me with great joy over the years! Being able to participate in amazing activities, while also serving deserving families in a small way, has given me replenishment and hope!
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HopeKids has been a part of our family's life for over 5 years, and the blessings that come from being a part of such an incredible community are too many to count! We are so thankful for those who support our precious HopeKids in North Texas, and are thankful for the opportunities we receive from generous sponsors and donors, as well as the encouragement and prayer support by so many! Thank you HopeKids!
We haven't gone to any events yet, but we have signed up to attend one in the future. My son has cancer and anything he can look forward to doing is amazing for him right now. It's hope and excitement for him.
We have been a Hope family since 2014 the day my heart warrior son was born with only half a heart. We heard about HopeKids two years later and became part of HopeKids family. You never know when you will or can have a life altering situation. After my son’s diagnosis we had no choice but to become a one income family for a family of six. I had to become a stay at home to care for my fragile child. HopeKids has given our family of six opportunities to enjoy family fun filled activities free of cost that likely we would no longer be able to do. Making family memories and outings is so important when you have a child with a lifetime illness or disability because you never know if it will be the last. We are forever grateful to all donors making HopeKids possible.
Hopekids is an amazing group who provide experiences to Hopekids and their families. It’s nice to have a group of people who become friends/family who know what it’s like to have a child with serious medical issues. It’s also nice for kids to see others going through hard situations as well. They don’t feel as alone and they make new friends too. I believe it strengthens everyone to have these events. It’s hard to live this life sometimes for all family members, so being able to go out and do something fun is so refreshing and therapeutic. And very much appreciated.
We are so grateful for the wonderful events Hopekids provides to our family. The opportunities give us joy and a much needed break from the day to day struggles of dealing with the special needs of a complex-health child. The staff and volunteers are caring and always go out of their way to add special touches to their interactions with us. We love being a part of this organization!
Hopekids is amazing! They allow our family to have experiences and make connections like no other. We are beyond great full!
HopeKids is simply and amazing organization! For both my TBI daughter and my cardiac grandson! Not to mention, they include siblings and parents!!! They all come together for some amazing events, in a safer environment for medically fragile! This is amazing for all! Events most couldn’t otherwise afford due to all the medical bills! I love HopeKids and love that some many are offered amazing experiences!
We have been blessed to be involved with Hope Kids. My daughter has had some pretty extensive surgeries this year and Hope Kids of Arizona has been right there with encouragement and checking in. I sure hope i can do the same once Emily s life is a little bit back!
Our family is often limited in getting out- and, more importantly, getting connected with others in similar circumstances. HopeKids connects us to our community in ways that we couldn’t otherwise. We are so blessed to have a chapter in MN.
I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer and shortly afterwards my son was diagnosed with a rare kidney cancer. As you can imagine the medical bills for chemo, radiation, and multiple surgeries for two people are astounding! On top of that, we have two children in college. Hopekids has been a true gift! We missed so much to cancer during our treatment and without Hopekids we would continue to miss out. Thanks to Hopekids we get to celebrate life and make wonderful memories together!! We are VERY VERY thankful for this group!
We have been so impressed with the number of events available for families and the wide variety of events. Leslie has been most welcoming to us as we are a new member. We have attended two even-thus far and they made it easy and was super organized. This organization is a real blessing to not only my son but our entire family. We couldn’t normally afford to attend most of these events and have therefore provided us with some special surprises to take our kids to. Thank you!
Without HopeKids, my family would not be able to get out and do as my fun activities as we get to do. Really love that they treat us as a family, not just the ill child who gets to do everything and the rest of the kids get left out. Also meeting other family's in the same boat as us allows us to form bonds that might not exist without Hopekids.
This organization is amazing! They have helped our family enjoy experiences we otherwise could not have afforded. We have attended many events since our son was diagnosed with Leukemia, thanks to HopeKids!
We love HopeKids! Looking forward to events has helped us get through some long hospitalizations and tough times.
We cannot say enough good things about Hope Kids. They have given us so many opportunities to be with families like us that GET IT. We are so thankful!!!
The group of leaders in Middle Tennessee were amazing to my son before he passed away and have been super supportive to me since my sons passing. They have continued to make me feel apart of the Hope Kids family.
Hope kid’s is such a great nonprofit organization! They have really touched me and my family through this difficult time we are, still. Going through. And still touch our heart’s daily!
I am a totally single parent with 2 special children. One of my kids has a life threatening condition. Between the cost of medical care and daily expenses, I would not be able to take my children to any type of family activities. However do to the sponsors of companies and organizations we have been able to take part of what has been offered to us! Thank you all for your support and kind generosity!
We have a son who was diagnosed with cancer at the age of two. We have been to some of the HopeKids events and it was so great to connect with other families with little kids who have similar experiences. HopeKids is a great group!
HopeKids has been a part of our life on our darkest ICU days and our brightest Stars family nights! They have organized events that our daughter can be a part of and that have extended our family friendships. We never would have thought she was capable of adaptive water skiing, skateboarding, Top Golf or dancing the night away with princesses. But, HopeKids made it all reality. ❤️
Hope Kids makes you feel part of a beloved community of fellow medical warriors while also making you feel like you are awesomely appreciated individuals! The events are well thought out for the various family needs and the volunteers go above and beyond to ensure everyone has a great experience. We are so thankful for Hope Kids - opening doors and exposing us to opportunities we wouldn't otherwise have!
Hope kids has provided so many life giving, fun activities for our family that we wouldn’t get to experience otherwise! It is so nice to have access to events where our kids are safe to be themselves and get a break from clinics, hospitals etc.
Hopekids has allowed my daughter with a terminal disorder to just be a kid and have fun. It gives us something else to look forward to than just doctor appts and medical procedures. We have connected with a support system that has gotten us through the worst times and celebrated the best times. HopeKids has given us hope for tomorrow.
They have been nothing short of amazing! So many wonderful events and activities that we would have never been able to do on our own. They visited during hospital stays and brought toys and crafts to make the time more tolerable. They have been such a blessing and brought so much joy to our family!
Sometimes we spend so much time at doctor appointments, therapy visits, hospital admissions. The health of my child is the number one priority. HopeKids allows our family to take a pause and have some unbelievably memorable and fun experiences that are usually the highlight of our year. And we’ve met so many families who are now are best friends for life, that are on their own medically complex journies.
We want to thank HopeKids, its volunteers and donors. You give hope to families that are going through so much with their child. Taking them away to a fun event is precious. Often times families are financially not able to afford events. HopeKids families are so grateful to donors that donate so families may continue to have hope during a very difficult and stressful time.
The thing I love about HopeKids is they offer hope to the entire family. Sometimes the siblings of a sick child get left out, not purposefully, but because a sick child requires more. Over the past year our HopeKid was unable to attend most events for various medical reasons. His siblings though- they rocked it. I love HopeKids!!!!
HopeKids does such an amazing job creating special experiences for kids with disabilities, and their families! So happy to have such a great organization so close to us!
Hope Kids has not only helped all of our children be exposed to children with other life limiting illnesses but additionally helped with being a foundational pillar in our life. When we received our eldest sons diagnosis it was devastating to our family. We felt completely alone and our marriage tension went up. When we found HopeKids we were able to start to even attend some events as date nights for the parents and get some quality time together while our oldest was at the hospital or with a care giver. It was so life giving to our marriage. As our son began to regain strength and join us at HopeKids events it exposed him to understanding he is not alone and many other children have these crosses to bear. Our two, going on three other children have also been able to be exposed to other children and siblings in similar circumstances which we hope as they get older helps them develop compassion and understanding for some of the extra attention we need to give their brother. Thank you hope kids!
Hopekids gives are family something to look forward to other then medical appointments.
Takes us away from are day to day worry.
For the whole family .
Staff and volunteers are so loving welcoming
They really get to know the family's on a personal level.
HopeKids has allowed our family to have experiences that we probably never had the opportunity for before. Getting to be with other families and set the medical diagnoses to the side makes us feel like a normal family. We are so grateful for HopeKids.
Hope kids is absolutely amazing!! The awesome experiences and memories that they have provided for my family are truly amazing! I’m very grateful to hope kids for the physical and spiritual support!!
We are incredibly grateful for HopeKids. Our family has been blessed with opportunities to attend events that would not have otherwise not been possible for our family. We are so thankful for their staff and mission. - Mya's Family
HopeKids provides support and opportunities for families of children with life-threatening illnesses or cancer. Our family has been part of HopeKids for approx 17 years and it is so much more than events as it becomes a community where people understand each other's struggles and are willing to help. It takes a village and in this village it is great for children to have events to look forward to. Attending with other children who have similar experiences is the icing on the cake!
HopeKids has helped our family in so many ways! We truly have started to feel like a family again since being able to experience things together outside of medical things. It’s such a blessing to be able to do things we would have never gotten to do without the help and love of HopeKids. There aren’t many things to be thankful for when your child has a life-threatening illness/disease, but this is one of the only things I am truly grateful for.
Hopekids is the best! I honestly don’t know what I would do without this amazing organization! My family has been able to make hundreds of incredible memories thanks to Hopekids and we look forward to checking the events almost every single day! One of our favorites is when we are able to see movies and not have to stress about the wheelchair being in the way or being too loud since my son can’t control his cute little voice! I am forever grateful for everything and everyone that is a part of this!
We finally have a chance to go out into the community with other families who “get it”. We can relax and enjoy ourselves without having to worry about funding and more. So thankful for Hope Kids!
We have been with HopeKids for 2 years now and have so many great memories from events they have provided our family the opportunity to be part of!
I love hopekids!!! It’s so nice to be able to go to things that I wouldn’t be able to because of the extra cost of having a child with special needs.
We have had so many great opportunities through hope kids. My daughter has gone to concert, connected with other kids like her and we have other family’s we connect with. It’s been amazing and everyone needs to know what hopekids does and how important it’s been to our whole family.
It’s also hard finding time for just my husband and I. We have been able to spend some much needed time out of the house thanks to hopekids.
My family has had a few events we were able to attend because of HopeKids MN. We are a family of 6 and my 1year old has a sever Congenital Heart Defect. So a lot of our time is filled up with doctor apts, therapies and picking up medications from the pharmacy, etc. I am unable to work due to my son’s complex heart condition so we are on my husbands income. HopeKids has given us the opportunities to go events as a family and has given my husband and I our first date night in a year to the Janet Jackson concert. Which is something we would not have been able to afford on our own. We have also taken all 4 of our kids to a MN Twins game, movies, and MN Sea Life. Thanks to HopeKids we were able to enjoy these events and not have to worry about paying to do, because taking a family of 6 to do an activity is expensive. So thank you HopeKids Mn for having such a great impact on our lives!
HopeKids has been an organization that has allowed my family to have activities to create memories and experiences to enjoy.
Hopekids has brought an immense amount of joy to my family over the past 4 years.
There is something about surrounding yourself with families you can relate to and getting away from reality for a few hours. It makes the biggest difference, especially when you're smack dab in the middle of treatment and nothing else seems to be going right. Hopekids is always there, always encouraging, always uplifting.
We have loved our experience with Hopekids! Our youngest child is very medically complex and hopekids has given us the opportunity to do events and activities at times when we were in such a dark and scary place. When she was in the hospital for over a year and my older two kids had to move to the Ronald McDonald house my husband and I were able to do fun and exciting things with them to make life, that was NOT normal and not easy, a little more enjoyable. Giving us all the down time to keep focusing on what was needed and keeping us strong together.
HopeKids has given our family of 7 many fun experiences and opportunities that we wouldn’t have had otherwise, due to cost or availability. We have been able to connect with families like ours and work with people who treat our son with dignity and respect.
Hopekids Is an amazing organization. They host events for kids That have life's threatening Diseases. These events are crucial for this kids. They get to be exposed to kids that are just like them and not feel judged. And sometimes when you're battling these diseases Money becomes an issue And you can't afford to take your Kids go to events like the ones the send you to
Met up with this group lately. Heard about the wonderful Christmas Program and placement program they havefor children. Glad to see their great work.
We have volunteered for HopeKids for over 2 years. We have attended many events and even hosted one ourselves. The effort and pride taken by the staff (volunteer & office) has been nothing short of extraordinary. Every event was something to plan for and look forward to see the smiles and laughs on the kids faces. Every moment was worth it! The money we spent, the time we gave all was worth it. The kids laughing and their smiles has no price.
HopeKids provides so many amazing, fun events for our family to attend and gives us time to be together and not worry about doctors appointments or anything else!
We joined HopeKids when my son was diagnosed with leukemia in 2021. Ryan already had more challenges than most kids. At 8 he was diagnosed with Louis Barre Syndrome which meant he would be wheelchair bound. This he mastered, and a smile was still a fixture on his beautiful face, but leukemia presented bigger challenges. The side effects from chemo, nose bleeds and a weakened immune system were now an added challenge. We decided that HopeKids shared our values and made it possible for our family to still do fun things together. In fact they would provide the venue for various fun family activities and all we had to do was show up. When you have a sick child life is hard. Time is taken away from your other children and all you want to do as a parent is grab any moment you can to find happiness together as a family because you don’t know how long your sick child has. This is why we want to thank HopeKids. They make it possible for families to do fun things TOGETHER. We went to a MN Wild game together, several movies and a winter lights event at the Fairgrounds where we took our family Christmas card picture. All at no cost to us and those memories are priceless. My son recently passed away and I am so grateful to have had those experiences. When I told HopeKids that my Ryan passed away they wrote me back and told me how sorry they were and also told me that once a HopeKid family Always a HopeKids family. We could continue to attend events and maybe we will. In honor of Ryan because we will always be a family of 5. Sue Costley (mom of Ryan, Connor and Kasey)
HopeKids is a wonderful nonprofit. I have lived the cancer life twice, first with my late wife and now my daughter. There is nothing like HopeKids; what they do for these kids and their families dramatically improves life for patients and their families. They remind us all that the sick are people, not just patients. Unless you have lived the life of a very sick person, it is impossible to understand how vital that is. I am involved with over a dozen nonprofits for sick people, and none are better than HopeKids.
HopeKids has become a pillar in our family with having a kid with a lifelong medical condition. Our family gets to experience time together that we wouldn’t otherwise get.
Hope Kids gave us a safe place to be together - physically and emotionally. We were surrounded by families that were in the same boat. We often got to be at events that were closed to the public so we minimized infection risks. Most importantly we got to fill up our hearts as a family which allowed us the strength to keep fighting.
HopeKids is a phenomenal organization that has been such a blessing in the community. It's hard to argue with a group that just wants to come alongside families and help in their time of need. The HopeKids staff has been amazing to work with, and they all embody what it means to do life with others. I can't recommend this organization enough.
Hope Kids has been a great help to the whole family! the love and dedication for all our children with special needs is incredible!
When I first heard of HopeKids I thought it was lovely that they offered support to families of kids with life threatening illnesses and vaguely thought that must be tough being one of those families.
And then, suddenly, we became one of those families when my son was diagnosed with a rare leukemia.
The HopeKids community became a lifesaver when life felt so overwhelming. An event with other families like ours felt so life giving when we didn't have to explain what we were going through, they got it.
The events we were invited to gave my husband and I date nights to connect in the midst of chaos, a chance to spend special time with our older son, and time to take our mind off of endless doctors visits and procedures. The staff knows our family and hundreds of others by name and we are so thankful to belong to such a special family.
Our son was diagnosed with an incurable disease when he was 10 months old. We didn't know how long we had with him - so we made a bucket list of all of the things we wanted him to experience in his short life. HopeKids helped us accomplish so many of the items on his list at no charge to our family. Not only did they provide provide the opportunity to our son but also to our entire family. Those experiences were priceless to us and wonderful memories. HopeKids offers free experiences/events to families that have children with life threatening illnesses. Taking away the financial burden and offering moments of fun through such a challenging time, offers hope, healing and helps families make memories together. We are so grateful to have found HopeKids and we appreciate all that they continue to do in our community.
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HopeKids provided us with the most amazing experiences and memories as a family. Our son was diagnosed with a rare and terminal illness called Krabbe leukodystrophy. He was diagnosed at 10 months old with a life expectancy of about 2. We immediately decided to live life to the fullest and created a "bucket list" for him. We looked up other non-profits who could help toward our effort but our son was too young to qualify. That's when we found HopeKids. They not only provided amazing experiences for our son, Max, but also for our whole family. We were not just another family or another name, we were part of their family. We got to go to an NFL game, NHL game, NBA game, a train ride to the north pole, visit the real bat cave and have our son and daughter play in a real baseball game (even with his severe limitations). They always accommodated his needs and even visited us while in the hospital with him. I can't say enough about them. They offered us so many wonderful memories as a family. Our son passed away earlier this year and they have continued to support our family and check in on us. They are truly an incredible organization who help families experience some normalcy and allow them to not worry about organizing or covering the cost of an event (since a lot are already tight on money with the medical burdens). Thank you Hope Kids for continuing to serve our community and the families who need that extra amount of fun in their lives.
Hopekids is such a great nonprofit organization. They give hope to children who are chronically ill to give them something to look forward too. Their events are for the whole family. Because of my son's illness it was putting a divide in our family and their events have helped put our family back together by spending quality time together.
My daughter was born with a terminal disease. She passed away two years ago. Without HopeKids, my medically fragile child would have never experienced all the great things she did. They still continue to offer support as a bereaved mom.
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My daughter was diagnosed with a rare terminal disease. HopeKids came along side us over a decade ago and gave me the opportunity to give my child experiences that she would normally not have. Their involvement doesn't stop there. My daughter died almost two years ago. HopeKids continues to be there for me. Sending cards of encouragement after my daughter died. Providing events for bereaved parents. They are truly the best!
This organization is wonderful! It offers great events to families that have a child with a life threatening disease. Our family is very lucky to have access to an organization like HopeKids.
Our son is a Hopekid!!!! This organization does exactly what it intends to do brings hope, families together, a sense of belonging to something that is greater than you can even imagine. We get to remove ourselves from our son's condition even if it is only for an hour and just enjoy being a family and making memories that we would not otherwise be able to afford. We belong to a community, to an extended family, who truly gets what we are going through.
HopeKids has helped us be able to do fun activities in a safe environment. All of the volunteers and employees are amazing and so nice. They really makes us feel specially every event. We were proud raise funds for HopeKids and received an over whelming amount of support by our neighborhood.
Hopekids breathes life back into our family. They create connections to other families whose children have life-threatening diagnoses. During non -Covid times they had events all the time in person. Once the pandemic hit, they created virtual events which have almost created a more intimate environment to create relationships. I truly believe Hopekids has saved my family in more ways than one
Hopekids was amazing for me and my son! We never had anything to do and I had a friend tell me about this organization and it changed our lives! So many special memories before my son passed. I will always have a special place in my heart for hopekids!
We love HopeKids! They have done so much to help our family have the “normal” experiences we always dreamed of giving our kids!
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We love HopeKids. We are a family of 5 with two typically-developing kids (ages 8 and 7) and a 4 year old with severe disabilities. After our youngest became disabled we stopped going out as a family. It was too hard to do normal things. Hope Kids changed that! We can get out and have fun as a family with other families who “get it!” They understand we might not last through the whole event, might need help due to mobility issues, might take FOREVER to get out of the house! The support system is amazing and has been life changing for our family!
Hope Kids is an amazing organization! Our son has cystic fibrosis, and with the high cost of medicine, treatments, hospitalizations, and surgeries there are little funds left for fun outings. Hope Kids gives us the opportunity to go do things together as a family, spend precious time doing something fun, and “forget” about the stress of illness for a moment.
We love HopeKids! Living with a chronic illness isn't easy for anyone in the family. HopeKids helps families enjoy fun activities all year long. We have been blessed over and over again through this organization!
Hopekids had made it possible for our family to enjoy time with each other doing AWESOME things. This organization is such a blessing for us.
We have been a part of HopeKids for about 3 1/2 years. My youngest son, Joshua, is our HopeKid. He is 9 years old and has a complex neurologic disorder that is life threatening and encompasses respiratory and cardiac complications, epilepsy, severe gastric issues, cognitive delay and paralysis. HopeKids have given our family more than I could put into words. It has given our family the opportunity to just be a family again. To step away from the medical world, the fears and the struggles and just laugh and make unforgettable memories.
We have 4 special needs kiddos and manage over 20 therapy sessions a week not including doctor appointments and hospital stays. HopeKids always has amazing events to keep our kids looking into the horizon!!! Whenever we struggle with an appointment I remind the kids to remember a fun event we are going to the following weekend. We have gone to great concerts, virtual events and have meet a group of wonderful staff in North Texas HopeKids that cheer us on everyday!!!
We have been part of Hopekids KC for 3 years. We have been able to attend events like Royals baseball and Maverick's hockey games. Every year they have events for back to school, Halloween, Christmas and Valentine's Day. My daughter loves to do crafts. Our son is a 2 time brain cancer survivor and he loves to get out and try new things. We have made some great memories and had some new experiences that we would not have had without Hopekids KC. It's an awesome group where all kids are expected.
Hope kids had provided us with a trip and many family fun activities my family is blessed to be part of hopekids
Hope Kids has been amazing for our family.
We have a terminally ill young child and if it wasn't for Hope Kids we would not have been able to give our little one the experiences she has had. She also has a younger brother who has had the opportunity to create wonderful memories with his sister at these events. We have been blessed to be able to include him since he too needs a break from constantly feeling the effects of having a sick sibling. The staff have always made us feel like family!
I am amazed at how organized and well run the program is as well. Overall we are beyond thankful for being a part of Hope Kids. They have given us the opportunity to make memories that we will cherish for a lifetime :)
HopeKids has given my family some of its fondest and sweetest memories. We've laughed during games of pickleball at Chicken & Pickle, cheered on our favorite (Sporting KC) soccer team, enjoyed delicious food as a family at Chuy's and road the local miniature train. And that's not all the HopeKids staff is there for. They're a shoulder to cry on, a phone call away for any of your worries and a friendly smile from someone that knows just how much us parents of medically complex kiddos need it.
HopeKids has been such a great organization for my family. If I could I would give it 10 stars!! HopeKids have provided so many free events for us, and honestly some I never imagined us doing as a family. This summer one of Jonathan favorite event was water-skiing with HopeKids and RISE! Brought such a big smile on his face!! We love HopeKids!!!
I can’t say enough about this organization and all they do for families with chronically ill children. We have been gifted the opportunity to do many activities that we just couldn’t afford on our own! Not only has it been a blessing for our son who has spent countless hours in the hospital, but his siblings as well!
We have been in the HopeKids community for more than 4 years and it is truly like a family. The love and care that goes into the events and community is bar none! The entire HopeKids staff and volunteers have such servants hearts and somehow makes us “Special Needs” families feel special but also normal. We are treated with so much dignity and love, that HOPE is an inescapable by-product of all that they do. I am honored to be a part of this community.
I used to volunteer and donate to HopeKids, and then my kid became a HopeKid. They’re an incredible organization that has the whole family in mind and provides opportunities to experience fun where there are usually so many limitations.
We have enjoyed many great experiences prior to this year; miss Bridget and Lisa, and going to live events, great time for our family.
Hopekids is an amazing organization that has brought normalcy back to our family. We spent a lot of time isolated because whatever happened with my daughter Aurora in a given day could cancel all plans. At Hopekids events, EVERYONE is accepted and whether Aurora wants to talk to everyone around or sleep or throw a fit, no one bats an eye.
They are full of support and prayers and most importantly HOPE!
HopeKids helped us find safe, fun activities for ALL our kids when our son was going through his cancer treatment. It helped the boys have fun things to look forward to in between hospital stays, and we really appreciated that his brothers could attend most events, too - so they didn't feel like he was getting all the attention.
HopeKids is amazing, and we can't speak highly enough about them! Our family has been able to attend several events that we would never be able to afford, our favorites being Disney on Ice, Jurassic World Live and trick-or-treating at the Nashville Sounds suites! We've been able to take a few reprieves from our not-so-fun reality, focus on fun as a family, and make some wonderful memories! Additionally, HopeKids has gone above and beyond to create fun virtual events and movie nights for all ages during the COVID-19 pandemic! We are so grateful to be part of HopeKids, and we can't wait to experience more with them!
Hope Kids provides our family with some much needed fun and with a community of families who are similar to ours. We are forever grateful for the gift that is Hope Kids!
HopeKids is an unbelievable organization who always puts families first. They don’t require anything from us (either in monetary or time commitment.) all they ask of you is that if you commit to doing an event, you show up. They amaze us time and time again with new events and continue to reach out and grow. They put us in touch with people who understand our lives, those families who don’t get to have typical experiences. Even through this crazy time of widespread quarantine (though many of us live a similar life for months or years because of health issues) they found new ways to lift spirits and keep us together, even though we are far apart. We have been able to participate in events with families from Texas, Colorado, Arizona and Tennessee from the comfort of our home in Minnesota.
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HopeKids gives us opportunities that we otherwise wouldn't have. They connect us with others in our shoes. They give my kids something to look forward to in the darkest of times.
Pictures and words don't do this program any justice. You really must experience it to understand what it's about.
We just moved to the big city to be near our daughter's specialists & we were referred to Hope Kids by one of our daughter's PICU nurses. We have only been here 3 weeks but we've already been able to attend a WNBA game and have family portraits taken. Without Hope Kids we wouldn't have been able to afford these extra items. We are very grateful for the Hope Kids team and for the Phoenix Mercury and the photographers that donated their time. Hope Kids allows us to bring fun events into our family's life to help relieve stress.
My Hopekids is the heart of our family, but it’s easy to overlook the other children in the home when all of the attention and time is given to the child with disabilities, being introduced to Hopekids for us, has brought such Joy to the other siblings and of course to myself we get to have these wonderful Family experiences that we would never be exposed to wether it’s financially or just not knowing the venues around us. Hopekids has the most gracious Director and Managers and my kids have enjoyed The Ballet, Baseball games, Sea Life Aquarium & Lego Land, Camping, plays, Christmas Parties, Concerts, Movies-And so many many more activities and my two daughters and my son look forward to seeing other families at these events, seeing that we are not alone, in our struggles and so grateful to be a part of Hopekids and grateful for the Donors that contribute to make my children feel wonderful and happy bringing joy to their souls. We have so many awesome experiences and it’s important to my older daughters whom take great care in taking care of their little brother to so be able to share these happy times with My son Robert - giving Hope and happiness is Hopekids!
This charity has been amazing for my daughter. It’s very hard when your child doesn’t have normal kid days. They wonder why they are on machines and have to take meds with every meal etc. This organization gives them a chance to do activities and make them feel special . Thank you for all you do!!
My family has been able to have so much fun because of HopeKids! We have access to a calendar full of options to add fun and hope to our own calendar at home!
Hopekids has really helped our girls come out of their shells. We love that Events where our girls are given the opportunity to do things that typical children can do but in a safe and nurturing environment! It gives my daughters hope that one day they will be accepted by everyone.
Hopekids has opened up a whole new world for our family. Allowing us to do fun family events that include families that get us. We don’t have to explain medical stuff or feel bad for certain things everyone just gets everyone. The opportunity to do things we wouldn’t be able to afford as well as seeing a better Minnesota. The staff is so kind and attentive and thoughtful. We are beyond blessed to be a part of this great organization.
we are so blessed to be apart of Hopekids. we have been with hopekids for 7 years! we've met so many families and friends. I love the events because we all get it. The events we get to go to we feel so blessed and honored as we wouldn't be able to do them it gets us out as a family. we love relentless thats one of our favorite events and hope kids festival. I love seeing the excitement on my kids faces when we are at an event.
thanks for all you do we are so blessed to be with this group its our 2nd family who understands everything everyone is so nice and caring
Michael,Amy, Lydia and Kaleb Lockman
Luke LOVES HopeKids! They are so supportive & kind! The events make him feel included & happy! Thanks to HopeKids Luke & our family get to enjoy outings that we may not be able to do otherwise. I also love the prayers that they provide for the kids. The hospital visits are also great!
I am a single mom with 5 kids and we love all the events HopeKids gives our family. It allows me to thinhs with all of them and individually based on their interests. My kids all look forward to these events and are always asking me when the next one is.
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Hopekids sets up fun experiences for families at no cost which is amazing. More importantly then that they bring together a group of people that don't stare at my son and point fingers they just except him.
Good afternoon my Hope Kid is Seth. He was diagnosed with an inoperable Astrocytoma brain tumor in the 3rd ventricle on Oct 31. 2016. We were introduced to Hope Kids in the summer of 2017. Hope Kids events bring memories that I'm able to make with him when he is able to attend. We have never had a bad experience while attending an event hosted by Hope Kids,their staff is top notch and ready and willing to help at the dtop of a dime.
So if you're looking to contribute to a nonprofit organization look no further Hope Kids does so much for so many.
I hope that one day I can give back to this great organization.
Manny Espinoza
Hopekids is a life changer for our family! We absolutely LOVE Hopekids! Having special needs children is a challenge. However, getting family relief and doing family fun activities together, in an environment that others understand your struggles, is amazing. We feel spoiled by Hopekids and their donors.
We just joined recently. We gone to 2 events and it is so nice to able to do fun things with my family that normally we wouldn't be able to. It's also nice to meet other families that understand what it's like to have a child go through the things my son has.
HopeKids Kansas City has an amazing mission to bring hope to the WHOLE family that has a child suffering from a life-threatening disease. HopeKids Kansas City does this with exciting, meaningful and tailored events year-round that may be attended by the families at no cost to them, and are brought to them through a team of generous volunteers and a local two-member leadership team. HopeKids Kansas City works nonstop to make excellent connections and discover opportunities for our HopeKids and their families to create wonderful memories together, find community and develop relationships with other families whose children have similar illnesses.
Hope kids is amazing! Our family is so thankful for the opportunity's hopekids had given us! Due to medical bills we would never be able to do family events that hopekids have provided! We are so grateful and thankful for hopekids
Hope kids has made it so that my kids still get the fun experiences that we would never be able to afford otherwise. We are so thankful for the Kerrie and Whitney and the other volunteers!
Hipekids is so awesome! They offer so many different opportunities to go to really fun events. Our family doesn't get out much and it is difficult to find room for my son's huge stroller. But through Hopekids we were able to go to a NHL hockey game and be in a suite that allowed enough room for our family. It was so great to do something fun together!! They offer opportunities to go to concerts, sporting events, movies and all kinds of different things. They also help with gift cards at Christmas time. They are so amazing!
Having a child diagnosed with a scary life threatening illness is horrible. You feel alone and lost in a sea of what ifs. Hopekids is a shining guiding light in that sea. They provide fantastic outings and events to take your mind off of the medical craziness that becomes your life but it's so much more than that. Its other parents you relate to, its other kids like your child in some small way, and its support on your darkest days. Hopekids gives us a safe spot to find our feet and gives us much needed things to look forward to between doctors and clinics and meds schedules. It is a little bit of hope when you need it most and memories to last a lifetime when a lifetime isn't guaranteed.
The HopeKids Kansas City Chapter is amazing. The presence that they have made in their first year, serving Hope kids and their families is incredible. The company that I work for has hosted a few events, where Hope Kids and their families have come into our office and I can't say enough about the impact that these events have had on me. Seeing a child's eyes light up with excitement, especially when they are dealing with a difficult medical journey is something you never forget. I love that siblings are always a part of the events, too, because including them is so important! I have also had the pleasure of volunteering at a few events, which are always a blast. I look forward to continuing to be involved with this organization!
HopeKids is a phenomenal organization that takes families that haven't had an easy path and shows them they are loved and that it is okay to have a lot of fun. The Kansas City Chapter of HopeKids is exceptional in its organization and breadth of opportunities. Kerrie and Whitney, the small, but mighty staff, are incredible at bringing smiles to the faces of all our member families.
HopeKids KC has been a beacon of light during dark times for my family. Over the last year my daughter has battled relapsed leukemia. Though it was many years ago, we have been here before and knew how difficult the journey would be. It's hard to explain all of the ways that HopeKids has helped ease our journey, but here are just a few.
When our daughter has felt sick, HopeKids events have given her something to look forward to. No doubt some days she would have spent in bed if it were not for a HopeKids event that evening.
Marriage is tough in any circumstance, but even more so under the stress of having a sick child. HopeKids gave my husband and I many date nights. No planning ahead, no money spent, just one on one time doing something fun. Definitely helped strengthen our marriage.
We have a younger son. A sibling of a sick kid has to endure a lot, but they rarely get the sympathy or attention. HopeKids has been a major blessing for him and has allowed us to do special activities, just for hi.
This is an amazing organization. I have had the pleasure of attending many of the experiences that Kansas City Chapter has put on over the past 1.5 years. The experiences Hopekids provides to these families is remarkable. Every event I have attended I get to see the joy on all the kids faces because of the fun they are having and the smiles from the families because they are able to enjoy a time with family that otherwise would not be possible without Hopekids. They really do change lives.
HopeKids has allowed our family of 6 to attend numerous events within the community at no expanse to our family. The financial burden that comes with having two HopeKids while trying to do fun activities (movies, bowling, the zoo, sporting events, concerts, etc) as a family is often too much for us. HopeKids allows us to do family centered activities that create memories without causing any financial stress for my husband and I. Most of our four children’s best childhood memories are because of HopeKids.
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HopeKids is a true blessing! They've allowed our family to do things that we could never financially afford to do because of two children with severe/life-threatening medical conditions. The staff is amazing; the love, support, kindness, and constant prayers remind us that we are not alone in our daily struggles.
A hopekids north Texas event was one of the first we attended after my son was diagnosed with cancer. 3 years later we are still in treatment and doing well. We are still attending events but also volunteer for events as well as have become a monthly donor.
We are rather new to HopeKids. This evening, we attended our very first Hopekids event - the Marvel Universe Live show at the Pepsi Center! My 5 year old cancer kid jumped, shouted and sprayed imaginary webs as Spiderman. He had the best time and so did we!
This 2.5 evening of fun and excitement was such a welcome reprieve from the drudgery of cancer treatment. Thank you so much, HopeKids!
Hope Kids is such a wonderful organization. They bring such fun events for our kids going through hospital stays, medical visits, and dealing with major medical health issues. My daughter wouldn't be able to attend the plays or concerts, or movies, with me being a single divorced parent and major bills. And the joy she gets from events, is worth so much to both of us, for giving her time to just enjoy being a kid. Hope Kids Staff also comes to see our kids in the hospital and brings a little gift, which is always appreciated. Another great thing is getting to make friendships with other medically complex kids, families. We have made some wonderful friendships and have become like a family with a few of the families.
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My daughter is a Hope Kid. I am a single parent, and on disability myself. Hope Kids has provided my daughter the opportunity to see plays, movies, concerts, as well as many other opportunities. We would never be able to do any of these things between our low income and all of the medical stuff we have going on. She sees so many specialists, and she has such bad daily pain, that these events give her something to look forward to doing that is fun. Hope Kids also gives her the opportunity to be with other children who are also dealing with complex medical issues, and there is an understanding of what this type of life consists of daily. One of the greatest Hope Kids events was having Hope Kid families come and see her perform in the musical, Big Fish, at MCC. Her hopes and dreams are to make it on stage on Broadway. We love our Hope Kid family, and the support that they provide our family, and the other wonderful Hope Kid families.
I've been fortunate enough to volunteer with HopeKids in not one, but two of their chapters. The work they do for these families is truly outstanding. I work in the medical field and see what these kids endure through their treatment, HopeKids is such a bright spot during the tough days. I love HopeKids and feel blessed to volunteer for such a special organization. Keep up the great work!
HopeKids has helped our family be "normal" when our day to day was anything but. They gave given our children a chance to remember how to be children when cancer wanted to take over everything. I have never felt love for complete strangers the way I felt love from Lisa and Howie the first time I met them and every time since!! HopeKids gave our family hope in a time when despair could have easily take over!
HopeKids provides, families going through medical battles, fun outings with children and families who understand. HopeKids provides love and hope!
Hope Kids provides fun, free events for kids with life threatening illness that are a much needed break from the daily grind of hospitals, appointments, therapies, and medications. We have enjoyed fun events such as a movie premier, a monster truck show, carnivals and we are seeing a marvel super heros show next week. Our family calendar is full of fun because of Hope Kids.
We have been so blessed to have the opportunity to get out and enjoy family events with other family's who can relate to what we are going through. This organization is a true Godsend.
My son, Santiago is a Hopekid in the North Texas chapter. This organization is amazing and go above and beyond for the families. Making activities possible. So grateful for the organization and the team members that always keep us updated!!!
We are extremely blessed to be apart of this amazing organization. With all the mounting medical bills its really hard to get out to do anything with a family of 7. Not only does our hope child get to do these things, but our whole family is able to do things together. Its priceless
MY SON IS BATTLING BRAIN CANCER AND THE EVENTS THAT HOPE KIDS PUTS ON ALWAYS PUTS A SMILE ON HIS FACE. ITS A TIME WHEN HE CAN GET AWAY FROM THE DOCTORS, DRUGS, AND THE HOSPITAL AND JUST BE A KID FOR A COUPLE HOURS
We love HopeKids, they help my kids have fun. When you live with a medical condition in the family, you get financially burdened. HopeKids allows my family attend events that they normally would get to attend.
Hopekids is amazing! Make our family feel included and love being able to do things with our kids we wouldn't be able to do on our own.
HopeKids has been a tremendous blessing to our family during our cancer journey. Where would we be without their faithful love and support? We LOVE HopeKids!
I couldn't begin to tell you the positive impact Hope Kids has had on our family. They have provided experiences for us in a setting where our child is universally loved and accepted. Many of these activities are things we couldn't afford to do, or wouldn't do because we are caught up in the day-to-day routines of taking care of our child. Hope Kids is the star on our calendar, something to look forward to even during our hardest days. And they are a star in our hearts, a reminder that there are people out there who look past the blood checks and the tubing and love our family unconditionally.
HopeKids is a huge blessing for our family. We live in Tucson, but most of our son's doctors are in Phoenix and the Valley. For us to be able to be a part of HopeKids is such a blessing because it makes us have a place to fit in, a group of people who instantly are kind and welcoming to us. We are on a fixed income and often couldn't afford to attend the activities that they offer tickets to and it's just a blessing all the way around. It offers compassion, and friendship, and a break. That is priceless! Highly recommend HopeKids and hope more places will connect with them to help them continue to offer fun activities and support.
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HopeKids does just what it's precious name sounds like it would do. Gives hope to kids...a smile, a activity...being able to be a part of something when often that would be the very kind of thing a family would love to be able to do, or attend but couldn't afford or didn't feel their child would be accepted.
We live in Tucson, AZ and majority of the HopeKids activities are currently in Phoenix. Many of our son's doctors and care team are in Phoenix so as often as we are able Nathan loves to get to do a special activity. Unfortunately it's not as often as we'd like, but we are hoping that will be able to change soon.
This past spring he was able to go to a real Golf Camp there in the Valley and had a ball. They not only support families by having a safe and encouraging place where they can connect and become friends with other medically fragile children but what they offer goes beyond a ticket to a basketball game, or movie show... They pray. They truly do and they let you know that no matter where you are in your families journey with whatever your child's diagnosis is, that you are truly not alone. That there are other's who care and come along side you, even if at a distance. Hope Kids is a blessing not only for the children, but for the entire family. I am hoping that they will be able to receive even more funding at some point and hopefully have a chapter for Southern AZ someday. For now, just as it is~we are feeling very blessed to be a part of it.
Hopekids has helped our son with special needs and our family be able to enjoy fun and friendly things that make special memorize for us!
Hopekids is truly an organization that helps BOTH the children and the families. Hopekids allowed us to take our son to see Mickey Mouse (his favorite) for the first time ever at Disney on Ice. Something so small to some, mean't the world to us. Thank you Hopekids!
My 5 1/2 year old son has a severe traumatic brain injury which has resulted in intractable epilepsy, cerebral palsy, CVI, and hydrocephalus. Money has been tight from medical expenses so we can't always afford to go have fun and have quality family time. HopeKids has given us a way to have fun as a family and cherish every moment. ❤️ We're so thankful.
Hopekids is so amazing. And has helped our family in a way that i cant even explain. After spending months and months in thr hospital. They gave my family a outlet to have fun with people who get it.
Amazing organization that makes accessing the community possible for all my children, including one who has a terminal illness. So many great experiences through them!!!
As a former HOPEKID'S mom, I was privileged to have the love and support of the HopeKids organization.
A life threatening diagnoses and or health crises effects the entire family.
Hopekid's gives encouragment and offers events for the entire family.
Our family knows what it's like to need hope.
Hopekid's offered our family the much needed love and support when we needed it the most.
In 2009 my youngest daughter Briannah's life was cut short due to an inoperable brain tumor. It was during this time that the events on the Hope Calendar became a great blessing to us.
Saturday mornings where our favorite. Going to see a movie with the HopeKids Families. Meeting new families who could relate and making connections that made all the difference in the world.
My heart is forever grateful.
Sincerely,
Tammy Warren
HopeKids are wonderful and allow our family to get out and have fun together doing things we would never get to do otherwise.
Hopekids is amazing. They totally understand how difficult it is to do things when you have a child with life threatening illnesses. The opportunities they provide are an amazing blessing to our family. We have been able to go to the movies when we wouldn't normally because our son was immuno compromised. And opportunities that we wouldn't otherwise be able to afford due to medical bills, like hockey games and baseball games. Hopekids is the best!!
We love Hopekids. They have been amazing for our family. We moved from Ohio right before our daughter was diagnosed and if it was not for HopeKids we would have no support. Also we are a big family and HopeKids allows us to do things we would not typically be able to do. We can't go to the movies unless with HopeKids because of our special needs child. It is nice for our other kids to still be able to have those joys that they wouldn't be able to without HopeKids
All of our friends are from HopeKids
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Hopekids is such an amazing organization. We signed up soon after moving to Arizona and have connected to some wonderful families through this organization. We are a family of 6 on a one parent income and probably couldn't afford to attend some places if we had to pay. They provide us with new and exciting events to attend around other families like ours where our daughter does not have to feel singled out as the only kid in a wheelchair. The whole family enjoys the events and ever day when we come home dad and I say " it's amazing that they did this for our family". We absolutely love HopeKids. --- The Wright/King family
We moved to AZ from NY almost 2 years ago. We didn't know anyone. Our son has kidney disease and autism. HopeKids has become like our family. They have kept us busy with activities to look forward to. If it wasn't for HopeKids, we would feel very lonely here. HopeKids has visited us in the hospital, prayed with us, encouraged us. We feel SO blessed to be a part of the HopeKids family!!!
We love hopekids ! They have done so much for our family ! With hope kids we have got to do activities that would have never been possible financially or medically! Thank you so much for the fun family times you have made possible!
We rarely have the chance to afford doing things as a family because we pay so much out of pocket for things and activities insurance doesn't cover and 'extras' our child needs. HopeKids has given us the opportunity to take breaks from the stress of life and appointments to just spend time together and not worry about cost for one day, one hour at a time. They have a wonderful selection of events to choose from and try very hard to make it fair so more families can do these events that don't normally get to go. We love them!
My 3 year old neice was diagnosed with leukaemia ,ALL, in February 2017. Since then she has lost all of her hair and has to wear a mask when she goes out. The event offered by hopekids allows her to go places where she is no longer the outsider! When she sees other kids like her she always has a smile from ear to ear, it makes me so happy to see just how happy she is!
We love Hope Kids. The organization is based on Christian values and offers support to families who have children living with chronic or life threatening illnesses. The people who work for Hope Kids are honest, dedicated and caring. This group goes above and beyond to lift up our family
HopeKids is a tremendous blessing to my family. The events we attend are top notch and some even make our HopeKid feel like a super star! Thank you!!
We love Hopekids they have so many great fun events and so many types of eventa that everyone can find something to enjoy
My daughter has a disability and life threatening condition. My husband works 2 jobs just to pay the bills. Without HopeKids we would not be able to have time together as a family.
Amazing organization giving kiddos and their families hope. Wonderful activities that let the kiddos know there are no boundries as to what they can achieve.
A place to connect with other families that have been blessed with medically fragile children. A safe place knowing if you need a shoulder to cry on, there is a line of people waiting to wipe your tears or cry right along side you.
Without HopeKids there wouldn't be such great opportunities for family's like mine. ❤
My daughter was diagnosed with leukemia and we were introduced to hope kids they brought smiles to our daughter and came to visit her at the hospital and they were always very inviting when we were able to go to the events and we enjoyed the fun times we got to have from movies and laser tag and hockey games it was amazing
Hope kids has been a wonderful organization providing fun and exciting opportunities for our child to look forward to during a stressful and medically complex time.
This is one amazing group. My 4 year old daughter who has cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and hypotonia is a hope kid. They do amazing fun things with our kids that they may not otherwise get a chance to do. Thank you hopekids for always being there for us.
HopeKids has always provided our family with numerous outlets to forget what's going on medically and instead focus on family time fun and making memories. Their staff is so humble and so dedicated and hard-working and it's amazing to see how they can stretch a little and turn it into something big and amazing. We are forever thankful to HopeKids. They have for sure changed our life.
My daughter was diagnosed with a CHD at 18 months. She immediately had her first of three open heart surgeries. One at 18 months, 3 years of age and age 6. She is now 14 and twice a year is still being monitored to determine when her next surgery will be to replace her mitral valve. Being able to experience fun times with HopeKids during the many events that are sponsored by numerous HopeKids supporters helps keep our mind off of what is still yet to come. We've attended FC Dallas Soccer games, Waterparks, Rollerskating, Circus, Disney on Ice, Trampoline Parks, TopGolf, Horseback riding, Concerts, Taste of Dallas and even had family pictures taken by a professional photographer. We have made many friends within HopKids and the fact of knowing that we're not alone during our medical journey helps create a bond that we will always keep close to our heart. Erica (pictured in blue) appreciates all that HopeKids have done for her and our family.
HopeKids has brought so much love and fun to our little family. It is so nice to have something fun to do in times of struggle. We love HopeKids!!!
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HopeKids has been a part of our lives since 2011. It has brought so much joy to our family when we never thought joy was able to be had. It has an amazing group of families and it has changed my life for the better!!
Our son is one in a million... to us especially. But when he is around the others in Hope Kids all of his medical issues seem so "normal". We love being a part of Hope kids and all of the fun they bring to our lives. I'm not sure we would be able to afford to take our children to special events such as the ones they put on due to having so many medical bills that come first. Our hope kid is only a year old, but I look forward to him growing up with so many friends just like him! Thank you Hope Kids for brightening our lives and mostly for introducing us to so many who have the same "normal" as us!
We became a HopeFamily soon after our daughter was diagnosed with cancer a couple years ago. We have enjoyed so many HopeKids events. We've attended events with the whole family, with just our HopeSibling, date nights for us parents, and even had visits from HopeKids crew while in the hospital. We've also made great friends along the way. We love HopeKids and are grateful for this incredible source of Hope for us and families like ours.
Hopekids has given us something to look forward to in an otherwise very challenging situation. We are so grateful for the kindness, care, and positivity they've extended to our special needs son and our entire family!
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Hopekids is an amazing nonprofit organization.Always has awesome events for children with life threatening illnesses,Gives them Hope!
They are amazing to families that are going through alot and theylet kids experience things parents usually can't afford.
Hopekids has allowed my family the opportunity to meet other families who have children that have the same chronic illnesses. We get to meet and enjoy fun family activities right here in our community. My family looks forward to seeing what new activities are available each month for us to enjoy free of charge.
We have been with hopekids for awhile now. My daughter was around 5 when it started up in our area. It is an amazing organization. It gives children fun things to do or go see, from movies, sporting events, concerts, plays, zoos, or things they can participate in. It gives them Hope for a better day. It lets them forget about what is going on with them medically and just be a kid and have fun. We will continue to support HopeKids even when our Hopekid is no longer a kid.
My son has an extremely rare genetic disorder that limits his time with us. Because of HopeKids, I get to enjoy new events with him without worrying about the financial burden of it(:
Hope Kids was the saving grace our family needed in the darkest of times. Our 4 year old had just undergone a brain resection when shortly after we found out my husband was being relocated for work. We were new to Arizona and needed help setting up all the doctors. Not only were we able to get recommendations but we also met people willing to talk and share their stories with us. Most of all, we met friends. We are forever grateful!
We have been.blessed by the events and opportunity this organization has given our family and our daughter. This faith based organization is fantastic.
We found Hopekids about 3 years ago. Hopekids has been an amazing thing for our family! We all love every single event that we have been fortunate enough to attend! The staff of Hopekids is equally as amazing. It gives us unique and amazing lifetime experiences to enjoy as a family. So thankful for all involved with Hopekids!
HopeKids is AMAZING! While going to fun-filled, inclusive events in the community is great, what truly sets HopeKids apart is the people. The directors are supportive and truly care for our children and are a part of our family. The friends we have made through HopeKids are perhaps the greatest gift of all; we have friends who "get it." While our children may have different diagnoses, we all have one thing in common: HOPE.
My son has multiple diagnoses of intractable epilepsy, Intellectual Disability, and autism. HopeKids is understanding of his unique needs and are understanding that he may react differently to things. It is always an environment of love, acceptance, and most of all...hope for our children. We are incredibly lucky and blessed to be a HopeFamily.
I just joined Hope Kids recently moved to Arizona from Indiana. I was amazed at their quick response and what they have to offer. My daughter as well as her siblings have greatly enjoyed the events that were made possible by Hope and Sponsors!!! I think that this is an awesome program that helps family to remember to have fun and live a little bit!
We are so very grateful to part of a great organization
Awesome group of people! They provide so much Hope for families.
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We are a family of 6 so when we want to go to the movies or simply take the kids somewhere fun it can be pricey. Not to mention when your money is going towards medicine for your sick kiddo. Or hospital bills. Hopekids provides all kinds of events for families with kids fighting horrible life threatening diseases. Its one less thing us a parents have to worry about providing for our other kids. My daughter was diagnosed at the age of 9 and she is now 15. I'v meet some wonderful people and other families who are fighting the same fight. Hopekids is truly a blessing.
My 6 yr old has a life threatening illness andd assdpends much of his time in the hospital. Hopekids has been an smazing support system for us. When we are home we have super fun activities for the whole family that we could never afford to do. In patient he gets visits and gifts.
As a mom I meet other patents and have formed as eonderful support system.
I call them our Hopekids family and that's trulh what we gained....family....
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My son age 5 has a Mitochonfrial Disease Depletion Syndrome. This is a progressive terminal illness and he spends much of his life in the hospital or at doctors and therapy appointments. Before Hopekids his siblings felt that there was nothing good for them in life. They just got shuffeled from friend or family member during hospital stays and drug arrund to appointmemts doing school work in between.
Because of out of pocket medical costs and gas to get to appts I never have any money left even to take the kids to a movie.
A friend told me about Hopekids so I applied and a whole new world opened up for us. All of a sudden I had places I could take my son in his wheelchair where no one looked at him funny. I could reward the other two for their help and patience with games, concerts and events things I never dreamed we could do. On top of all that they visit us in the hospital and give that desperately needed hug. They send out encouragments and reminders to keep up the faith, they pray for us faithfully.
And one of the best things, they introduced me to lasting friendships with families facing both the same and different medical battles. I might never of met any of these people other than to give a nod of support in waiting rooms. Now I have people I can call and cry with one's who understand the struggle as no one else can.
Hopekids has not only brought our family hope but a lifeline to sanity. They are amazing and I cannot imagine fighting the Mito battle without them.
The very best thing I have gotten from Hopekids is a new set of friends that are basically like family. We try to get together at some of the larger events and just see our kids blossom in friendship. For some kids this is a chance to just be themselves and not worry about what a person things of them. For the parents you just get it when someone says they are exhausted and maybe tired of taking care of their child. They are not being mean they are just saying it would be nice to be normal for a day. And being at these events allows us to be normal for a day without another added worry of expense or how is someone going to react to my child.
My family and I are new to Hope Kids as of September 2016. On July 10, 2016 our 4 year old son Michael was diagnosed with leukemia. The worst day of our lives. I had heard about Hope Kids in the hospital but like everything else, it was just a blur. Once we were home and settled I started doing more research and reached out to Kimberly and realized I had never even registered our family. I'm so happy we did! We attended our first event last week and had a great time. Our family of 5 seemed to be getting back to normal. Thank you Hope Kids and sponsors for all that you do!!!!!! You have made this difficult time a little easier for all of us.
Thank you!
Kim, Scott, Jake, Kyle and Michael Quigley
My son Blaine is a proud HopeKid! He has epilepsy, CP and Alternating Hemipligia of Childhood. He has had over 20 hospitalizations and countless outpatient procedures. HopeKids offers him a safe and fun place to experience childhood with kids who understand him. Best of all, they don't exclude siblings! HopeKids becomes a HopeFAMILY. We go out almost weekly! We are so blessed to be a part of this amazing organization.
Hope Kids has been lifechanging for us. I am a single stay at home parent to my medically complex child. We have been a part of it for almost four years and the support, the love, the families who truly get it (unfortunately but true), the events, the moments to try to forget about medical and just enjoy family time at places never would be possible otherwise. It is just spectacular and doesn't fix things but provides hope and love. Relentless which goes along with it also has been so amazing to see how much of an impact those power lifters and hope kids staff has on my child. it's truly breathtaking to see him smile so deep inside:)
Hope Kids has been amazing. Since my son was diagnosed with leukemia shortly after we moved to Minnesota, I never really got a chance to make friends. This is my only social outlet. It allows me to do memorable things as a family that we would not be able to do. It is amazing to see so much support from strangers. We are beyond blessed to
have Hope Kids in our life. Word could not even express my gratitude. Thank you.
Hope Kids has changed our lives! They have given us so many opportunities to just be a normal & happy family. They give us a safe, judgment free, happy environment to enjoy the many events & adventures. HopeKids is always there for us, whether it be a smile, a hug, supportive words, or prayers. HopeKids is an amazing organization that brings families together and provides us all with Hope and the ability for feeling "normal" and happy- even if it's just for a few hours or a day. It's still a positive change of pace!
HopeKids is a non-profit organization that opened up a fourth chapter in Colorado in February of this year. HopeKids offers ongoing event opportunities, that are free of charge, for families like ours with a child that is facing a life-threatening medical condition. Their main mission is hope. To give us hope that things will be easier or better tomorrow. Hope that we won't forget the true heart of our family and get lost in days of endless therapies and appointments, to give us hope that we're cared about, loved and thought of. Hope that reminds us that when we're fueled with kindness and happy times we are all stronger on the special needs journey. Although Noah has been a HopeKid for several months, we weren't able to accept an event invite until the end of July. I thought it was fitting that it was a Christian Concert event to Hillsong United with Lauren Daigle. The invite hit my inbox early on a Monday morning, typically I'd assume it was an impossibility for us to coordinate anything on short notice... Noah needing to have dinner at a certain time and getting his dad to be on time home from work. And then there are always the big things in the back of my mind. Can Noah handle it sensory wise? Will it overwhelm him? Will he have difficulties? Will he hate it? Will we have to leave early?
But there was something nudging me as if I had an angel whispering in my ear. Accept the invitation. Make it possible. Go - you need to go.
Chris felt confident he'd be off work in time and I coordinated an easy dinner that still would allow us to get there in time. Neither Noah or Luke had ever been to a concert before. I wasn't sure what either of them would think of it, but knowing that Noah has had a love for Christian music since he was born and still to this day insists that the radio be on K-Love when he's in the vehicle, I thought our chances might be pretty good that he'd at least enjoy himself a little once he figured out what it was.
We picked up our tickets that were waiting for us at will-call for club accessible seating. The view was spectacular. The music loud but with a powerful message that felt as if it sent a gentle boom through your bloodstream. Music mixed with worship and prayer. Certainly things that were said that hit a soft spot in my heart as if God was trying to speak directly to me and using this concert to do so. There are simply days when I feel abandoned by the world. Each and every single person. Putting on a brave face and going it alone with a severely disabled child and his sibling in tow. No parachute, no net to catch me if I fall, no helping hand to lift me up. Just me. Each and every day. Yet, here is this person standing in a middle of bright concert lighting reminding me God was there in the beginning, he will be there in the end, but you need to remember he is also with you now in the middle. And all the while it may feel like humanity has turned its back on our family unit because we have a child that is so different and so severely neurologically impaired - God will not. He will be faithful even when we feel He is absent. He is silently there.
That's the really beautiful mission that HopeKids has is to give families hope, love, support and encouragement. They include the entire family unit, even siblings and often extended family members to attend supporting events, movie premiers, community invitations, concerts and so much more. It also gives us a way to be with other families like ours, to embrace each other, and to celebrate joys that we otherwise wouldn't get to experience. I love that they are based in God's faith in their mission. And that they "cling to the promise that “Hope does not disappoint.” (Romans 5:5)"
I sat and watched Noah so excited and eager to express how he was feeling that his head came forward in an attempt to be engaged and try as hard as he could to activate his body to work in his favor. His arms and legs waiving simultaneously with his laughter. He was having the very best time, his little brother equally excited and in awe of the lights and music and majesty of the visual effects. We watched this beautiful horse running in a black and white print during a song. An image that felt serene, peaceful, and whole. Grace in it's rawest form. Almost as if it were a visual meditation and reflection designed to bring you back to the center of what really matters. It served as a reminder that all the noise around us is a distraction from what we should truly be focused on, the blessings that we have in each and everyday. That God grants us the gift - the biggest gift of all of waking up another day with Noah here with us. When you have a child like Noah you understand that tomorrow is never promised. And it doesn't matter if SSI or Medicaid or his CES Waiver or his DME vendor is doing their best to cause me distress. Those are all distractions from the real beauty of this journey with Noah. Noah himself. God wants me to put those things on the back burner so I don't burn out my flame, renew our family's emotional resources and grow stronger so we can go the distance together. HopeKids is helping us do just that. Serving to be the fuel we need to help us get through the next storm while giving us the rainbow to look forward to at the end.
I'm really excited about future events and hope that some will be an excellent match for Noah. He can be a bit tricky with outdoor events since he can't regulate body temperature, and has such bad sensory processing disorder that accompanies his primary diagnosis. While Noah did great at the concert he did try to gag and vomit repeatedly when he realized we had to stand in line to gain entry to the event center. We left a touch early to beat the massive crowds all exiting at the same time that we knew that Noah couldn't handle. We're hoping perhaps we'll be able to make it to a movie premiere (as Noah has never yet been to the movies yet either), or even a Rockies game as Luke is itching to see a baseball game, if we can find something that is not in the heat of the day or in direct sun. It's always exciting to receive a HopeKids email in my inbox, it's like opening up a good surprise. And the executive director and program director are so genuine and warm, their love and kindness makes you feel as if they have been in your life since the beginning of your journey. They are authentic in their mission, and are bringing hope, love and faith into the lives of so many families with their efforts.
http://noahsmiracle.blogspot.com/2016/08/hopekids-first-event-of-blessings-faith.html
HopeKids has provided my son and our family with so many wonderful experiences and friendships. We LOVE HopeKids!!
Hope kids is wonderful! After chemo and isolation after a bone marrow transplant, all a child wants is to feel normal again. With the financial strain from medical bills, hope kids makes it possible for families to feel normal again. Please consider donating to help kids like my Destiny have some fun and get a break from hospitals, needle pokes and talking about disease.
I found out about Hopekids while attending a hockey game. I saw families having a wonderful time and noticed volunteers passing out tickets and water, all while smiling and laughing. I did some online research about the organization and, two days later, sent in my volunteer application.
Being part of this nonprofit is life-changing. The work the organizers do is incredible and the kids and families benefit from those who make events happen. Those who are ill are not singled-out but instead celebrated for being there. Lisa and Bridget ensure everyone who meets the qualifications is given the opportunity to be part of Hopekids, and even some former kids (now adults) still feel attach to this "family." It's truly a blessing and I am grateful to catch a glimpse of the brilliant and compassionate work Hopekids is.
HopeKids is an awesome program. You are doing a awesome job with the families. I'm blessed to be part of a team who's heart is so BIG. I haven't done much with the foundation but when you have a need and my dates are open. I'll always be there.
God Bless each and everyone of you.
Phyllis,
Experienced Hearts
Wonderful organization. Has provided opportunities which we as a family just wouldn't be able to experience outside of HopeKids. Highly recommended for any interaction.
What an amazing organization. We have been part of Hope Kids for a little over a year and its been such a blessing in our lives. From being able to take my kids to bowling, to Arizona Science Center and the Children's museum. It has been an amazing experience for our family.
Hope Kids is an amazing group of families that understand the struggle. For us, as a family, that is priceless. The events and companionship provided by Hope Kids give us something to look forward too, and to cherish. Having a child with special needs is never easy, but HopeKids make the path easier to bear. We will be forever grateful for HopeKids
Hope kids has meant SO much to my family! The events HopeKids provides has given my family something to look forward to during hard times. Our family has been strapped financially for many years and so much of our money goes to medical bills. We had no money to do anything fun with our kids. It seemed like if we ever went out of the house, it was only for church and doctors' appointments. I always had to tell our kids no to EVERYTHING! I wanted to raise my kids with happy childhood memories but it seemed like so much of our lives was sadness. I was trying to remain positive and faithful and along came HopeKids! We now feel blessed in away that my son has a severe illness because we get to be a part of HopeKids! Our lives are now exciting and joyful! We have so much to look forward to and we are indeed blessed! We also are really uplifted by the well-timed, well-written words of encouragement, hope and focus that the Hope Minute devotionals bring us! We LOVE HopeKids!!!
My 5 yr old son was recently diagnosed with a life threatening illness. It has been an extremely difficult emotional rollacoaster. Hope kids has been an amazing support group that has given our family events to attend that allow our son to look forward to. He has many times been admitted to the hospital for weeks at s time. This organization without a doubt provides him hope to keep fighting!
HopeKids is an amazing group that has made a tremendous difference in our family. Our youngest son was born with some severe health complications and has been hospitalized on many occasions as a result. Unsurprisingly this has been difficult for him to deal with, but my wife and I noticed that it also proved to be a heavy burden on our other kids. That's where HopeKids has made such a difference.
Right after we joined HopeKids our whole family got to go see a movie, one of our children's favorite things to do, but also one of the things that we can't really afford to do on our own. Since then we've made crafts, been to parties, and seen more movies. Our boys know that this is because wonderful people are trying to do something nice for their younger brother AND them! It's turned this difficult schedule and hard to deal with problem into something that is a little easier to live with.
These days all four of our boys sometimes get out their HopeKids t-shirts and wear them because they know that when they get to wear those shirts something awesome will happen. And truth be told, I couldn't agree with them more!
We are so grateful for such a neat community of people who are so committed to serving children, and their families, who are going through such a challenging time.
HopeKids is an amazing organizations. My son had 2 heart surgeries and a trach for the first 3 years of his life. One of our first ventures away from our home was to go to a HopeKids event. You are surrounded by families who know what you are going through even they might be in a different situation. You feel the compassion and the joy of HOPE all around you. The HopeKid often has many hours a day of treatments, PT, OT etc... so to have an event sponsored by HopeKids to look forward to really makes a difference. We have met many wonderful families and Bridget & Lisa from Hopekids know each and every family. They are incredible and we cannot thank them enough for all that they do for the community. Thank You! The Mayer Family
I love that they make sure that we have things to do as a family and also things for just my spouse and I to do for a date night. I also love that they try and connect with my children and make sure that they are doing well.
Hopekids plays a big part in our family. 6 years ago my youngest daughter was diagnosed with a rare muscle disease. Being a part of Hopekids has helped her not feel alone. This organization is nothing but giving to all of its families. The amount of love and support that comes from Hopekids is beyond amazing. Our family has meet some amazing families that we have become friends with. Not only are they our friends, but they are our support also. Being able to share stories and different ideas is a blessing. I love how excited our kids get when they find out we are going to an event. The questions start coming from them is this family going to be there, or is that family going and so on. Hopekids truly gives not only our family but all our families HOPE. Without Hopekids, I truly don't know what we would have done. We are forever grateful for Hopekids.
Hope kids has done so much for my family. Through my daughters cancer diagnosis. They were their supporting us through it all. They always make us feel special. Its good to be part of a group if people who actually kjow yoyr name and everyone in your family as well as well as where u are in your treatment process. THANK YOU HOPE KIDS. MY FAMILY AND I LOVE U SO VERY MUCH
Hopekids is an outstanding nonprofit organization that allows families, like my own, the opportunity to do things that we otherwise couldn't. My husband was diagnosed back in 2008, at age 18,with Systemic lupus erythmatosus and we found Hopekids shortly after. Although he was an adult, Hopekids still allowed him the generous opportunity to become a part of this organization. We are forever thankful for this amazing opportunity. Through Hopekids, we have been able to enjoy countless fun events that help alleviate some of the stressors that are brought on by having a chronic life threatening illness. The staff of Hopekids az, particularly Bridget Asheim, has been very kind to us throughout these past few years. Recently, we have began giving back to Hopekids through the automatic giving option. Although my husband is still battling his illness and isn't able to hold down a job right now, he wants to make a point to give back to the one organization that has forever imprinted on our hearts. Thank you Hopekids for your generosity and hospitality.
Hopekids is such a blessing to my autistic son who was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disorder at the age of 4 he is 14 now and still fighting this battle I have to say hopekids has given us experiences and memories we can never forget from hospital visits to building things, movies to bull riding events disney on ice all the way to santa claus and the batmobile and the list goes on. bridget and her staff really go out of their way to make these times happy ones and just to see the kids smile and not deal with their being sick is worth more then one can say!
Hopekids is an amazing group of families, people and events! They bring hope and smiles when it seems none can be found. They know us by name, give a bug when one is needed and connect us with other families fighting similar battles.
Hope kids is a wonderful organization which is centered around giving families hope and bringing happiness. They allow families to participate in a variety of activities they might not typically be able to. The love, support and care received through hope kids is amazing and brightens the life of a chronically I'll child and their family.
While my daughter was serving time in Phoenix Children's Hospital battling leukemia, we were introduced to the organization called Hope Kids. This amazing organization has been such a blessing to my family. With all of the medical bills mounting up, it makes it hard to be able to afford to do fun, family-centered activities. Plus, the drama of everyday reality tends to drain you from the motivation to seek such activities. Hope Kids does it all for you. They seek out the best places that families would have the most fun, and pay for it. We were able to take our whole family to many outings that we never would have been able to afford without Hope Kids. The break from reality and time to focus on one another is exactly what we need to get through another day of setbacks, chemotherapy, failed tests, or just a plain hard day. Hopa Kid's allows us to find our smile in times of deepest despair. We are so grateful for this organization and all that it does for our families!
My daughter was diagnosed with cancer just over two years ago. During that most difficult time for our family, hopekids stepped in and helped to provide support for our family by connecting us with other families going through similar experiences, and providing opportunities for us to make great family memories and have fun during a time that was not fun for us. We continue to gain support from hopekids, and in turn serve as a support for other families in our boat. Hopekids is great!
I used to provide art groups for HopeKids and that's how I became familiar with HopeKids and Bridget.
I have known and followed the work of HopeKids now for several years and I am very impressed with their work. They provide much hope and joy to the HopeKids children and their families...truly wonderful!
HopeKids has provided our family with support and fun but most of all, HOPE! Our youngest child was born with a life threatening, complex heart condition. We have had hospital stays measured by weeks and even months. We live with the fear that his heart will fail. We also have two older healthy children. Our son's medical condition not only takes its toll on us as parents, but is a heavy burden for siblings. HopeKids has provided wonderful support and fun events for not only our medically fragile child but also for his siblings. Through HopeKids, our children get to experience fun events. They get to be normal kids who don't live in the shadow of a disease. And most of all, they meet others just like them and get to know that they are not alone.
Have you ever had or know of a child's with a life threatening medical condition? If you do, HopeKids is the most wonderful organization to help that child to forget about their medical issues by offering fun and exciting activities to participate in. They do a fantastic job & truly show they care for these kids. This review comes from a parent of a HopeKid. Thank you very much Hopekids for caring for our daughter
HopeKids is an amazing organization that gives kids and their families reasons to smile and be excited for what's to come. Those two things can seem impossible to imagine when faced with your child's pain and sickness. Bridget does an amazing job to make these kids feel special and brings families together to celebrate and forget the obstacles and fear they are faced with. We are so blessed to be a part of this amazing group!!
Hopekids has truly been a blessing for our son and our family. The events that they plan and organize offer us a chance to have unique and amazing experiences as a family. Our son has a complex heart defect and HopeKids always has something that he is able to participate in and encourages him and the other children/families through their amazing staff, volunteers and families. I don't want to imagine our lives without HopeKids in them.
My family has been members of Hopekids for several years. It has been a tremendous blessing for us. Meeting other families going through the same things we are going through with a medically fragile child is so helpful and gives us so much hope. Hopekids also provides so many amazing activities for our family to do together and we appreciate that so much. We love Hopekids!!!
This organization goes above and beyond to make life fun for children facing life threatening conditions, as well as their siblings and parents! Our daughter has many medical and physical challenges, which makes it difficult for us to get out, let alone afford extras. Because of HopeKids, our daughter and her sisters have been able to enjoy "special" things that other kids don't get to do. It gives the siblings a "bright side" to all of the "we can't do that today" days they endure when living with a sister who is medically fragile. We are blessed and thankful.
HopeKids helps restore Hope when families are struggling to cope with their child having a chronic or terminal illness. They help us look forward to the next event and truly make the HopeKid feel special. My son went through chemotherapy and 3 evasive surgeries. Through all of that starting his kindergarten year of school, he is still thankful that he was able to become a Hopekid. To have so much bad in his short life, Hopekids truly turned it around to show him a good part of it all. It is such a great community of support! We love our HopeFamilies! Thank you!
HopeKids truly is the best organization in Az! They serve families of children with life threatening conditions. Bridget is the most caring, genuine person you could be privileged to know! I am beyond grateful to have found HopeKids before my son passed away as it gave my family an opportunity to meet other like families and enjoy activities we normally could not take our son out to do. Not only do they deserve a 6 on a 5 point scale, they deserve our daily thanks!! -Kristi Taylor and family
We are a family with a two year old battling cancer. HopeKids is not just a charity, it's also a support system. Dealing with a sick child puts many strains on a family one of which is financial. At a time like this making memories is pretty much top priority, other than healing. HopeKids allows us to make memories free of charge and that is a tremendous blessing. Without this organization I know we would not have been able to experience the things we have. I cannot thank them enough.
My daughter was diagnosed with cancer in 2008. We became involved in HopeKids shortly after that. In the last six years, we have had the opportunity to meet many families that are/were in a similar situation. The sense of community provided is incredible. We have volunteered our time, donated our money, and freely given our support to this worthy charity, as well as benefited from their caring. It isn't just about helping a child with a life impacting disease get through treatment. It is about family. Since my daughter's diagnosis and subsequent recovery, she has lost her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. In every step of our life journey since being a part of HopeKids, they have always been there. They have been there in the form of an event, a card, an inspirational message shared with everyone, or a personal visit from the wonderful and loving staff. Hope and love will get you through just about anything, and HopeKids provides them both in abundance.
HopeKids is AMAZING! When a child deals with a life threatening/life shorting illness much time is put into their health as well as finances. HopeKids enables these children along with siblings and family to have opportunities to do things they might not otherwise be able to. These events can take them away from their worries even for just that time. My family is so grateful for HopeKids. They have given us much needed breaks and memories we will cherish.
This is the best organization out there, they help many families of special need kids. Only gold hearted people do this type of job.
HopeKids is a blessing to our family in many ways. From having the time of our lives at a HopeKids event to just being a shoulder to lean on when you feel your losing hope as a parent. Not only have they been a great organization they have become family. We LOVE HopeKids!
Hopekids gives our family HOPE. Our Family enjoys this program
Events keeps our minds off of medical challenges our son has.
HopeKids provides HOPE to families facing medical challenges with their children. HopeKids opens a safe door, one filled with fun filled events, love, laughter and life long friendships. HopeKids has given our family HOPE in trying times, the joy we experience from HopeKids events are treasured memeories. We are blessed to be apart of an amazing organization the brings together an amazing community!
Hopekids is truly anazing my daughter has a life threatening condition called Juvenile Dermatomyositis and she has been on a fight for her life in the last year, Hopekids gave her the hope to heal, she began to look forward to the events and new she had to keep fighting in order to keep going to the events and she has finally come to a medically induced remission and is weaning on the meds. Hopekids made this so much easier for her so THANK YOU Hopekids!!
HopeKids has been an amazing blessing to our family! They have really helped us to bring more fun and unity back to our home. My older kids now don't see their sick sibling as the reason we can't do fun things together anymore. Being able to do fun things together as a family has definitely brought hope back to our little family!
HopeKids is an incredible program to provide hope to families with children with life threatening illnesses. They provide events on a regular basis for children and their whole family to bring hope during times of difficulty.
We benefit from a three events from this charity that went well. However, our experience with the next event was not what we would have ever expected and the manner in which administration handled it was even worse. We were at a baseball game and the HopeKids family sitting behind us spilled popcorn on the heads of our family. No big deal right, we were at a baseball game. Then, more popcorn through the air and onto us. Next, an entire drink was spilled on my sons head. They thought that was funny and laughed. I asked the parents to please keep caps on the kids' drinks to prevent us from getting spilled on again and suggested that instead of laughing, they should apologize. The dad took off, one of their kids went and grabbed some napkins for my son and another kept telling the parents to apologize to us. We moved a few rows up to avoid more spills. We received a condescending email from the secretary the next day insisting that we need to 'behave' at their events and just sit there if something like this happens. My husband and I have each worked in public service for nearly 20 years; we know how to professionally handle conflict. We escalated this situation to Jake, the owner and he said that he didn't want to hear any details; we were wrong. Are you kidding me?! There was not an attempt to figure out what happened or what should be done, just simply everyone was guilty and the other family that did the spilling was embarrassed. We had to leave this organization.
Review from Guidestar