My Nonprofit Reviews

My dad was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer 12 years ago; he died 2 years later. I was lucky enough to find Host for Hospitals and was surprised and relieved at how quickly Mike found a host family for us. It took a couple of hours and we were on our way to staying with hosts we'd never met. The concept floored me: people willing to share their homes and lives with others who, inarguably, were going through very difficult times and--in our case-- the worst thing my mother and I have ever lived through. Ten years on and our former hosts are now life-long friends. Hosts for Hospitals embodies everything I love about American culture and I can say this because I was born and raised in Europe. True charity, without expectation and string attached, is a rare thing. Medical diagnosis comes with many issues and long-term treatment comes with tangential expenses: lodging, food, transportation. Having a home to stay in mitigates not just financial, but emotional stress as well. Being in an unknown city and staying in a hotel can be so expensive, lonely and... depressing. You're not well enough to go sight-seeing so you end up watching mindless tv or staring at the carpet. Host for Hospitals provides a lifeline to everyday life and comforts. You can cook a meal and have the option to share it with your hosts, enjoy a conversation about something other than your illness, share life stories. The hum of everyday life is a backdrop but will, sometimes, blissfully drown out the constant worry you live with and you will forget, albeit for a short time, why you're there. Twelve years on, I'm still in awe of what Host for Hospital does and how selfless all the participants are. I've not found a worthier cause, but will freely admit I am biased. My aunt, who visited from Bulgaria while my dad was in treatment, also would up staying with our hosts and, to this day, she tells the story of how complete strangers can be so generous. At the time, I thought there were a handful of families but I soon found out there were many. Managing expectations and finding suitable hosts is an art akin to matchmaking. I hope Host for Hospitals can go on for as long as people need medical treatment because it lessens the stress associated with it. In my case, our hosts still host us--now, because we're lifetime friends. We've even celebrated holidays together! So, here's to the best of outcomes for the worst of reasons--and Host for Hospitals was instrumental in this match.