HIS GRACE FOUNDATION

Designed to be “grace in the need of the moment," His Grace Foundation has steadily grown, increasing in services, volunteers and impact. HGF provides each new patient with a gift basket designed specifically for him or her, as well as necessities for family members, free parking for patient families, several monthly catered meals and weekly shopping. Additional services include emergency funding, educational support and scholarships, arts in medicine program, massage therapy, and holiday and birthday celebrations. In the last several years, the foundation has expanded to provide four homes for outpatient temporary housing while families are required to maintain close proximity to the hospital.

Our primary activities include:

Greeting new patients and families on the unit with welcome baskets that have been specifically tailored to include items of interest, as well as necessities, for the individual patient.

Funding free parking for families during their stay on the BMTU and during any further emergency re-admittances.

Weekly shopping and delivering of groceries, personal need items, clothing and anything else special a child might request.

Providing 8-10 monthly meals, complete with flowers, music and gourmet food to refresh and encourage families during their lengthy hospital stay and meals for families on the day of their child's transplant.

Providing modest assistance to help temporarily with critical expenses through our Families in Need fund. We work with Texas Children's Hospital social workers to determine true need and then provide modest assistance to help temporarily with costs associated with housing, utilities and car payments. We also provide gift cards for needs like gas and personal essentials.

Organizing birthday celebrations for children whose birthday falls during their stay in the BMTU, and special holiday meals and treats.

Bringing an art therapist to the unit one to three times week to work with patients and their siblings.

Offering free weekly chair massages for parents and caregivers.

Training volunteers to provide respite care and comfort to children when parents need to step out of the Unit.

Stocking the play areas and multi-sensory areas with appropriate toys for patients and siblings.

Four post-transplant homes ("His Grace Place") for patients and families to live in rent-free during the 100-day period following treatment in which they must remain close to the hospital.

The His Grace Foundation Education Fund supports the academic pursuits of current and past BMTU patients through tutoring, educational supplies and scholarships.