2019 | ANNUAL REPORT R“HopeKids 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. 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 an event that evening.” - Julie, Jenna’s momLast year was a time of incredible growth for HopeKids. Thanks to the investment and dedication of our donors, event partners, volunteers, and staff, we served a record number of 5,284 families. We hosted over 2,300 events focused on providing the entire family with hope and a powerful, unique support community. On top of that, we launched our sixth chapter in Middle Tennessee, which is already serving more than 120 families! These are numbers worth celebrating, and we hope you feel encouraged by your profound impact. But reflecting on the strongest season in our 18-year history during a global pandemic brings up a mix of emotions. We are grateful that our momentum from 2019 put us in a strong position when facing such uncertainty. When in-person events were no longer possible, our chapters quickly shifted to new virtual programming. As a result, we learned how to better serve our families who are regularly isolated because of their child’s diagnosis. But given the population we serve, and the nature of our events, we simply do not know when our face-to- face programming will return to full capacity. With so much uncertainty of what 2020 and beyond will bring, we circle back to the core of what defines HopeKids – that hope truly is a powerful medicine. Together we will continue to provide hope to these amazing families and make it through this challenging time. Thank you for being a part of this community and for believing in the mission of HopeKids. We couldn’t do this important work without you. With Hope, JOSH TAYLOR President PRESIDENT’S LETTERWE EXIST TO RESTORE HOPE AND TRANSFORM THE LIVES OF CHILDREN WITH LIFE-THREATENING MEDICAL CONDITIONS, THEIR FAMILIES AND THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH WE SERVE. Our Mission HopeKids provides ongoing events, activities and a powerful, unique support community for families who have a child with cancer or some other life-threatening medical condition. We surround these remarkable children and their families with the message that HOPE CAN BE A POWERFUL MEDICINE.Our Guiding Principles Our vision, mission and motivation are driven by our desire to serve in the name of Jesus Christ in response to and out of our gratitude to God. (Colossians 3:17) It is through God’s love and the eternal hope we find in Jesus that we want to love and offer hope to those in need. We cling to the promise that “Hope does not disappoint.” (Romans 5:5) We also believe that hope comes from God, and provides joy and peace in a way that nothing else can. These biblical truths form our belief that hope is a powerful medicine, and all our activities, resources, and time are to be directed to restoring hope for the future to the children and families we serve. We strive to promote integrity, honesty, and openness in the manner in which we conduct our daily financial and management operations. We will be good stewards of all resources that God has blessed us with. The HopeKids program is open to all children with life-threatening medical conditions and their families without regard to background, ethnicity, gender, religion, race, or sexual orientation.Board of Directors Dave Osgood - Chairman President, Focus Performance Systems, Inc. Minneapolis, MN Angelique Lehmann Waddell - Secretary Partner, Holland & Knight Dallas, TX Steve Whiteman - Treasurer Former Chairman, CEO and President of Via- soft, Inc. Scottsdale, AZ Joe Birkholz - Director Vice President, TCF Financial Corporation Minneapolis, MN Chris Browning - Director President, River Software Denver, CO John Jacobs - Director CIO, JE Dunn Construction Kansas City, MO Josh Taylor - Director President, HopeKids Minneapolis, MN Staff National Josh Taylor, President Molly Cash, Enrollment Manager Michelle Cassens, National Program Manager Nicole Dahl, Marketing & Communications Associate Heather Weathers, Director of Communications Amy Whiteman, Donor Stewardship Manager Arizona Chapter Kimberly Trichel, Executive Director Kelly Schindler, Program Manager Andrea Lewis, Family & Community Manager Colorado Chapter Howie Hutchinson, Executive Director Lisa Sweeney, Program Director Robbin Brown, Family & Community Manager Kansas City Chapter Kristin Castle, Executive Director Ashley Williams, Program Manager Middle Tennessee Chapter Deb Sandvik, Executive Director Melissa Price, Program Manager Minnesota Chapter Brian Anderson, Executive Director Brianna Watke, Program Manager Ariel Lindahl, Family & Community Manager North Texas Chapter Bridget Asheim, Executive Director Jessica Glenn, Program Manager Olga Valdez, Family & Community Manager OUR PEOPLEEach year in the United States, approximately 500,000 children cope with life-threatening medical conditions. These conditions affect the entire family with more than half of parents suffering from acute stress disorders and 80% of siblings having elevated levels of post-traumatic stress. As a result of statistics like these it is our desire to continue to bring the message that hope is a powerful medicine to as many people as possible. Because of the support and generosity of people like you, we are excited to have launched a Middle Tennessee chapter in March 2019 and are serving the families in and around Nashville who have a child with a life-threatening medical condition. WELCOME, MIDDLE TENNESSEE“HopeKids has given our family opportunites to take Miela on adventures that make us feel comfortable and safe. HopeKids has also afforded us the opportunity to take all five family members to a unique range of events that we normally wouldn’t be budgeting. We are so grateful for these adventures.” -Carie, Miela’s momHOPE AND ANTICIPATION HopeKids hosts highly-anticipated, free, fun events for families who have a child with a life-threatening medical condition. From live entertainment to private movie screenings, and amusement parks to sporting events, we offer a wide variety of activities for the whole family. We want to keep children and their families focused on the future rather than dwelling on what they are dealing with now. COMMUNITY AND SUPPORT HopeKids builds programs with the goal of drawing families together. We provide a unique, supportive, and recreational environment for connection, sharing, and encouragement. Our events foster lasting friendships and support among people who share similar challenges. Our families report that nothing is more powerful than one sick child meeting another who has recovered from the same condition. No HopeKids family is alone on this difficult journey. IMPACT AREAS FAMILY FOCUS At HopeKids, our events and activities bring a family together when circumstances tend to pull them apart. Our events offer fun for all family members; allowing them to spend much needed time together - even parent date nights. All events are focused on the whole family and provide opportunities to look forward to the future. We help create memories during a time that brings situations our families might otherwise wish to forget. SAFETY AND ACCEPTANCE Many of our events are held privately providing a safe, healthy environment away from large, public crowds. Public spaces are a problem for our immune- suppressed kids; minimizing exposure both protects them and reduces parental stress. Additionally, in HopeKids’ supportive peer community, no child is the only one wearing a mask or using a wheelchair. At HopeKids, everyone belongs. ECONOMIC SUPPORT The all-consuming demands of a life-threatening childhood illness often overwhelms other resources like time, energy, or the initiative for planning. Paying for and planning social activities isn’t realistic or feasible for most of our families. HopeKids alleviates these challenges by providing events that are pre- organized and available free of charge to the whole family.Next >