We are rolling! Over the past few weeks, nine families have reached out seeking support in caring for their medically complex child, and we are hustling to onboard them as quickly as possible.
We know every child and family faces unique challenges, and the best way to support them is to understand where they are on their journey. Then, we can map out a plan to come alongside them to meet their individual needs. I may need to lean on this generous community to help make their journey easier. I will keep you posted!
As we welcome our new families, we look forward to seeing familiar faces later this month at our first social event of the year – an Easter Egg Hunt hosted by Gayton Baptist Church. We’re also launching the first segment of our mental health/self-care toolkit for parents this month.
March is living up to its madness vibes, but we’ve got this! Varying how we provide support – and with you by our side – enables us to show up for the BIG and little things in the lives of our medically complex families.
Thank you for being here!
Gratefully yours,
Stephanie Becker
Executive Director
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Programs
Your support helped a family face surgery!
Thank you to our donor community who enabled us to support a family caring for their child after brain surgery. Here’s how they helped to make life easier during a stressful time:
Carissa, B2g Resource Coordinator, contacted a mom whose son was scheduled for brain surgery last month. During the conversation, Carissa learned ways Better2gether could ease her burden by connecting her with needed resources, including clothing and a new car seat. She also used B2g funding to purchase the mom a crockpot to help with meal prep.
While a crockpot may sound like a little thing, a simple act of kindness during a time of uncertainty makes a difference. Whether a family’s struggle is financial, emotional, or simply a feeling of overwhelm, knowing there’s a community that cares makes the day better. We’re grateful to have a community that believes in helping families on their journey!
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BIG HUGS & Lots of Love
Thank you to our BIG (bear) Hug donors for their beary sweet support in sending the love to our medically complex kids. Their donation provided a BIG HUG care package with new sensory toys and an encouraging note. One of our moms wrote to say, “My family was really touched to see our little guy receive such a nice Valentine! Thank you! Means so much!!”
The kindness of our Better2gether community truly makes all the difference and I’m grateful for your BIG HEART!
Events
Put some heart into your golf game!
Register today for the the 3rd Annual Better2gether Golf Classic presented by Call Federal Credit Union on May 18 at Magnolia Green Golf Club!
Team registration includes a foursome of golf plus cart, boxed lunches, and four drink tickets per player. There’s more than golf to look forward to with on-course experiences, games and raffles. It’s gonna be a par-tee! And, it’s all for helping children battling serious illnesses and their families.
Sponsorships are selling out fast but we have room for teams. Sign up today!
Community Partners
Here’s some BIG news, we’ve teamed up with community partner Read to Them to help encourage our kids to pick up a book when spending time at the Complex Care Clinic at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU.
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Read to Them, a Richmond-based, national non-profit organization, has been providing books for Better2gether families through the BetterBag program, an initiative that provided backpacks stocked with activities for children to keep them occupied during frequent medical visits. The collaboration between nonprofits laid the groundwork for bigger plans to impact more children in RVA.
Working together, Stephanie and Christa Donohue, Executive Director of Read to Them, developed a plan to create a partnership that would benefit children and families who come to the Complex Care Clinic at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU.
“Parents’ lives are busy and complicated, especially parents who are caring for a medically complex child,” shares Sara Hudson, Program Manager for Read to the Them. “I’m looking for books that speak to these families, that have characters that let families feel seen, and that are a source of joy and fun.”
Each book comes with a flyer inside that includes a QR code so families can share their feedback about the book they read. Additionally, families receive activities that they can enjoy at home to extend the book and have conversations about the story. Along with each book, Read to Them also provides fun, actionable tips and strategies for promoting literacy, starting in infancy.
“We are just so excited to have something to offer families for long doctor’s visits,” shared Dr. Tiffany Kimbrough, Associate Professor and Medical Director for the Complex Care Clinic. “This is something our kids can use while they are here and they are waiting but also take home with them and continue to promote early literacy, reading, and good attachment to families.”
The shelves at the Complex Care Clinic were initially stocked with 120 books with 37 different titles, including board books, picture books and novels, written in both English and Spanish. These books are suited for a range of ages from newborns through late elementary school and middle school aged readers.
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