Chris Hope Foundation NONPROFIT Award

When a child faces a life-threatening medical diagnosis, the last thought on a parent’s mind should be how to make the next mortgage payment, yet that nightmare becomes a reality for thousands of families each year. Chris Hope wants to change that, and he’s doing so through the work of the Chris Hope Foundation which has already raised millions for families in need.

“So much is focused on the child that we forget about the struggles that parents face when being away from homes and jobs during this time,” Hope says. “Their monthly obligations still exist, and it's hard to meet them when you're not working.”

Hope was inspired to create the foundation in 2015 after a conversation with a mother whose daughter was receiving treatment at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Easing the financial and emotional burdens families face while their child undergoes treatment is accomplished through five core initiatives:

• The Lylah Grey’s Ray of Hope program covers the cost of living essentials.

• The Happy Hearts program covers the cost of hospice or end-of-life care for pediatric patients.

• The Chris Hope Foundation Family House provides free or low-cost housing for families.

• The Giving Hope Scholarship program helps cover the cost of college for teens who have previously or who are currently battling childhood cancer.

• The Team Hope program raises funds for pediatric hospitals and programs in an effort to ensure families facing life-threatening diagnoses can continue to receive medical care at little to no cost.

“The things we do for them are remembered for a lifetime,” Hope says. “Saving a home or keeping a car from being repossessed takes a lot of pressure off parents.”

The foundation serves families with children undergoing treatment at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Alabama.

“There was a child who was in end-of-life care that wanted to go to the beach but due to his treatment and illness was unable to go. We were able to transform a Mid-South condominium's pool area into a beach. A year later, we still get thank you messages from the grandparents.”

Additionally, Chris leads TeamHOPE as the team captain in the St. Jude Memphis Marathon. In just three short years, the team has recruited more than 150 fundraising heroes to help raise over $561,000 for the hospital. To learn more about the Chris Hope Foundation, visit www.chrishopefoundation.org.

By Sarah Vaughan