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We Believe — Believe In Tomorrow provides exceptional hospital and respite housing services to critically ill children and their families. We believe in keeping families together during a child’s medical crisis, and that the gentle cadence of normal family life has a powerful influence on the healing process.
Our 30th Anniversary Celebration
One day thirty years ago, a man had an idea about forming an organization that would create unique solutions for challenges that face critically ill children and their families. Through an act of volunteerism, that idea developed, expanded, and became a reality, a reality now known as The Believe In Tomorrow Children’s Foundation.
Over the past thirty years, Believe In Tomorrow has grown to become a national leader in hospital and respite housing services for families of critically ill children. Over half a million individual overnight accommodations have been provided through our housing programs, from every state in the U.S. and more than 72 countries around the world.
We are proud to lead the way in the field of pediatric respite housing, and we are most excited for upcoming plans of expansion into new areas around the country. Our hospital housing program is on the cutting edge of providing support to families of children receiving treatment at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center. Our Hands On Adventures program is unlike any other in the country, bringing smiles to children’s faces almost every weekend of the year through once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. On top of all this, we are proud to give back to members of the U.S. Armed Forces through our Military Initiative, providing a little extra support when it is most needed for U.S. military families.
We hope you will join us throughout 2012 in celebration of all the lives Believe In Tomorrow has touched through the years. Look out for special updates each month as we prepare for an exciting 30th Anniversary Celebration!
The world's biggest thank you card wouldn't be enough…
THANK YOU to all those who responded to our end of the year appeal requests. The donations are pouring in every day – a true testament to the heartfelt generosity of our many supporters, around the country and around the world.
Thanks to donors like you, Believe In Tomorrow is able to continue in its 30th year of providing exceptional retreat and hospital housing services to critically ill children and their families. The success of our programs most certainly reflects on the commitment of each and every donor who has helped over the years, so we cannot thank you enough for your support!
If you are still recovering from the whirlwind of the holiday season, or if you’ve made it your New Year’s resolution to get more involved, it’s not too late to donate! Click on the Donate Now button, or check out our Giving page for more ideas on how to support Believe In Tomorrow’s children and families this year.
Look to the sky! Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No! It’s our newest partner, DIRECTV!
DIRECTV has teamed up with Believe In Tomorrow Children’s Foundation to provide children with life-threatening illnesses an uplifting and amazing experience through our Hands On Flying Adventures program. As the DIRECTV blimp travels around the country, pediatric patients from Believe In Tomorrow-affiliated hospitals will be invited to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fly aboard the A-170LS model airship.
DIRECTV is one of the world’s leading providers of digital television entertainment services, delivering a premium video experience through state-of-the-art technology, unmatched programming and industry leading customer service to more than 3.8 million customers in the U.S. We are so excited to announce this new partnership, which will allow even more critically ill children to take to the skies and enjoy the ride of a lifetime, leaving their troubles on the ground.
If you happen to see the DIRECTV blimp above your neighborhood this year, take a second to stop and wave – there very well may be some Believe In Tomorrow children and families waving back at you!
With the Inaugural Palm Beach Luncheon quickly approaching, we wanted to highlight one of our very generous donors who is supporting Believe In Tomorrow’s upcoming event. Boehm Porcelain, one of the world’s finest in handmade American art sculptures, has teamed up with the foundation to celebrate our introductory event in Palm Beach. Sharon Lee Parker, a nationally known Cancer Coach, author, founder of the Life Lover Foundation for cancer research, and an avid lover of Boehm Porcelain, has graciously created two unique, handmade pieces of art to embody the Inaugural Palm Beach Luncheon.
The first is a red rose with a monarch butterfly sitting upon it. The butterfly is so detailed; you might think it will fly right off the rose! The second piece is a lovely 35-inch white lily in a crystal vase with a monarch resting upon its unopened bud. The red rose is valued at $395 and the lily is valued at $895. Half of all proceeds from the sales of these magnificent pieces go directly to Believe In Tomorrow.
Guests attending the luncheon will have the opportunity to be the very first owner of one of these exquisite pieces, so be sure to place your bid early in the silent auction! Anyone not attending the luncheon can purchase one of the beautiful pieces by sending an email to info@boehmporcelain.com.Port to Fort Registration is OPEN!
It’s that time of year again – time to register for Believe In Tomorrow’s annual Port to Fort 6k! The 16th Annual Port to Fort will be on Sunday, April 29, 2012 at the Baltimore Museum of Industry in Baltimore, MD. For more details and registration information, check out the Port to Fort website at www.believeintomorrow.org/p2f.
Whether you’re working on a New Years resolution or just want to get involved in a fun event for a great cause, the Port to Fort 6k race is for you! Spread the word to friends and family, and be sure to register today!Family Story - "A Respite at the Right Time"
Eleven-year-old Victoria Wagner pulled back the curtains of her bedroom window and smiled as the sun peeked over the mountains and crept across the surface of Deep Creek Lake. Enjoying the comfort of her very own room, she watched the sunrise with great anticipation of what the day would hold. It was her first time visiting the state of Maryland, and her family’s Believe In Tomorrow respite.
Victoria, along with her sister Veronica and their parents, made the nine-hour journey from Grand Rapids, Michigan, on the eve of Christmas Eve. The car was full of singing, laughter, and…unfortunately for mom, Tiffany…a lengthy discussion on whether Santa Claus really exists. The family’s respite to the Believe In Tomorrow House on Wisp Mountain was truly a time to celebrate, and not just because of the holiday season.
Victoria was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in April 2009. She immediately began chemotherapy treatments, which unfortunately resulted in her having a stroke when the chemo caused a blood clot in her brain. It was a huge scare for everyone. The family remained close together for the next two and half years while Victoria learned how to give herself blood thinners and bravely faced each day. Today she is doing very well – she maintained straight A’s throughout the course of her treatment, which ended last June, and is on her way to being cancer-free!
Volunteer of the Month – Stephen Decatur High School
Stephen Decatur High School in Berlin, MD, has been a crucial part of our volunteer team at the Believe In Tomorrow House By The Sea for the past 11 years. A high school focused on volunteerism, they have contributed their time and talents to Believe In Tomorrow in a multitude of ways.
The high school has volunteer program called “Stephen Decatur Connections” where students can sign up to volunteer and gain more student service learning hours. Students frequently volunteer at Believe In Tomorrow’s beach respite facilities to help check in families for their respites, set up welcome baskets, and help with barbeques.
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