As much as we can
Esther’s Friends partners with Chicagoland institutions to provide support to children, and families of children, facing long-term hospitalizations, based on each institutions' unique critical need.
If you are interested in learning more or becoming a partner, please contact info@esthersfriends.org.
Thanks to the generous outpouring of donations, Esther’s Friends has partnered with:
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago to provide critical support by covering the cost of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit ("PICU") Emergency Fund for one year, funding a parking pass for PICU families for four years and an additional parking pass for those families for two years and recently two more parking passes for PICU families for three years, supporting the position of Child Life Specialist in the PICU for one year, supplying adaptive toys and switches for use in the PICU, and providing 70 books for PICU inpatients to keep and take home;
Rush University Children's Hospital to provide 1,839 books for inpatients to keep and take home as well as 20 iPads for pediatric inpatient use. The new iPads support learning needs, connect families, and prepare and support these inpatients through diagnosis education and upcoming procedure information;
Rainbow Animal Assisted Therapy to provide funding for a new therapy dog to visit children throughout Chicagoland. Visit the page "Our Therapy Dog, Eva" from the dropdown above to learn all about her;
Comer Children's Hospital (University of Chicago Medicine) to provide 525 comfort care kits to families in the PICU and Isolation Unit. These kits include basic hygiene materials, activity books, games, fuzzy socks, blankets, a journal, and thanks to your donations, now also include a meal voucher and parking pass;
Advocate Children's Hospital to provide 455 comfort care kits to pediatric inpatients. These kits create a needed diversion for the children and include coloring books, toys, and games;
Cook County Health to provide 75 books and 40 comfort care kits to pediatric inpatients to keep and take home as well as 4 iPads for pediatric inpatient use. The new iPads support learning needs and connect families, while the comfort care kits will support the emotional well-being of these pediatric inpatients;
Children's Hospital University of Illinois to provide 200 parking passes for PICU and pediatric inpatient families facing financial insecurity;
Loyola Medicine Children's Hospital to create the Esther Viola Frey Patient Support Fund to meet the greatest needs of patients and their families suffering from financial insecurity; and
Ronald McDonald House near Lurie Children's to provide meals for families staying at the house.
We aren't done yet.
Because of you, we will continue to grow and find innovative and creative ways to provide assistance to the children and families.
