How a $50 Monthly Donation to Charity Makes a Real Difference for a Critically Ill Child
When a child is diagnosed with cancer or another life-threatening medical condition, the family’s calendar changes overnight. Clinic appointments, treatment schedules, and hospital stays fill the spaces where birthday parties, soccer games, and vacations used to be. And while the medical team fights for the child’s life, there is often no one fighting for the family’s sense of normalcy.
That is what HopeKids does. And that’s how with a $50 monthly donation to charity, you can be the reason a family has something to look forward to.
What does $50 a month actually pay for?
HopeKids provides families who have a child with a life-threatening medical condition with an unlimited calendar of free events all year long. That includes sporting events, concerts, museum visits, theater shows, family-focused gatherings, and experiences like cooking classes, ice skating, and private suites at professional games.
Everything is free to the families. There are no fees, no income requirements, and no limits on how often they can participate.
The Hope365 monthly giving program is built around a simple idea: for $50 per month, you can provide one family with access to that entire calendar for an entire year. That is not a metaphor — it is how HopeKids calculates the real cost of serving a family over twelve months
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“For $50/month you can help provide a HopeKids family with an unlimited calendar of free events for an entire year.”
How HopeKids makes every dollar go further
One of the most important things to understand about HopeKids is how efficiently donations are used. About 87 percent of every dollar given to HopeKids goes directly toward programs and services for families. A very small portion covers administrative and operational costs — and that is by design.
Beyond that, in-kind donations nearly equal the organization’s cash expenses. That means when a company donates a suite, tickets, meals, or experiences, it effectively doubles what a financial gift can do. The result: each dollar donated to HopeKids goes almost twice as far as it would at many other nonprofits.
HopeKids is supported roughly half by individual donors and half by corporate sponsors and community partners. That shared investment makes it possible to serve more than 6,300 families each year across eight chapters — plus a national virtual program — and host over 3,000 events annually, welcoming nearly 90,000 attendees.
What families receive and why it matters
It would be easy to look at HopeKids and see an organization that gets families into events. But the families who participate know it is something much more significant than that.
Research consistently shows that hope improves a person’s ability to cope with illness, and that strong family support plays a central role during treatment. HopeKids is built on that evidence. By giving families something to anticipate and a community of people who genuinely understand what they are going through, the program addresses a need that medical treatment alone cannot meet.
97 percent of HopeKids parents say that having events to look forward to has helped their child maintain a positive outlook and an increased sense of hope. 94 percent say they spend more time together as a family because of HopeKids.
Behind those statistics are moments like a first concert, a night in a private suite where a dad can relax and watch a game while the kids run around, or a child who attends a cooking class and walks away with a dream of going to culinary school. These are the things your donation makes possible.
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“When you give to HopeKids, you’re not just giving hope. You’re giving moments of childhood back to children who may not get a lifetime of them.” — Lindsey Waibl, HopeKids parent
What “Once a HopeKid, always a HopeKid” means
HopeKids does not end when treatment ends. Even if a child reaches remission, turns 18, or graduates, they remain part of the HopeKids community for as long as they want to be. Many alumni return to events and choose to support families who are newer to the program — meeting someone who has been through the same thing and made it to the other side is one of the most powerful things a newly diagnosed family can experience.
Your gift supports that continuity. It helps ensure that families have access not just to events, but to a community that stays with them through every stage of their child’s journey.
How to give to HopeKids
The most direct way to support HopeKids families is through Hope365, the monthly giving program. At $50 per month, you provide a family with a full year of free events and community. You can join at HopeKids.org/Hope365.
Other ways to give include employer matching gifts (many companies will double your donation — check at HopeKids.org/doubledonation), United Way payroll giving, donor-advised funds, and legacy giving. If your company has suites, tickets, or experiences to donate, in-kind contributions are also deeply impactful and can be directed to your local chapter through the HopeKids website.
Every chapter is local, which means donations support families in your own community. You can donate here. To find your chapter director’s contact information visit HopeKids.org.
Frequently asked questions about donating to HopeKids
How does HopeKids use my donation?
About 87 percent of every dollar given to HopeKids goes directly to programs and services for families. In-kind donations from corporate partners nearly equal cash expenses, which means your gift effectively goes twice as far. A very small portion of revenue covers administrative and operational costs.
Do families pay anything to participate in HopeKids?
No. Everything HopeKids offers — events, activities, community programming, and virtual experiences — is completely free to families. There are no membership fees or income requirements.
Can I direct my donation to a specific chapter?
Yes. HopeKids has eight local chapters, and donors can designate gifts to support families in their community. You can find your local chapter director’s contact information at HopeKids.org.
What if my company wants to donate tickets or an experience instead of cash?
In-kind donations are one of the most valuable ways to support HopeKids. Suites, tickets, meals, and experiences directly fund the events that families attend. Contact the executive director of your local chapter to discuss what you have available.
Does my employer offer a matching gift program?
Thousands of companies match charitable contributions made by employees. Visit HopeKids.org/doubledonation to check whether your employer participates — it is one of the easiest ways to double the impact of your gift.