Literature Review

Bottles of bourbon signed by Pope Francis expected to fetch up to $20,000 for charity National Catholic Register; by Daniel Payne; 11/21/24 Two bottles of rare bourbon signed by Pope Francis are projected to net up to $20,000 for several Kentucky charities [and Southeast Texas Hospice]. Father Jim Sichko, a priest in the Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky, and a papal Missionary of Mercy, told CNA that the charity auction came about from Sichko’s habit of bringing Kentucky bourbon to the Holy Father and other Vatican officials during his trips to Rome. ... The whiskies are currently up for online bidding. A live auction will ultimately take place in New York at Sotheby’s on Dec. 7. The funds raised from the auctions — estimated by Sotheby’s at upward of $10,000 per bottle — will be donated to several charities, the priest said, including Southeast Texas Hospice as well as Maxwell Street Legal Clinic. The latter assists immigrants in Kentucky with legal needs. The proceeds will also go toward an assistance ministry run by Father Sichko as well as a no-kill animal shelter in Kentucky.

Big Bend Hospice’s promise to North Florida [New parent company, Seven Oaks Health] Tallahassee Democrat; by Bill Wertman, "Your Turn"; 11/29/24 As CEO of Big Bend Hospice, I see every day how vital our mission focused hospice care is to families across North Florida. Yet, in today’s healthcare landscape, nonprofit hospices like ours are increasingly rare. Only about 30% of hospices nationwide operate as nonprofits (CDC, 2020), and for-profit hospices have made up nearly all new providers in recent years (Hospice News, 2022). These changes mean that the type of personalized, community-centered care that Big Bend Hospice provides is at risk of disappearing. In 2024 alone, 12 hospice acquisitions took place, with about half involving nonprofit organizations (Hospice News, 2024). This trend is forcing many nonprofits to either consolidate or scale back services. For Big Bend Hospice, the choice was clear: expand our offerings to meet more in-home healthcare needs, while keeping compassion and family-centered care at the forefront. To accomplish this, we established Seven Oaks Health, our new parent company. With Seven Oaks Health, we’re creating a sustainable model that enables us to support families from diagnosis through end-of-life, especially in the rural areas we’ve served for over 40 years. By broadening our services, we’re ensuring that more families have access to high-quality care wherever they call home.

Thanksgiving tradition brings meals to hospice families in Northeastern Pennsylvania  ABC News 16 WNEP, Scranton, PA; by Jack Culkin; 11/28/24 It's become a holiday tradition for many volunteers to fill their cars at Mansour's Market in Scranton on Thanksgiving morning, delivering meals to those in hospice care. Ray Gillette, a long-time volunteer, shared, "We've been doing this for a long time, and we've taken the boys with us. Our oldest grandson is 14. This is his 14th year that he's come to deliver with us." ... [Diane Baldi, CEO of Hospice of The Sacred Heart] says the event began as an idea. Quickly growing to not just caring for their patients, but their families too.  "19 years ago, in our very first, we may have had 20 patients. Today we have 200. So it has grown exponentially," said Baldi. ... Along with classic holiday staples like turkey, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce, each meal includes a hand-made card. "I like it because it has like a turkey on the front and it has like all the stuff that you would eat," Said nine-year-old Olivia Catalano. She and her classmates made dozens of these cards, each featuring a Thanksgiving message or drawing. ... With each card placed and each meal delivered, workers successfully brought more than 600 meals to hospice families across Northeastern Pennsylvania. 

Coastal Hospice joins Shore Gives More for Giving Tuesday fundraiser ABC 47 WMDT, Salisbury, MD; by Site Staff; 11/26/24 Coastal Hospice is teaming up with the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore for Giving Tuesday. They are one of many non-profits signed up for the Shore Gives More campaign. It’s an online giving event that provides non-profits the opportunity to inspire the community. Editor's note: Heads up, be on the lookout for a post from us on Monday 12/2/24 with a wide scope of ways to support our hospice and palliative care community through "Giving Tuesday."

How the St. Francis Foundation supports healthcare for Santa Barbara’s most vulnerable Noozhawk - Special to Good for Santa Barbara; 11/26/24 The foundation grants nearly a million annually to local organizations focused on health, end-of-life, palliative and geriatric care. Maximize the impact of your generosity this holiday season by supporting the nonprofits that matter most to you. There’s no better way to close out the year than by giving back to your community. This #GivingTuesday, Noozhawk invites you to contribute to one of the incredible local organizations featured in our  Giving Guide. On December 3, 2024, join us and nonprofits across Santa Barbara County in celebrating this global movement of giving. Together, we can make a difference! ...Editor's note: This interview provides a great example for ways that you, too, can still fast-track your community outreach before next week's December 3rd "Giving Tuesday."

[United Kingdom] Hospice urges people to recycle Christmas trees BBC News; by Holly Phillips; 11/23/24 A charity is asking the public to recycle their Christmas trees this year. St. Barnabas Hospice, in Lincoln, is inviting people to take part in their "tree-cycle" initiative, by disposing of their tree in an eco-friendly way while supporting the charity. People who have bought a real tree can register for it to be collected so it can be recycled or replanted in the new year. Volunteers from the hospice will be picking up trees between 7 and 12 January in return for a voluntary donation. 

United Hospice celebrates success with “A Night in the Catskills" [$215,000] MidHudson News, Hudson Valley, NY; by News Staff; 11/24/24 In late October United Hospice held its annual gala, “A Night in the Catskills” and a silent auction at the Hilton Pearl River which drew more than 300 attendees and was the most successful gala in the organization’s history, raising more than $215,000. During the event, CEO Cara Pace recalled all of United Hospice’s achievements this past year, including the successful start of a new and innovative program, Living Well New York, in which palliative physicians make recommendations to patients’ primary care teams that will ultimately improve the quality of life for every patient and their families who participate in the program. 

Lamar Area Hospice’s grief programs are made possible from BBB donations The Prowers Journal, Lamar, CO; by Barbara Crimond; 11/20/24 The words “good” and “grief” don’t commonly go together.  At the Lamar Area Hospice, however, they not only go together but, when combined, embrace the idea of a place to go which allows children and adults to normalize their grief, receive support from others experiencing similar emotional struggles and education in healthy ways to move through their grief.  They learn that they can tell their stories in a safe, loving and nurturing environment.  I recently met with Deb Pelley (Executive Director of Lamar Area Hospice). Roni Vallejos (Children’s Good Grief Coordinator) and Kelsie Cedeno (Adult Bereavement Coordinator) to learn more about these programs.  I could immediately sense the compassion and love for their jobs that all three women have. Before telling me about the programs though, they told me that it was only because of the generous donations from the BBB each year that the programs can even exist. They wanted to express how extremely grateful they are to BBB for enabling them to continue Jillian Sweet Tinnes’s legacy. ...

Cooper Farms holds Turkey Trot [and raises more than $20,000 for EverHeart Hospice] Watt Global Media, Press Release, Oakwood, OH; 11/18/24 Cooper Farms recently held its 17th annual Turkey Trot 5K on November 2, welcoming over 400 participants in Oakwood, OH. This annual event has become a meaningful tradition, raising more than $20,000 cumulatively for EverHeart Hospice [in Greenville, OH]. In addition to promoting health and wellness among employees, the Turkey Trot has expanded to include families and the broader community, showcasing Cooper Farms' commitment to community engagement and charitable support.

Stella Maris raises $110K at 40th annual Crab Feast and Hospice Day of Giving Maryland Daily Record; 11/18/24 The 40th annual Stella Maris Crab Feast and Hospice Day of Giving raised approximately $110,000 in support of Stella Maris hospice care Oct. 13 at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium. More than 100 individuals and businesses donated to the auctions, game wheels, raffles and more. Ninety bushels of crabs were steamed on site by Conrad’s Crabs & Seafood Market. There were 50 sponsors (individuals and organizations), including M&T Bank, the presenting sponsor. Stella Maris is one of the first facilities established in Maryland providing compassionate care for terminally ill patients. It services patients in Baltimore, Carroll, Harford and Howard counties as well as the city of Baltimore.

Beacon Hill resident contributes to success of VNA Care’s annual Gala Patch, Beacon Hill, MA; by Deborah Corkum; 11/14/24 Sold-out Heroes in Health Care raised essential funds for home health and hospice care. VNA Care, the first organized visiting nurse association in the United States, raised $220,000 for patient care services during the sold-out annual Heroes in Health Care Gala at the Mandarin Oriental, Boston. Heroes in Health Care is VNA Care’s signature fundraising event and has raised nearly $4.5 million in essential funding for home health and hospice care in Massachusetts. 

Annual Golf Marathon raises $120K to benefit Hope Hospice The Independent, Livermore, CA; 11/14/24 Hope Hospice, a nonprofit that provides support services for patients with terminal illnesses and their caregivers, reported raising almost $120,000 during the 10th annual Hope 100 Golf Marathon last month at Castlewood Country Club in Pleasanton. Event organizers said 28 golfers took on the challenge of playing 100 holes in one day on the club’s Valley Course, while another 20 participated in an inaugural skills competition that included putting, trick shots and long drives. “The Hope Hospice team is deeply grateful to all the players, sponsors and donors who made this event a success,” said Jennifer Hansen, Hope Hospice senior vice president. 

Aroostook Hospice Foundation achieves $150,000 matching grant campaign goal The County, Presque Isle, ME; 11/13/24 The Aroostook Hospice Foundation is thrilled to announce the success of its recent Matching Grant Campaign, which raised an astounding $150,000 for the Aroostook House of Comfort. This achievement was made possible through the community’s generosity and a $75,000 match pledged by an anonymous donor. Launched in June, the campaign quickly gained momentum, with individuals and organizations coming together to meet the matching goal. These funds will directly support the Foundation’s mission to provide compassionate, inpatient hospice care when patient needs exceed what home hospice care can offer. Established in 2009 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Aroostook Hospice Foundation was created to establish and sustain an inpatient hospice facility for the region. After years of dedicated fundraising and  community support, the Aroostook House of Comfort opened its doors in 2018, becoming one of only four inpatient hospice facilities in Maine. Since then, it has delivered quality end-of-life care to approximately 1,000 individuals and their caregivers in partnership with Northern Light Home Care & Hospice, a Medicare-certified hospice provider. Together, they ensure patients receive comfort, dignity and compassionate support on one’s journey through  hospice, serving both the patient and their caregivers.