Campaign and Supporter Stories
More than half of our guests depend on our free, regularly scheduled shuttle service to travel back and forth from the Howie’s House to area transplant centers. This past year, more than 4,600 guests climbed aboard our six-passenger minivan driven by our devoted volunteer drivers. But on too many of those trips, guests were turned away because it was full.
The minivan also has limited cargo space for stowing oxygen tanks and wheelchairs needed by transplant patients. And squeezing into the back row of seats can be challenging or impossible for some of our guests.
With your help, we can make it easier for our guests to get to area transplant centers and #HelpShuttleHope
To meet the increased need for shuttle service as our occupancy grows, and to better provide for our guests’ comfort and wellbeing, the Howie’s House must purchase a new 11-passenger vehicle. Getting on and off will be made easier and faster by its bus-style folding door, low steps, a center aisle, and raised roof. Its larger capacity will enable us to adjust the schedule so drivers have more time to complete their runs and stay on time. It will also have a larger cargo area.
Our new shuttle will cost more than $50,000, not including gas, maintenance, and insurance. We are asking everyone in our Howie’s House community to please consider helping us make this a reality.
By supporting the purchase of the new passenger van, you will help to ensure that our shuttle service continues to meet the needs of Howie’s House guests. Transportation is an important part of the comprehensive services provided within our modest $40 nightly lodging fee. Charitable contributions to the Howie’s House make this possible.
Less stress and cost for guests
In addition to comfort and convenience, the shuttle helps transplant families save on the cost of parking and gas, which can add up to hundreds of dollars a month, and relieves them of the burden of city driving.
“Most of our guests aren’t familiar with Philadelphia and so they have no idea how to get to the transplant centers. They get overwhelmed by the traffic. And they’re already overwhelmed by their own situation. We’re trying to make it easier for them by providing these door to door transportation services,” says Joe Kauffman, Howie’s House Operations Manager.
No one could agree more than Diane Hems who stayed at the Howie’s House while her husband, Don, was waiting for his gift of life, a lung transplant. “Having the shuttle service available alleviated my stress and fears of getting lost in the city. Each day, the volunteer driver safely dropped me off at the hospital and then brought me back to the Howie’s House at the end of the day. There are no words to describe how grateful we are for the services provided.”
Claudia Fernandez often took the shuttle when her young son, Josh, was undergoing a lung transplant. “I liked it because I didn’t have to deal with traffic. It’s not easy driving around Philly when you’re not from there. I found it so convenient and helpful.”
Every ride a healing journey
The backbone of the Howie’s House shuttle service is our devoted volunteer drivers who last year made more than 1,500 trips and drove over 19,000 miles, expertly navigating city traffic and getting our guests to doctors’ appointments and hospital visits.
There are a dozen volunteer drivers who either work regular part-time shifts or who fill in when needed. Most of them are transplant recipients or have been family caregivers. They enjoy interacting with our guests and helping them through experiences they have in common.
John Branton has been a Howie’s House volunteer driver for five years and a volunteer speaker for Gift of Life Donor Program since he received a liver transplant 10 years ago. He drives two days a week, taking the afternoon shift when guests are usually returning to the Howie’s House.
Now retired, John was a small business owner and insurance executive. He says that he often shares with guests how the transplant enabled him to return to a normal life.
“The conversations that go on in the shuttle are oftentimes very emotional,” says John. “Not everyone winds up with a good outcome. So those kinds of conversations are tough. But even when it’s disappointing news, it’s better to share it with other people who can empathize and understand what you’re going through.”
Riding the shuttle also enables families the time to share their experiences with one another, gaining support and strength along the way.
Ashley Adams, who rode the shuttle when her husband Bobby was gravely ill and waiting for a lung transplant, found it comforting to talk with other families and the volunteer drivers. “It was really great being able to talk with everybody about what they’re going through. It does really help,” she says. “One of the drivers had a lung transplant so I was asking him a lot of questions about it. Bobby and I ended up getting married in the hospital and it was this shuttle driver who arranged for a friend of his to marry us.”
Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution today to support the urgent need to purchase a new passenger van and #HelpShuttleHope.
“I was nervous the first time I came through the doors of Gift of Life Howie’s House.
My mom had been so sick for so long … she was having dialysis three times a week. So I was really thanking God that she had the opportunity to receive a kidney transplant. I came to visit her for a week over the holidays, and I expected the Howie’s House to be a big, noisy, busy hospital. I was very surprised to find that it was a beautiful and quiet!
We had a really special Christmas together. We made a gingerbread house along with some of the other families who became friends to us, which was really nice because our other family was so far away.
The Howie’s House was a great blessing to us and to a lot of other families. Please make a gift now, while every dollar can go twice as far to help other patients and their families when they need it the most.” -Yani Barrow
To help families like Yani’s who rely on the Howie’s House during a most difficult and uncertain time in life, a generous friend has offered a $50,000 Matching Gift opportunity. Like you, this caring friend wants every transplant family to have access to an affordable place of rest, delicious home-cooked meals, and a warm and caring community of support. So every gift received prior to the December 31st deadline will be matched dollar for dollar, ensuring that more transplant families will experience a “home away from home” at the Howie’s House.
“Thank you so much for making my mother and me feel welcome at Gift of Life Howie’s House.
My life depends on a double lung transplant. We’re here at the Howie’s House waiting and hoping for “the call.””
I was just 33 when I got sick. In the years it took to get my diagnosis of Diffused Systemic Scleroderma with Interstitial Lung Disease, I had to quit my job and all my financial resources were depleted. The Howie’s House means my mother, who is my required caregiver, and I are not living in hotels and out of suitcases. It provides us with a home while away from home and a sense of stability during this very uncertain time.
It’s clean, quiet, comfortable, and beautiful. There are home-cooked meals every night, laundry facilities, a shuttle, and other families just like us who are waiting and hoping, too.
We are so grateful to people who support the Howie’s House “home” so we can focus on being ready when my call comes.
Will you help twice as many families like mine by making a gift during the Matching Challenge?” – Jennifer Herrmann
To help families like Jennifer’s who rely on the Howie’s House during a most difficult and uncertain time in life, a generous friend has offered a $50,000 Matching Gift opportunity. Like you, this caring friend wants every transplant family to have access to an affordable place of rest, delicious home-cooked meals, and a warm and caring community of support. So every gift received prior to the December 31st deadline will be matched dollar for dollar, ensuring that more transplant families will experience a “home away from home” at the Howie’s House.
When you make a bequest to the Howie’s House, you will help to ensure a “home away from home” for the transplant families who will need us for years to come. And you will have the satisfaction of knowing that your deeply held values will live on through the loving care we provide. You will also help to ensure that the Howie’s House is able to maintain their affordable fees and broad array of services for all who need support— now and in the future.
It is an easy and simple way that you can support the future of the Howie’s House and continue care for transplant patients and families. Bequests can be a percentage of the remainder of your estate or a specific dollar amount.
Sample language for making a bequest: “I give, devise, and bequeath to Gift of Life Howie’s House, a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization located at 401 Callowhill Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19123, EIN 26-0585694, or its successor-in-interest, (insert dollar amount or percentage) for its unrestricted use and purposes.”
If you already have prepared a will, you can simply add a codicil amending it to include the Howie’s House.
Already included the Howie’s House in your will? Let us know so we can celebrate with you now!
Enjoy recognition today as a Legacy Society member.
Supporters who notify us that they have made arrangements for planned gifts will be recognized as members of our prestigious Legacy Society. And for members who have made bequests of $10,000 or more will have their name and giving level added to the special Legacy Society Wall in the Howie’s House living room.
Visit www.GiftofLifeFamilyHouse.org for more information.
To discuss making a planned gift to Gift of Life Howie’s House or if you have already named us in your will, please contact Sara Cohen, Development Manager at 267-546-9812 or email scohen@giftoflifefamilyhouse.org.
Please consult your attorney, tax advisor or financial advisor before making a bequest or updating your estate plan.
Since we opened our doors more than six years ago, the Howie’s House has welcomed thousands of transplant patients and their caregivers to a real “home away from home.”
Among them is Alicia Hoover-Murphy, who found help and hope here first as a caregiver…and later as a transplant patient.
Alicia and her father had both been diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis—a terminal lung disease for which a lung transplant is currently the only treatment option.
Two days before his 46th birthday, the call came … Alicia’s father would receive a new set of lungs. Like many transplant families, they were far from home as they waited and hoped—for months.
Your support of Gift of Life Howie’s House made sure they had a little less to worry about during those endless, scary months. At the end of every long, hard day spent at the hospital cheering him on, the family returned to a “home away from home” that included home-cooked meals; clean, comfortable rooms; heartfelt support from staff; and camaraderie with other transplant families.
Although her father’s transplant was a success, complications mounted in the months following the procedure, which ultimately claimed his life.
Over the next few years, Alicia grew sicker herself. It was a bittersweet day when she and her loved ones returned to Gift of Life Howie’s House so she, too, could undergo the many tests and consultations that would lead her to being listed for a transplant.
“When we were there for my father, we’d made friends with the staff and other families at the Howie’s House. They were all like a second family to us,” Alicia says. “It was so nice to be surrounded by people who understood what we were going through and to be able to educate one another about what to expect.”
When her call finally came, Alicia was more than ready for the lung transplant that would restore her to health, to her family, to life.
Alicia’s transplant was a success. She and her family are deeply thankful for the organ donor who gave her a second chance in life and for contributors like you who make the Howie’s House a warm, wonderful, and affordable place to stay during a most difficult time.
“Thank you to all of you for this amazing home. You make it possible for the Howie’s House to offer an environment that is safe to people going through extremely rough times in their lives,” Alicia says. “The Family House provided a place of shelter for my family and provided me with a whole other family that I love and care about as if they were my own relatives.”
Have you ever wondered how the people and charities you care about will fair when you are no longer here to help them?
A good way to make certain that your values live on is by writing down what’s important to you. Another is by making provisions in your estate plan to ensure your charitable support continues.
By including the Howie’s House in your will/bequest, you can help to ensure that the Howie’s House is able to maintain their affordable fees and broad array of services for all who need support— now and in the future. It is an easy and simple way that you can support the future of the Howie’s House, and continue care for transplant patients and families. Bequests can be a percentage of the
remainder of your estate or a specific dollar amount. If you already have prepared a will, you can simply add a codicil amending it to include the Howie’s House.
IS YOUR WILL DUE FOR AN UPDATE?
Here area few reasons that individuals or couples may need to update their will:
• A change in marital status
• The birth or adoption of a child or grandchild
• The death of an individual included in your will
• Retirement or relocation to another state
• A change in assets
• The start of a new business
• New tax laws
ALREADY INCLUDED THE FAMILY HOUSE IN YOUR WILL?
Let us know so we can celebrate with you now! Enjoy recognition today as a Legacy Society member. Donors who notify us that they have made arrangements for planned gifts will be recognized as members of our prestigious Legacy Society. Visit www.GiftofLifeFamilyHouse.org for more information.
TO DISCUSS MAKING A PLANNED GIFT TO GIFT OF LIFE FAMILY HOUSE OR IF YOU HAVE ALREADY NAMED US IN YOUR WILL, please contact Sara Cohen, Development Manager at 267-546-9812 or email scohen@giftoflifefamilyhouse.org. Please consult your attorney, tax advisor or financial advisor before making a bequest or updating your estate plan.
Valerie Guerin has been thinking and praying about hearts for a very long time. When she was 20 weeks pregnant, Valerie and her husband, Mark, learned that their baby girl, Cora, was missing her entire left ventricle. The condition is known as Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS).
From the moment she was born, Cora underwent multiple surgeries to enable her heart to pump enough oxygen-rich blood through her body to sustain her. Though she had a rough start in life, she thrived. She loved to run and go horseback riding, learned to play the piano, and was a wonderful big sister to her bother, Stephen, and sister, Amelie.
When Cora turned 10, it became harder for her to breathe and she was listed for a heart transplant. In spite of this, Cora continued to participate in an after-school club, Character Strides, which incorporates character building and life skills into a running program.
It was difficult for Cora to understand how she could compete in the club’s 3-mile race and still need a heart transplant. That summer Cora was in and out of the hospital and doctors were contemplating putting her on a ventricular assist device (VAD) to buy her time until a new heart became available. During that hospitalization, Cora received a heart transplant and miraculous second chance at life thanks to a charitable act by a donor family. Now 11, Cora received the gift of life nearly a year after she last ran. She’s looking forward to running again soon.
Valerie and her family live in Connecticut where she is a stay-at-home mom. She made the decision to stop working in order to devote herself to managing Cora’s care. Now the mother of three, she describes motherhood as, “The best job I’ve ever known, with three wonderful little employers and a great colleague.”
Though Cora’s heart transplant was successful, the process wasn’t easy. She endured setbacks that kept her in the hospital for over two months. Thankfully Cora’s siblings, and other family members, were able to stay close by at the Howie’s House.
“When Cora was well enough that Mark or I could leave her bedside, we got to spend time at the Howie’s House with Steve and Amee, which meant a lot to us,” says Valerie.
On January 11th, Cora was discharged to the Howie’s House. “I loved the proximity to the hospital of the Howie’s House and the fact that we could focus on Cora’s recovery there,” explains Valerie. “It was wonderful that I didn’t have to bring her to crowded public places. We appreciated the volunteers who came in to cook and those who allowed Cora to cook with them.”
Cora says she also enjoyed visits with the therapy dogs who regularly visit the Howie’s House while her own dog, Waggles, who she rescued, waited patiently for her to return home. She and Valerie also enjoyed getting haircuts from the stylist who visited the Howie’s House.
Adds Valerie, “The Howie’s House is a safe, comfortable place to recuperate and a really great transition to home. We went from the structure of hospitalization to the freedom to relax — when not running to appointments.”
Four weeks after Cora came to stay at the Howie’s House, she and her family got the good news that she could go home.
Mother and daughter have shared lots of hugs throughout the transplant journey. “I admire the way she’s always taking care of me,” says Cora.
Valerie’s wish for Mother’s Day: “That we can stay together as a family and not have to be separated again.”
Mother’s Day, May 14th, is just around the corner. To show your love this Mother’s Day, please consider making a gift to the Howie’s House. In return, we will mail our beautiful commemorative Mother’s Day card on your behalf to your special mother, spouse, sister, aunt, or friend. Learn more here: http://
Merida Bourjolly and her 16-year-old daughter, Yani Barrow, are two peas in a pod. They both laugh easily and are often told they look and sound alike. They have been through many difficult moments during the past three years as Merida underwent kidney dialysis and then transplant. And yet they remain upbeat and inspire those around them.
Though Merida was born with two healthy kidneys, at three weeks old she developed a kidney infection and her left kidney had to be removed. Three years ago, during a routine doctor visit, she was told that her right kidney was failing. Not long after, she was listed for a kidney transplant. Merida received the gift of life in early December.
Merida’s laugh and smile helped Yani throughout their ordeal. “She has positive energy around her,” says Yani. “I want to be around people like my mom. I try to take her positivity with me to school.”
Merida credits the Howie’s House with helping her maintain her optimistic outlook.
“I felt no negativity there, nothing but encouragement to feel better and to get well. There’s so much love that you experience from the staff, from volunteers who come to cook for us, and those who shuttle us to the hospital.”
Merida continues, “You can’t help but feel happy during your stay. I was never scared or felt like I was far from home — particularly due to the staff. They went out of their way to make us comfortable,” adds Merida. “They were an important part of my care, recovery and well being.”
Yani is studying ballet and modern dance at the prestigious Frank Sinatra School of the Arts High School in New York City. Merida is a cosmetologist and has her own salon where she encourages her clients to pursue a healthy lifestyle. She continued to work three days a week while undergoing dialysis. Merida and Yani would leave their home in Queens at 5:30 in the morning so that Yani could catch a bus and two trains to school and Merida could make it to dialysis early and be home to help Yani with her homework. During Yani’s school breaks, she went with Merida to dialysis so she could see firsthand what her mother was going through.
Merida coped with cold extremities, pain, and cramping brought on by many hours of dialysis, which she needed to stay alive while she waited for a kidney to become available. Regardless of her discomfort, she went to all of Yani’s dance recitals and school meetings.
Yani explains, “God blessed my mother to have this positivity. When I had a show or a meeting, and her muscles were cramping and her body was hurting because of dialysis, instead of her saying ‘No, I don’t feel good,’ she’d always say, ‘I’ll be there.’” In 2015, during her sophomore year, Yani asked Merida if she could be in a pageant. She thought it would help build her confidence. Merida agreed. Yani competed first at the state level in the Miss New York Junior Teen pageant, where she was among the top 10 finalists, first runner-up for talent, and second runner-up for modeling. Her success qualified her to go to the National American Miss pageant in California, where she also did well. These were remarkable achievements, especially since she was new to such competitions. Merida arranged to get dialysis while she was in California, so she could be there to coach Yani and do her hair and makeup.
“I couldn’t have done it without her. She’s a really strong woman. I can’t believe how strong she is.” says Yani.
Merida stayed at the Howie’s House for two months while she was recovering from transplant surgery, with family members coming in from as far as Haiti to be at her side. She credits the healing environment there for her peace of mind. “It allowed me to not have to think of the things that I would have to think of if I was home. It allowed me the comfort of being able to go to the hospital using the shuttle services. The shuttle drivers wanted to know how I was feeling. The social worker wanted to know how I was feeling. The staff really looks out for you and your needs.”
“Staying at the Howie’s House also allowed me to grow spiritually. I experienced a lot of things that I wouldn’t have gotten the chance to otherwise, like hearing the stories of the people who volunteer there and why they come there to give back.” “I’ve made so many friends at the Howie’s House, people I would not have otherwise been able to get to know or to hear their stories. That was huge for me. Finding out about their transplants and how it affected them and their families. It really was a growing experience for me to be there.”
The affordability of the Howie’s House also provided peace of mind for Merida, a single mother. “It was very important to me, knowing that I’m self-employed and was going to have to stop working during my recovery process. Not having to stay in a hotel was really major for me. Then to find out how affordable the Howie’s House made it for us was really a blessing to our family.”
Have you ever wondered how the people and charities you care about will fair when you are no longer here to help them? A good way to make certain that your values live on is by writing down what’s important to you. Another is by making provisions in your estate plan to ensure your charitable support continues. By including the Howie’s House in your will/bequest you can help to ensure that the Howie’s House is able to maintain their affordable fees and broad array of services for all who need support— now and in the future. It is an easy and simple way that you can support the future of the Howie’s House, and continue care for transplant patients and families. Bequests can be a percentage of the remainder of your estate or a specific dollar amount. If you already have prepared a will, you can simply add a codicil amending it to include the Howie’s House.
IS YOUR WILL DUE FOR AN UPDATE? Here are a few reasons that individuals or couples may need to update their will:
- A change in marital status
- The birth or adoption of a child or grandchild
- The death of an individual included in your will
- Retirement or relocation to another state
- A change in assets
- The start of a new business
- New tax laws
ALREADY INCLUDED THE FAMILY HOUSE IN YOUR WILL? Let us know so we can celebrate with you now! Enjoy recognition today as a Legacy Society member. Donors who notify us that they have made arrangements for planned gifts will be recognized as members of our prestigious Legacy Society. Visit www.GiftofLifeFamilyHouse.org for more information.
TO DISCUSS MAKING A PLANNED GIFT TO GIFT OF LIFE FAMILY HOUSE OR IF YOU HAVE ALREADY NAMED US IN YOUR WILL, please contact Sara Cohen, Development Manager at 267-546-9812 or email scohen@giftoflifefamilyhouse.org.
Please consult your attorney, tax advisor or financial advisor before making a bequest or updating your estate plan.
Support the Adopt-A-Family Program. Consider making a tax-deductible gift to the Adopt-A-Family Program – each $40 contribution helps support one night of lodging for a family staying at the Howie’s House who cannot afford the nightly fee. You can contribute to sponsor one night, two nights, a weekend or more. Gifts of any level are meaningful.
Host an Event! From golf outings to intimate dinners in your home, there are countless ways you, your family, and friends can fundraise for the Howie’s House. Fundraising events are also a great way to reconnect with family and friends and remember or celebrate a loved one while supporting our important mission.
Become a Home Cook Hero! Groups of up to 10 people can provide, prepare (on or off-site) and serve a meal to guests staying at the Howie’s House. Enjoy cooking in our fully equipped kitchen as well as seeing the impact of your service on our families first-hand.
Host a Wish List Drive! Keeping the Howie’s House stocked with basic home necessities – such as food, toiletries, and pantry items – requires a lot of donated items. This is an excellent activity to involve your family, company, religious group, or friends. You can also collect grocery store gift cards to keep our refrigerators stocked with the things we run out of most – milk, eggs, and butter! The Howie’s House is also in need of gas cards to keep our free shuttle service operational – transporting patients and families to and from local hospitals each day.
Join the Legacy Society for Planned Giving. By making a “planned gift” – a gift through your estate – you can ensure the future success of Gift of Life Howie’s House and have the satisfaction of knowing that your values will live on through the loving care we provide.
Be a Corporate Partner. Through volunteerism, sponsorship, grants and program support, hundreds of corporations have partnered with Gift of Life Howie’s House to support transplant patients and their families. In return, corporations receive unique recognition, brand visibility through our various communications tools and social media platforms as well opportunities for employee team building events and ways to engage and reconnect with clients. If your business or corporation is interested in supporting programs or other initiatives at Gift of Life Howie’s House, we would be happy to help create a mutually beneficial partnership.
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