Ada Morava is a member of the Publicity Committee
Everything Carolina For The Kids does truly is For the Kids. Whether it is dressing up as superheros when visiting UNC Children’s Hospital, to raising over $500,000 in support of them and their families. It is no secret CFTK strives to go above and beyond For the Kids—it’s in our name, it’s in our mission statement, it’s in our hearts. Yet, as we look up to these strong and courageous kids, they are looking up to someone, too. When the going gets tough and they need a hand to hold, someone to kiss their booboos, or the warmest and loving hugs on this planet, they turn to their families.
As an organization, we recognize that life for parents does not stop when a child goes to the hospital. Work still needs to be done and bills still need to be paid. On top of worrying for their child, they are worrying about keeping a home together for their son or daughter to come back to. As they hold their child’s hand and tell them “it’ll all be okay,” Carolina For The Kids wants to do the same for them. While we lend support in many ways, one of the most significant is though Parents’ Night Out.
Parents’ Night Out, or PNO, has been around for about 10 years, and is CFTK’s second longstanding grant (next to our For The Kids Fund). Every Tuesday, we send student volunteers to serve and deliver a free, hot meal to the patients and families of UNC Children’s Hospital.
So, what makes this so important? Well, for some families this is possibly the only meal that they eat that day. Many of these family members have been cooped up in the hospital for days at a time, and sometimes eating is the last thing on their mind when their child is hospitalized. Or rather, they don’t want to leave their child’s side to go get food. Families can opt to have their food delivered, so our volunteers make a plate and take it to them. This allows them to remain at their child’s bedside. It also is one less thing to worry about financially as food expenses can add up.
PNO also strives to create a sense of community. When the families walk through the door, volunteers greet them with the warmest smiles. We provide more than just a plate of food—we provide a meal that was prepared and served with love. A meal that is warm and filling, giving them some physical strength if they haven’t eaten a thing all day. We provide a place of comfort and care. We provide a place where they can sit down, rejuvenate, and take a breather for a couple of minutes before returning to their child. We provide a place to meet other families going through similar experiences. They can share stories with people who know exactly what they are going through. We provide an open and safe environment for their troubles and stories.
Yes, we would do anything For The Kids—including making sure their #1 fans are comforted, supported, and fed.
As an organization, we recognize that life for parents does not stop when a child goes to the hospital. Work still needs to be done and bills still need to be paid. On top of worrying for their child, they are worrying about keeping a home together for their son or daughter to come back to. As they hold their child’s hand and tell them “it’ll all be okay,” Carolina For The Kids wants to do the same for them. While we lend support in many ways, one of the most significant is though Parents’ Night Out.
Parents’ Night Out, or PNO, has been around for about 10 years, and is CFTK’s second longstanding grant (next to our For The Kids Fund). Every Tuesday, we send student volunteers to serve and deliver a free, hot meal to the patients and families of UNC Children’s Hospital.
So, what makes this so important? Well, for some families this is possibly the only meal that they eat that day. Many of these family members have been cooped up in the hospital for days at a time, and sometimes eating is the last thing on their mind when their child is hospitalized. Or rather, they don’t want to leave their child’s side to go get food. Families can opt to have their food delivered, so our volunteers make a plate and take it to them. This allows them to remain at their child’s bedside. It also is one less thing to worry about financially as food expenses can add up.
PNO also strives to create a sense of community. When the families walk through the door, volunteers greet them with the warmest smiles. We provide more than just a plate of food—we provide a meal that was prepared and served with love. A meal that is warm and filling, giving them some physical strength if they haven’t eaten a thing all day. We provide a place of comfort and care. We provide a place where they can sit down, rejuvenate, and take a breather for a couple of minutes before returning to their child. We provide a place to meet other families going through similar experiences. They can share stories with people who know exactly what they are going through. We provide an open and safe environment for their troubles and stories.
Yes, we would do anything For The Kids—including making sure their #1 fans are comforted, supported, and fed.