For the Kids Fund and Other Grants
The FTK Fund is the flagship grant of the Carolina For The Kids Foundation, which provides families with financial assistance for needs that are not covered by their medical insurance. We partner with a dedicated team of nurses, social workers, care management, and administrative staff at UNC Children’s to distribute this fund to families who need it. Assistance is provided for meal tickets, gas cards, and critical bill payments. The For the Kids Fund is CFTK’s most integral grant because it directly supports our mission of providing for the emotional and financial needs of the patients and families of UNC Children’s. When a child is hospitalized, we believe parents should focus on getting their child well, rather than worrying about getting to and from the hospital or how their bills at home are being paid in their absence. Since providing for these emotional and financial needs is of the utmost importance to CFTK, a “For the Kids” story is read at the conclusion of every CFTK meeting. FTK stories remind committee members and volunteers of the important work they are doing and the difference they are making in the lives of the patients and families of UNC Children’s.
In addition to the For the Kids Fund, Carolina for the Kids also sponsors many other grants and research! Read all about them here! |
Bagel Brunch
Carolina For The Kids made a shift this year from our pre-Covid Parent's Night Out to a twice monthly Bagel Brunch. After the pandemic Carolina For the Kids worked tirelessly with the hospital to be able to safely re-enter the hospital and serve the families of UNC Children's without putting any children or families at a health risk. In doing so we have revamped a few of our programs to best serve the community.
Carolina for the Kids worked with an amazing local business, "Brandwein's Bagels", to bring a Bagel Brunch to UNC Children's twice monthly in the 2023-2024 school year. This new program allowed for members of the club to serve families going through tough times a warm meal and be a support system for not only the families, but the nurses and doctors on the floor's too. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but with rounds, updates, and procedures all happening often in the mornings many families don't have the time to go out and find a meal. Through bringing in this brunch bi-weekly Carolina For the Kids aimed to provide these families with sustenance and support to make it through the day ahead of them without having to worry about leaving those that they care most about. |
Critical Program Areas
The Ronald McDonald House
We support the Ronald McDonald House of Chapel Hill through funding and preparing meals, organizing donation drives, and through other grants towards additions, maintenance, and expansion of the House. The Children’s Play Atrium Through the assistance of Carolina FTK, the Pediatric Play Atrium on the 7th floor of N.C. Children’s Hospital is able to stay open for extended hours so that children can leave their hospital rooms and play. The Pediatric Play Atrium is an accessible playspace for kids to enjoy and forget that they are hospitalized. CFTK student volunteers visit the Play Atrium and bring crafts to interact with patients. The Carolina For The Kids Grant and Carolina For The Kids Research Grants CFTK has had the special opportunity to help fund critical research and non-research projects to improve the healthcare outcomes of children impacted by UNC Children’s. These grants have allowed faculty at UNC Children’s to supplement care, bring play and joy to child patients, and test new treatment methods for children at UNC to help them heal faster. (See PDF above for more details!) Parent Sleeper Sofas In previous years, the Carolina For The Kids Foundation has funded 10 new parent sleeper couches for inpatient rooms on two floors of N.C. Children’s Hospital. These beds allow parents to sleep comfortably in their child’s room so that they do not have to leave their child’s bedside. |
Athletic Visits
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The patients and families at UNC Children's go through some of the most unimaginable stress that a family can endure. Carolina For The Kids uses our fund donations and volunteers to preform many services for the patients and families at UNC Children's, but our scope goes beyond that of money as we strive to help ease the emotional stress on families and help children be children no matter how sick they may be. Part of this emotional ease we have been able to achieve is with creating a space for the UNC Football team to come in and hang out with the children during their season. Carolina For The Kids brought in players from the UNC Football team during their season on Friday's before a Saturday home game. In these visits the patients and families got to meet some pretty amazing team members who came with gifts and cheer while they played with the children for hours. This fun break is amazing to see along with some of the best moments when these players really get to connect with patients and their families in the hospital and they come back week after week to hang out with their new friends. The children get to meet some of their favorite players, people they want to be when they grow up, and sometimes the players even create some new fans in the children and their families. #goheels
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Window Painting
Hospitals can sometimes be a scary place for children and for the parents whose kids are the patient, so our students work alongside UNC Children's Hospital to paint a little bit of joy on the windows of each of the patient's rooms. When children come into the hospital and see our designs like: leprechauns, jack-o-lanterns, areal, or even "little Olaf's" (snowmen) on their room there is a tiny spark of happiness. We love having that moment to bond with the patients and nurses on the floor when we come to change the design and hope that our little designs can help them feel more at home every day they are there.
Heel-o-ween
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This past school year we were able to bring back our first big event in the pediatric playroom: Heel-o-ween! The joy of getting to dress up and celebrate such a fun holiday when you are young should not be lost just because you are trying to get better, so we brought Halloween to the patients. Carolina For The Kids reached out to many Sports teams and Club teams at Carolina including Men's Lacrosse, club soccer, and more and they came to volunteer. We brought in crafts, games, and little toys to give out to the children since many are on strict diets and can't have sweet treats. The children got to come together and dress up in fun costumes with some really cool college students and celebrate the holiday!
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