Our HOPE is Real: Jay’s HOPE COVID-19 Update

Dear Friends, 

The Jay’s HOPE staff and our Board of Directors would like to let our supporters know how we are responding to the coronavirus (COVID-19). As an organization that works closely with some of the most vulnerable in our society, we are taking our responsibility to help slow the spread of this virus very seriously. Most of the kiddos we serve are extremely susceptible to COVID-19 due to being immune-compromised from cancer treatments. We are committed to doing everything possible to protect our patients, their families, and our local community. 

After much prayer and discussion, we have decided to cancel all of our spring social events for our Jay’s HOPE families. This includes our Easter Egg Hunt, Mom’s Bible Study, and Farm Day. We have also decided to cancel our largest spring fundraiser, the Blind Wine Tasting. While this decision will inevitably impact our funding, our obligation to the families and community we serve is our top priority. 

In just one week, we have already seen the effects of this pandemic on our Jay’s HOPE families. Many of our parents are hourly employees whose employers have been forced to temporarily close or to limit their hours. Siblings are home from school, and our parents are trying to juggle doctor’s appointments, inpatient hospital stays, and now, homeschooling. And of course, there is the added expense of having everyone home for three meals a day.

Our families have also been struggling to find essential supplies such as masks, gloves, hand sanitizers, and disinfecting products. Being able to protect their immune-compromised children and disinfect their surroundings is critical to their children’s health at all times. Not being able to find these essentials has been devastating. Jay’s HOPE has been able to assist with groceries, meals, rides to appointments, and help with schoolwork. Also, with your generous support, we were able to deliver “Coronavirus Survival Kits” that included masks, gloves, and disinfecting supplies.

Even during these challenging times, our mission doesn’t stop: to give HOPE, relieve burdens, and provide direct support to families affected by childhood cancer. The love and generosity of our supporters mean the world to our families. We couldn’t do what we do without you! 

There is so much we do not know right now. The unsettling circumstances we all face are so real, but I am reminded again and again that our HOPE is real too. Keep the faith, my friends. While I am unsure how this story ends, I am confident that our God is already using it for good and for His glory. 

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” —Romans 15:13 

In HOPE,

Cindy