Dream House for Medically Fragile Children
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2001 |
| Founder | Laura Moore |
| Headquarters | Lilburn, GA Georgia , |
| Website | www.dreamhouseforkids.org |
Dream House For Medically Fragile Children is an organization dedicated to dramatically reducing the number of medically fragile children in foster care while improving the quality of life for these children and their families. It is a tax-exempt 501c3 charitable nonprofit. It was founded by Laura O. Moore, its CEO.
History
In the fall of 2001, Laura O. Moore founded The Dream House for Kids, a non-profit organization dedicated to moving medically fragile children out of institutions[1] and to educate these children's families, caregivers, and communities about issues that affect them.[2] Moore was trained as a pediatric intensive care nurse.[3]
In December 2002 the organization was renamed the Dream House For Medically Fragile Children.
The organization ran an actual housing facility for medically fragile children, but it was forced to close in 2011 for financial reasons, leading to some of its wards being replaced into state custody. During the course of its existence, the actual Dream House had about 100 residents.[4]
Programs
The organization runs three programs, a "Weekend Retreat" respite program that "offers an opportunity where the children can feel at home, while their families can receive a much-needed break from the stress and exhaustion that comes from providing constant, around the clock care", a "Family for Keeps®" education and skills training program that "provides tailored instruction that teaches foster, adoptive and biological families, social work professionals and other caregivers how to provide safe and effective care for medically fragile children at home," and a "Bridging the Gap" program that is intended "to help foster, adoptive and biological families acquire health care supplies, home modifications, and equipment necessary to provide safe and accessible homes for their medically fragile children."[5]
Development
The nonprofit benefited from a 2007 fundraiser headlined by Atlanta Braves baseball player Jeff Francouer, involving Delta Air Lines' frequent flyer program, SkyMiles, donating the value of 25,000 Skymiles for each homerun hit by Francoeur during the season.[6] Delta Air Lines is headquartered in Atlanta.
In 2007, Moore was named a Volvo For Life Award category winner, garnering a $50,000 donation by Volvo to the charity.[7][8][9]
In 2007, Moore was named Gwinnett Magazine's Woman of the Year.[10]
In 2008, for her work in the nonprofit, founder Moore was named a finalist in the Health-Care Innovation section of the 2008 Atlanta Business Chronicle's "Health-Care Heroes Awards".[9][11]
By 2008, the organization had 18 staff, had raised more than $3 million, and had served 900 medically fragile children throughout Georgia.[9]
Its required filing for 2012 shows that the organization achieved revenues over one million dollars in 2010-2011, and had assets of $585,000 and net assets of 210,000 as of June 30, 2012. The report also states that the program would in the future change its program goal towards its weekend program.[12]
The organization was to hold an inaugural Valentine's dinner and dance as a fundraiser in Duluth, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta, on February 8, 2014.[13]
References
- ^ Linda Braden Albert (December 8, 2013). "New perspective: Purvis completes AT, learns life lessons along the way". The Daily Times (Marysville, TN).
Josh, a 2013 graduate of Alcoa High School, made the decision to hike the Appalachian Trail to raise awareness and encourage donations of funds for the Dream House for Medically Fragile Children Inc., a Georgia-based organization that addresses the special life-care needs for medically fragile children by preparing families and communities to safely and effectively care for them at home.
- ^ Susan Larson (October 12, 2013). "No shortage here of long-range vision". Gwinnett Daily Post.
While working as a pediatric nurse and seeing medically fragile children living for years in a hospital because their families had abandoned them, Moore woke up one morning with an actual dream that divinely inspired her to create the Dream House for Medically Fragile Children , where children are provided a opportunity to live in a loving environment. Dream House also educates families and caregivers in working with these children and works to increase public awareness of their situation.
- ^ "Dream House model helps kids, saves money". Atlanta Business Chronicle. May 28, 2007.
- ^ Tyler Estep (October 5, 2011). "'Dream home' for medically-fragile children closed". Gwinnett Daily Post.
A lack of funding has shuttered the windows of the home that often served as a saving grace for those children, essentially rescuing them from living in the hospital as they awaited a caring foster family. When the Dream House closed, some of those medically fragile children had to be put back into state custody.
- ^ "Programs". Dream House for Medically Fragile Children. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
- ^ "Francoeur home runs to help Dream House for Medically Fragile Children". Atlanta Business Chronicle. Jul 13, 2007.
- ^ "National Hero Award Recipient, Lilburn Woman Laura Moore, Helps Volvo Call All Georgia Heroes in the 6th Annual Volvo for life Awards". PR newswire. July 26, 2007.
- ^ Dan Roth (February 15, 2007). "Volvo for life Award finalists revealed, one will get a Volvo for life". AutoBlog.
- ^ a b c "Laura O. Moore bio" (PDF).
- ^ Gwinnett Magazine's Best Local Charities and Laura Moore - Woman of the Year (link not working, info not fully confirmed, as of 2/10/2014)
- ^ Martin Sinderman (May 12, 2008). "Setting standards of care for medically fragile". Atlanta Business Chronicle.
- ^ "Internal Revenue Service Form 990: Return of Organization Exempt from Tax: Dream House For Medically Fragile Children". Guidestar. November 13, 2012.
- ^ Meghan Kotowski (December 21, 2013). "Dream House to hold inaugural Valentine's dinner, dance". Gwinnett Daily Post.