It’s finally 2021! And we’re incredibly excited to kick off another amazing year of partnerships with Denver-area nonprofits through High 5 Plumbing Cares. During the month of January, we’ll be spotlighting the hope-giving, transformational work of our most recent nonprofit recipient, HopeKids Colorado.
HopeKids believes that “hope is a powerful medicine,” and we couldn’t agree more. We could all use a giant dose of hope in 2021.
What is HopeKids, and Who Do They Serve?
HopeKids serves families who have a child with a life-threatening medical condition like cancer, heart defects, muscular dystrophy, and cystic fibrosis. HopeKids walks alongside these families in their journey, providing them a community of support. They gather together families experiencing similar challenging situations in a space that’s safe and inclusive. Families enjoy an ongoing calendar of events like movies, concerts, live theatre, sporting events, and picnics in the park. And they’re 100% free.
HopeKids hosts over 350 events every year, and they’ll celebrate their five-year anniversary on February 1, 2021.
If you or someone you know has a child aged 0-18 with cancer or a life-threatening medical condition—a progressive, degenerative, or malignant condition that may jeopardize the child’s life—that child is eligible to become a HopeKid. Learn more about how to become a HopeKid here.
The HopeKids Impact
With a challenging medical diagnosis, many families feel the strain in their relationships at home and beyond. Siblings of the HopeKid may act out or begin dealing with depression and anxiety. Divorce rates among parents tend to be higher when a child is living with a life-threatening medical condition.
As such, we especially love that HopeKids serves the entire family. Siblings and parents get just as much care and attention as the family’s HopeKid, the child living with a medical condition. HopeKids realizes that everyone in the family is impacted by this medical diagnosis, so everyone in the family is treated equally.
Here’s a snapshot of some of the impacts HopeKids Colorado had in 2019 alone:
- 693 families were served
- 11,827 people attended HopeDay and HopeCommunity events
- 93% of HopeKids families agree that “being a part of HopeKids has reduced my family’s financial stress.”
- 87 different event partners provided 360 HopeKids events
High 5 Plumbing Marketing Manager Claire Doyle sat down with HopeKids Executive Director Howie Hutchinson to learn more about their mission and impact on the Denver community.
Check out the video below for a look inside HopeKids. Learn how they’re meeting the needs of Colorado families, and find out how you can help, too!
HopeKids is A Life Preserver
“HopeKids actually became a life preserver for us.”
That’s what one mom had to say about her family’s experience with HopeKids. Learn more about their story and her two boys who are living with cystic fibrosis in the video below.
HopeKids is Critical to Our Marriage
“Our marriage depends on HopeKids. It does. The kids depend on HopeKids.”
The Cerratos are a blended family who was struggling enormously prior to discovering HopeKids. Now, they can’t imagine their lives without this network of support and encouragement. Learn more in the video below.
Why Did High 5 Plumbing Cares Choose HopeKids as Its January 2021 Recipient?
We connect with our High 5 Plumbing Cares recipient organizations in a variety of ways, sometimes from a client recommendation, sometimes through the personal connections of our team. In the case of HopeKids, it was through a personal connection of High 5 Plumbing Cares founders Cassi and Levi Torres.
“We connected with HopeKids because one of mine and Levi’s close friends highly recommended them. After hearing about their mission and all the events they do, we knew we wanted to have High 5 Plumbing be a part of that, even if only in a small way. We figured they would be an amazing organization to kick off High 5 Plumbing Cares in 2021.”
— Cassi Torres, High 5 Plumbing Cares co-founder
How Is High 5 Plumbing Plumbing Supporting HopeKids?
High 5 Plumbing Cares is excited to support the life-altering work of HopeKids in a number of ways, in January and beyond.
- We’ll provide every High 5 Plumbing client served during the month of January with info on HopeKids and our support of their mission, including a brochure from HopeKids.
We’ll be promoting HopeKids right here on our blog and on social media throughout the month. - Every time you buy a hat or t-shirt from our High 5 Plumbing online shop during January, we’ll donate $4 to HopeKids.
- As is the case with all our High 5 Plumbing Cares recipients, we’ll deliver a donation check to HopeKids at the end of the month.
- When you purchase a High 5 Plumbing Club Membership during the month of January, we’ll donate $10 in your honor to HopeKids.
- We’ll also give back 1% of the revenue generated from the High 5 Plumbing Colorado truck during the month of January. That goes directly to HopeKids.
We’re incredibly moved by the impact HopeKids has on families and communities here in Colorado, and we’re honored to support them in 2021. Thanks for joining us in supporting them, too!
How Can I Support HopeKids?
HopeKids emphasizes that “time, talent, and treasure” are all integral to the success of the organization, especially as the five-year-old Colorado chapter develops into a more mature, robust, financially sound organization. (You can connect with the Colorado chapter of HopeKids here.)
HopeKids Colorado currently operates with a staff of just three individuals, so there’s always a need for manpower, as well as fresh ideas. As they continue to serve more and more families all over Colorado, the need for community support will only grow. HopeKids Colorado currently hosts over 350 events per year. In 2019 alone, volunteers donated 1,209 hours to HopeKids events and fundraisers.
There are several ways our community can support HopeKids, now and in the months and years to come.
Here are a few:
- Volunteer your time as an individual or as part of a group
- Pray for the kids and families of HopeKids
- Make an in-kind donation
- Make a one-time donation now
- Give monthly through Hope365 ($30 per month provides an unlimited calendar of free events for one family for an entire year)
- Explore other ways to give here
Additionally, you can spread the word about HopeKids by telling family and friends! Remember, if you or a loved one could benefit from becoming a part of HopeKids, visit this page to learn how to apply.
And you can follow them on Facebook and Instagram!
To learn more about HopeKids, visit hopekids.org.
Can I Nominate a Nonprofit I Love for High 5 Plumbing Cares?
If you’d like to nominate a nonprofit you care about, you can submit your nomination right here on the High 5 Plumbing Cares page. As always, thanks for your support of High 5 Plumbing Cares. We look forward to hearing about the organizations around town that you care about and would like us to spotlight!
