We were thrilled to travel to Charlotte, NC, this month to partner with our friends at Chatham Financial on an extra-special Bags of Hope project.
Since 2018, we’ve gathered friends, sponsors, and supporters to participate in Bags of Hope with us to gift small gestures and joy to individuals and families facing hospitalization and hard times.
Inspired by the experiences of Kelly L Green, our Executive Director, as she cared for her mother in the hospital over Christmas Day some years ago, we come together to fill bags with simple necessities, fun toys, an encouraging card, and information about Help Hope Live.
These small but meaningful gestures remind patients they are not alone.
Below, Kelly shares her reflections on this month’s moment of hope with Chatham Financial and our Board Member Kaushika “KK” Kansara.
Kelly’s Bags of Hope Recap
I’ve been part of a lot of meaningful moments in my work, but there are some that quietly stay with you long after the room empties. Charlotte was one of those moments.
What started as a simple team-building event with our incredible partners at Chatham Financial became something much deeper.
Around a conference table, a group of professionals slowed down, leaned in, and chose to do something that matters. Not performative. Not transactional. Just… human.
We talked about what it really feels like to be in a hospital or rehab center for days, weeks, sometimes months. The isolation. The waiting. The quiet moments that feel heavier than anyone prepares you for.
And then…we got to work.
Hands moving. Conversations shifting. People carefully choosing items, blankets, socks, puzzles, handwritten notes, each one placed with intention into what would become a “Bag of Hope.”
Not just things. Signals. Reminders that someone out there is thinking about you.
Because that’s what this really is.
Sometimes hope doesn’t arrive as a breakthrough. Sometimes it shows up quietly, reminding you that you are not alone.
What struck me most in Charlotte wasn’t just what we created…it was what surfaced.
In the middle of it all, one participant quietly shared his own personal health care journey. Another mentioned that a close family member had just been diagnosed with a condition we support, and now, they will be able to connect them to real help, real direction, and real relief.
This is how it happens. Not through marketing campaigns or headlines, but through moments of trust.
The next day, we delivered those bags to Atrium’s transplant center. And even there, the ripple continued.
A nurse we met had never heard of Help Hope Live. She told us she often sees families turn to GoFundMe because they don’t know another way, and you could feel the shift when she realized there is another option. One that is trusted, guided, and built to protect and support families through some of the hardest times of their lives.
That moment, and her relief, matters.
To me, Bags of Hope represents more than a care package: it’s a catalyst.
To the Charlotte team: Thank you for showing up with heart. To KK: Thank you for leading with purpose and creating space for this experience. And to every person who packed a bag, shared a story, or made a connection…
You didn’t just build bags. You created impact that will keep moving long after this day.
Hope isn’t just what we deliver. It’s what we unlock in each other.
Amplifying Impact with Chatham Financial
As KK shared, the Bags of Hope mission made a special impact on the Chatham Financial team:
“When individuals are in the hospital or a rehabilitation center for an extended period, their days can feel long and lonely. With the help of supporters like CF, we can provide them with care packages to brighten their day, offer encouragement, and let them know they are not alone. The team also wrote uplifting positive messages on cards that were placed in the bags.”
KK and the team then took their support to the next level:
“On behalf of the CLT Office, we applied for a grant from the Chatham Financial Foundation, and we awarded $1,000 to Help Hope Live to continue and support their cause.”
Community-Led Hope for Transplant Families: Keith’s Story
Joining us for this special celebration was Nicole Henry, wife of Help Hope Live client Keith Henry.
Keith and his family learned insurance would cover just 65% of the cost of a life-saving transplant for Keith. They turned to Help Hope Live thanks to a social worker’s recommendation in 2021.
Keith and Nicole’s son KJ supported the fundraising campaign in Keith’s honor with video, social media, and fundraiser events. They spread the word far and wide about Keith’s community impact and his need for help.
As they reached out, they were backed by our one-on-one transplant fundraising help and our trusted nonprofit status.
Their community raised over $100,000 for Help Hope Live in Keith’s honor, and Keith received a successful transplant thanks to a selfless living donor.
As Keith has returned to the job he loves, coaching football, he and his family have spread Help Hope Live’s mission as proud Ambassadors.
KJ is now a Super Bowl-winning NFL player who has held football camps, attended our fundraisers, and even donned Help Hope Live cleats in an NFL game.
We are honored that Nicole joined us for Bags of Hope to share her story and why our mission matters.
