UW Health Grants Program
In 2017, Friends provided $104,005 in grant funding to support 40 projects recommended by UW Health departments that directly benefit patients and their families. Through this annual grant program, Friends can meet the needs of patients that may not otherwise be covered by insurance or fund special projects that may fall outside the scope of a department’s regular budget. Examples include:
- Patient housing in area hotels and at the Ronald McDonald House
- Transplant patient and family assistance
- Otto Ostomy and Chester the Chest interactive patient teaching models
- Daily delivery of USA Today newspapers on inpatient breakfast trays
- Waiting room toys and activities at general pediatric clinics
- Stroke education kits to educate risk factors and prevention
- Spiritual care communication boards, a picture guide that allows patients to indicate their care needs nonverbally
- The "Busy Bee Cart" for the Pediatric Complex Care Program providing children with medical complexity and their siblings with accessible and fun activities during outpatient appointments
- CareFoam Chair to give older patients the freedom to leave their hospital rooms and interact with others while keeping them safe
- Palliative Care Comfort and Healing Toolbox, a variety of supplies for distraction, legacy building, comfort as well as grief bereavement
- Safe Sleep for Homeless Infants