Brent Eley Foundation

THE BRENT ELEY FOUNDATION (DBA BRENT'S PLACE) IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING SAFE-CLEAN, LONG-TERM HOUSING FOR FAMILIES AND CHILDREN WITH CANCER AND OTHER LIFE-THREATENING ILLNESSES WHILE THEY RECEIVE TREATMENT AT LOCAL HOSPITALS. IN ADDITION TO INDEPENDENT LIVING ACCOMMODATIONS, BRENT'S PLACE OFFERS A VARIETY OF UNIQUELY TAILORED PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY DESIGNED TO HELP IN THE HEALING PROCESS.

BRENT'S PLACE PROVIDES FAMILIES WITH A LOVED ONE IN A MEDICAL CRISIS WITH A WARM AND WELCOMING HOME AWAY FROM HOME AS WELL AS OPPORTUNITIES TO CREATE HAPPY MEMORIES THAT BUILD LOVE, TRUST, AND RESILIENCY. THIS FOUNDATION STRENGTHENS FAMILIES DURING TREATMENT - AND FOR A LIFETIME. OVER THE PAST YEAR, BRENT'S PLACE BROUGHT HOPE, COMFORT, COMMUNITY, AND PRACTICAL DAILY SUPPORT TO 278 FAMILIES NAVIGATING LIFE-THREATENING MEDICAL CRISES IN THE MIDST OF AN ONGOING GLOBAL PANDEMIC. SPECIFICALLY, BRENT'S PLACE PROVIDED:PHYSICAL SHELTER. THE COMFORT AND SAFETY THAT OUR PRIVATE, SAFE-CLEAN FAMILY APARTMENTS OFFER TO RESIDENTS IS IMMEASURABLE. WITHIN THESE SEE SCHEDULE O FOR CONTINUATION. UNIQUE HOMES, FAMILIES ARE ABLE TO NAVIGATE A HEALTH CRISIS TOGETHER, MAINTAIN A DAILY RHYTHM SUPPORTING THEIR UNIQUE NEEDS, TRADITIONS, AND VALUES, AND REST SECURELY IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THEIR LOVED ONE IS ALWAYS INTENTIONALLY PRIORITIZED. AT BRENT'S PLACE, RESIDENTS ARE ABLE TO FOCUS MORE FULLY ON OVERCOMING THEIR MEDICAL CHALLENGES AND PRESERVING THE STABILITY OF THEIR FAMILY UNIT RATHER THAN SPENDING THEIR LIMITED TIME AND ENERGY ON NAVIGATING HOUSING LOGISTICS AND THE FINANCIAL STRAIN THAT SHELTER COSTS WOULD NORMALLY ADD TO SUSTAINED MEDICAL CARE FAR FROM HOME. DURING A YEAR FILLED WITH UPS AND DOWNS RELATING TO THE ONGOING PANDEMIC - A FIERCE OPPONENT FOR FAMILIES ALREADY FIGHTING A BATTLE FOR RENEWED HEALTH - THE ABILITY TO REMAIN TOGETHER AT BRENT'S PLACE, WITHOUT ADDED FINANCIAL BURDEN, WAS TRULY INVALUABLE. INDIVIDUALIZED FAMILY SUPPORT. IN ADDITION TO SPECIALIZED ACCOMMODATIONS, BRENT'S PLACE WORKED TO ENSURE THAT EACH MEMBER OF THE RESIDENT FAMILY HAD ONGOING ACCESS TO CRITICAL SUPPORT PROGRAMMING. WHILE PROGRAM OFFERINGS CONTINUE TO EVOLVE IN RESPONSE TO CHANGING COVID-19 GUIDELINES AND THE RESULTANT LIMITATIONS ON IN-PERSON CONTACT WITH STAFF MEMBERS, VOLUNTEERS, AND OTHER BRENT'S PLACE RESIDENTS, THESE CHALLENGES DID NOT STOP US FROM OFFERING EXTENSIVE RESPITE CARE ADDRESSING A WIDE ARRAY OF PATIENT, CAREGIVER, SPOUSE, AND SIBLING NEEDS IN 2021. AS ALWAYS, EACH BRENT'S PLACE PROGRAM AND SUPPORT ACTIVITY WAS DESIGNED TO ALLEVIATE SPECIFIC SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, AND RECREATIONAL CHALLENGES FACED BY THE POPULATION OF RESIDENTS WE SERVE - WHETHER THESE DEMANDS RELATED TO THEIR DIAGNOSIS, DISTANCE FROM HOME, OR THE PANDEMIC. OUR PROGRAMS REMAINED TRANSFORMATIVE FOR BRENT'S PLACE RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. IN 2021, MORE THAN 90% OF BRENT'S PLACE FAMILIES RELOCATED 50+ MILES FROM HOME IN ORDER TO ACCESS LIFE-SAVING MEDICAL CARE FOR THEIR LOVED ONE; THEY HAILED FROM 17 STATES AND TWO DIFFERENT COUNTRIES; FIVE PARTNER HOSPITALS REFERRED THEM TO BRENT'S PLACE; AND MORE THAN 65% REPORTED A HOUSEHOLD INCOME OF LESS THAN $50,000. REGARDLESS, EACH AND EVERY RESIDENT REQUIRED SPECIALIZED, FAMILY-CENTERED HOUSING CAPABLE OF PROTECTING A FRAGILE IMMUNE SYSTEM FOR THE DURATION OF THE LENGTHY TREATMENT AND RECOVERY PROCESS. THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY ON OUR AURORA CAMPUS WAS 123 DAYS. WHILE CARING FOR AN ACUTELY ILL LOVED ONE IS CHALLENGING UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, DOING SO WITHOUT THE COMFORTS OF HOME CAN BE DEVASTATING. THANKFULLY, BRENT'S PLACE WAS AVAILABLE TO HELP FAMILIES WALK THROUGH THESE DIFFICULTIES WITH GREATER CONFIDENCE BY CONTINUING TO OFFER LONG-TERM, SAFE-CLEAN ACCOMMODATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT PROGRAMMING. WHILE THE CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE ONGOING COVID-19 CRISIS POSED NUMEROUS CHALLENGES IN 2021, THERE IS NO DENYING THAT BRENT'S PLACE WAS EXCEPTIONALLY SUCCESSFUL IN NAVIGATING THESE OBSTACLES, ENSURING THAT WE ARE STRATEGICALLY POSITIONED FOR CONTINUED GROWTH AND ACHIEVEMENT IN THE YEAR AHEAD AND BEYOND. WE ARE PROUD TO REPORT THAT BRENT'S PLACE SERVED, WITH EXCELLENCE, EACH OF THE 278 FAMILIES WHO CALLED BRENT'S PLACE HOME OVER THE COURSE OF 394 VISITS AND 18,083 ROOM NIGHTS LAST YEAR. AMONG BRENT'S PLACE'S GREATEST ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2021 WAS OUR ABILITY TO TRAVERSE A GROWTH TRAJECTORY, IN THE MIDST OF A GLOBAL PANDEMIC, WHILE CONTINUING TO PROVIDE TRULY REMARKABLE SERVICES TO A GREATER NUMBER OF RESIDENT FAMILIES. REACHING AN INCREASING NUMBER AND BROADER DEMOGRAPHIC OF CONSTITUENTS IS FOUNDATIONAL TO OUR ORGANIZATIONAL MISSION, AND, OVER THE COURSE OF 2021, BRENT'S PLACE WAS SUCCESSFUL IN LAYING A STRONG GROUNDWORK FOR EXPANSION WHILE OFFERING WORLD CLASS SERVICES TO EACH OF THE MANY FAMILIES WHO CALLED OUR FACILITIES HOME.WITH DIRECTION AND COLLABORATION FROM PARTNERING HOSPITALS AND MEDICAL ADVISORS, BRENT'S PLACE CONTINUED HONING A SET OF COVID-19 SAFETY GUIDELINES AND CLEANING PROCEDURES FOR OUR ALREADY MEDICALLY VULNERABLE AND IMMUNOCOMPROMISED POPULATION. A MULTI-TIERED GUIDE FOR STAFF, VOLUNTEER, AND VISITOR ACCESS TO THE BRENT'S PLACE CAMPUS, OUTLINING RESTRICTIONS AND ALLOWANCES FOR EACH POTENTIAL LEVEL OF COMMUNITY RISK, WAS EVALUATED REGULARLY BY OUR STAFF AND MEDICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND IMPLEMENTED WITH THE HEALTH AND NEEDS OF RESIDENT FAMILIES AT THE FOREFRONT. SUPPORT PROGRAMMING OPTIONS WERE CREATIVELY MODIFIED SO THAT THEY REMAINED ACCESSIBLE TO FAMILIES WITHIN SAFETY GUIDELINES. THESE PROGRAMMATIC CHANGES WERE ALSO REFLECTIVE OF THE EVOLVING NEEDS OF PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS DURING THE ONGOING PANDEMIC, AS THE DEGREE OF NECESSARY RESTRICTIONS AND PRECAUTIONS WAXED AND WANED OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR. IN 2021, BRENT'S PLACE CONTINUED TO FOCUS ON THE PROVISION OF INDIVIDUAL FAMILY SUPPORT ACTIVITIES IN LIEU OF TEMPORARILY RESTRICTED COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING. MUSIC THERAPY REMAINED ACCESSIBLE TO ANY INTERESTED RESIDENT, MEAL SERVICE CONTINUED UNINTERRUPTED DESPITE THE INABILITY OF VOLUNTEERS TO MAKE OR DELIVER FOOD, AND THE BRENT'S PLACE TEAM FLEXED THEIR CREATIVE MUSCLES TO DEVELOP COMMUNITY BUILDING ACTIVITIES (EX. A SOCIALLY DISTANCED OUTDOOR HALLOWEEN CELEBRATION) THAT ENCOURAGED SAFELY-DISTANCED PARTICIPATION. SEVERAL AREAS OF PROGRAMMATIC EXPANSION WERE NOTABLE. FIRST, THE ADDITION OF AN INNOVATIVE GRAB-AND-GO FOOD STATION, WHERE FAMILIES HAVE 24-7 ACCESS TO AN ASSORTMENT OF QUICK, FRESH FOODS. THIS SERVICE IS PARTICULARLY MEANINGFUL, AS FAMILIES REGULARLY NOTE FOOD AND MEAL SUPPORT AS THE MOST IMPACTFUL OF OUR SUPPORT PROGRAMS. ADDITIONALLY, BRENT'S PLACE BEGAN DEVELOPING A GROWING CATALOG OF ADULT-SPECIFIC RESPITE ACTIVITIES, AN EXCITING AREA OF DEVELOPMENT DESIGNED TO SUPPORT OUR EXPANDING POPULATION OF ADULT PATIENTS. IN 2021, THIS DEMOGRAPHIC REPRESENTED APPROXIMATELY HALF OF OUR RESIDENT PATIENTS FOR THE FIRST TIME. WE ARE EXTREMELY PROUD OF THE FLEXIBILITY, INNOVATION, AND COMPASSION THESE EFFORTS DISPLAYED. IN 2021, BRENT'S PLACE PROVIDED A TOTAL OF 466 ACTIVITIES TO A TOTAL OF 12,322 PARTICIPANTS. THEY INCLUDED: 3X/WEEKLY MEALS, ARTS AND CRAFTS, BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS, VIRTUAL COMMUNITY-WIDE EVENTS, MUSIC THERAPY, MEALS, EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FOR YOUNG PATIENTS AND THEIR SIBLINGS, HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES, ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT RESOURCES, AND MORE. NO FAMILY WENT UNTOUCHED BY THESE SUPPORT ACTIVITIES, WHICH BEGAN AS SOON AS THE CHECK-IN PROCESS WAS COMPLETE ON THEIR VERY FIRST DAY AND CONTINUED ON A DAILY BASIS UNTIL THEY RETURNED HOME. BRENT'S PLACE WORKED TIRELESSLY TO STAY TRUE TO OUR MISSION, REMAIN NIMBLE UNDER RAPIDLY CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES, AND KEEP THE SPECIFIC, UNIQUE NEEDS OF OUR VULNERABLE PATIENTS AND RESIDENT FAMILIES AS THE FOCUS OF OUR PROGRAMMING DURING A TIME OF COUNTLESS UNKNOWNS.