Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Hope & Healing Network?

The Hope & Healing Network is a community of generous individuals passionate about supporting causes dear to their hearts. This online fundraising platform allows you to set up customized fundraising pages online to benefit the University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital.

Who can join the Network?

Anyone who has a desire to host a fundraiser or to simply raise funds online in support of Comer Children’s is invited to join the Hope & Healing Network. Regardless of your fundraising goal or idea, everyone can make an impact!

I want to support a specific area of Comer Children’s (i.e. NICU, diabetes, cancer), is there a way to do this?

Of course! When you register and begin creating your Hope & Healing page, please select from a list of specific specialties or programs to donate toward. If you don’t see the area you’d like to support listed, please select other, and in the dialog box provide information describing your interests. Fundraisers can also support Comer Children’s generally. Unrestricted support is a great way to allow our experts to have the resources to delegate to the areas of most need.

I’m just getting started, what are some fundraising ideas?

  • Are you a runner? Consider raising money to support a race that you are planning to run. Whether it’s a 5K or a marathon, ask friends and family to support your efforts. Not sure which race to run? Consider joining patient families and supporters of Comer Children’s for the RBC Race for the Kids. The annual 5K/Walk supports groundbreaking research at Comer Children’s.
  • Celebrating a birthday or another milestone? In lieu of gifts, guests can make a donation in your honor!
  • Host a bowl-a-thon, golf tournament, or basketball tournament.
  • Need more ideas? Check out our resources page.

How can the Hope & Healing Network and the team at Comer Children’s help with your event?

Whether you’re planning a bowl-a-thon or a birthday party, we want your event to be a success. Our staff is here to help answer your questions.

Each fundraiser and fundraising page is unique, and Comer Children’s is happy to provide resources to you and your Hope & Healing page. Typically, we are able to provide:

  • A memorandum to validate the authenticity of the event
  • Permission to use our logo(s), when appropriate
  • Advice on fundraisers and events (e.g. timeline, raffle items)
  • Add your event to our calendar of activities on our website
  • Information about Comer Children’s and the research, education, and patient care initiatives taking place

Although we would like to help out in every way possible, given the volume of events, we don’t have the resources to accommodate every request. Some of the things we are not able to provide are:

  • Our sales tax exemption number
  • Insurance or liability coverage
  • Mailing list of other Comer Children’s donors and/or vendors
  • Funding or reimbursement for your expenses
  • Advertising/Promotion (newspaper, radio, television, etc.)

Who should I contact if I have any questions?

UChicago Medicine has a team of fundraisers that are available to answer your questions! Maggie Connelly is the Hope & Healing Network’s expert. Please feel free to contact her if you have any questions: 

Maggie Connelly
Assistant Director, Special Gifts
mconnelly@mbsd.uchicago.edu
773-834-0386