10 years of gratitude and hope….
2020 marked Compass to Care’s 10-year Anniversary! WHAT AN AMAZING MILESTONE!!! For ten years all of our energy went into building an impactful organization that was making a difference each day in the lives of children with cancer. So we were truly looking forward to having this moment, this year, to celebrate our children, their parents, our donors, our Board & Associate Members, our employees, our grantors, and everyone who had helped us reach this memorable milestone…..
ENTER COVID! Panic. Shutdown, Stay-at-home orders. Working from home. Events and celebrations all going virtual. Masks on. Staying six feet away from everyone. And still helping children with cancer travel to treatment.
While many things externally were trying to steal our focus, we had to keep our eye on our mission because children with cancer had to continue traveling for treatment, even while the rest of the world was shutting down.
With your help, support, flexibility, and commitment to our children, our 10-year-anniversary year was an amazing success!!! We are excited to share some highlights with you!
2020 marked the 10-year anniversary of Compass to Care. Over the past 10 years Compass to Care has helped over 500 children and their parents as they traveled in hope of a childhood cancer cure.
The Dubuque Annual Breakfast Benefit went virtual. Our annual benefit, held in Dubuque, is the kick off to our events throughout the year. It happened to be scheduled right at the start of COVID-19 when everything went on lockdown. We quickly transitioned this special morning into a BRING YOUR OWN BREAKFAST (BYO Breakfast) virtual benefit. Families from across the U.S. joined us virtually to share their stories. A proton therapy social worker also spoke about the relief we bring to families in need. And while it certainly wasn’t the same as sharing a meal with our strongest supporters, it was a meaningful way to share our mission and raise funds to help our children on their cancer journeys.
Northwestern University Dance Marathon chose Compass to Care as their 2021 primary beneficiary! Each year NUDM chooses one charity to support via its year-long fundraising efforts. After six years of applying, and an exhausting month of interviews, we officially became the 2021 NUDM Beneficiary! This is a life-changing opportunity for our organization because the goal is to raise $1 million to support our mission by March 7, 2021. Check out their REVEAL video!
The Quaranteam for Kids with Cancer was a huge success! With runners participating from around the country, we held our most successful 5K to date! The perfect weather for race week, and the ability to run or walk with your friends where ever you wanted, turned out to be the perfect summer activity! And it was a great social-distance activity that gave our participants an opportunity to support children as they traveled to cancer treatment.
We moved! After spending 6 years at our cozy office in the Edison Park neighborhood of Chicago, we moved just a few blocks away. Our new office, located at 6323 N Avondale Ave, has given our team the space to work collectively, and safely, as we expand our mission to reach every child in the U.S. braving cancer.
Our third virtual event, Paving the Pathway to Hope, proved to be another special night. With the help of our sponsors, and donations to our silent auction, we were able to create a special night at home while we celebrated our children, their families, and 10 years of laying one brick at a time on their journey towards a cure.
We ended 2020 with our families traveling over 156,000 miles! Over the past ten years, we have helped children and their families travel more than 2 MILLION MILES!
As we reflect on 2020, we hold gratitude in our hearts. This year was one where our supporters, many of whom were facing their own struggles, continued to stand by our side. You continued to give from your heart to families who needed help as their children fought cancer. We are so grateful for you, your flexibility, your generosity, and for being a beacon of hope during the darkest days.
As we look toward 2021, we hold that hope in our hearts. We hope for a world without the COVID pandemic. We hope for opportunities to connect with one another, beyond the screens of our computers. We hope for the opportunity to continue being the liaison between your generous support and children and families who need help on their cancer journeys. We also continue holding onto hope that one day all children will survive this terrible disease.
We will continue to be part of this survival by helping children access life-saving cancer treatment. You can continue to be a part of their survival too. Click HERE to donate today.