You Make Childhood Possible Today and a Cure Possible Tomorrow

“At The Children’s Inn, we are a partner in hope with families, a partner in discovery with the NIH, and above all, we are a part of the cure.”- Jennie Lucca, Inn CEO

The Power of Childhood Meets the Power of Research

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is a place where people come in search of answers for their children’s tough medical conditions; answers that could impact their lives and, maybe someday, the lives of those you love. And while these brave children participate in NIH trials that change the face of medicine for the entire world, they stay at The Children’s Inn. More than 1,700 children and their families call The Inn “A Place Like Home” each year, as they battle life-threatening illnesses together.

These families look to you and The Inn to keep childhood alive for their daughter or son who endure grueling medical schedules and uncertain futures. But the critical support of our donors allows us to provide compassionate services and programs and thoughtful community spaces for the entire family, creating many happy childhood memories during extraordinary circumstances.  

Partners in Hope 

For the children who stay at The Inn, the decision to participate in an NIH clinical trial is often their last, best hope. It’s at this critical moment in a child’s treatment that The Inn community comes together to take care of the little things, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, so families can focus on the big ones: keeping their sick child happy, making time for themselves, and supporting one another.

Since The Inn opened its doors in 1990, we have supported more than 14,700 children and their families from all 50 states and 94 countries. At the end of a long, hard day, we welcome our families “home” into the vibrant community that is The Inn. Bright, spacious kitchens host nightly family dinners, where our residents share and listen to each other’s stories of joy and strength. Our children run from the game room (an Inn favorite), to the teen lounge, to the cozy bistro, where they can just be kids- and laugh, and play, and build friendships that will last a lifetime.

But our vision encompasses so much more. Because each member of every family with a sick child needs support, our programs are available to siblings, parents, and caregivers. As the generosity of our community has grown, we have expanded to offer more than 1,400 recreational, educational, and therapeutic activities each year that let families experience the joys of everyday life- like exploring exhibits at the Smithsonian or turning the frustration of illness into art in one of our many creative classes.

Jordan’s Story

Jordan, 8, loves playing with his friends, toy trains and running around with his pet dachshunds. But over time, the way Jordan walks and runs changed, and it became difficult for him to do his favorite activities. Alarmed, his parents took him to the doctor. The diagnosis was devastating.

Giant Axonal Neuropathy (GAN) is a highly rare degenerative disorder similar to ALS. There is no cure or treatment available for GAN. But Jordan’s mother wasn’t ready to give up. She signed Jordan up for a clinical trial at NIH that uses gene therapy in an attempt to stop the disease from progressing.

Jordan visits the NIH in Bethesda, Maryland, regularly for treatment and checkups. Each visit lasts several days to a week and sometimes longer. But thanks to The Children’s Inn at NIH, the family doesn’t have to worry about accommodations, food or activities. Everything they need is provided for free by The Children’s Inn, located conveniently across the street of the NIH Clinical Center on the NIH campus.

And thanks to The Inn, Jordan enjoys coming to the NIH. That’s because his frequent medical trips mean he gets to play Bingo with his friends at The Inn, snuggle with Zilly, The Inn’s therapy dog, participate in therapeutic horseback riding, art activities, monthly themed parties and more.

Jordan is one of more than 1,700 children who stay at The Children’s Inn every year to seek help and hope in a clinical trial at NIH – help they cannot find anywhere else. But The Children’s Inn cannot do this without your support. Please help children like Jordan and their families by supporting The Children’s Inn with your CFC contribution. Every dollar you give helps children like Jordan participate in groundbreaking clinical trials that can help children now and generations to come. Every dollar makes a difference!

The families you support are just like Jordan’s. It is in their own words that we truly understand how your collective giving is changing the world.

Partners in Discovery

The NIH, the world’s premier biomedical research institution, makes discoveries that saves lives, like the bone marrow transplants that cure sickle cell disease, the treatments that made AIDS a chronic condition, or the advent of chemotherapy and immunotherapy. These discoveries are the first steps to eradicating diseases, easing pain, and making better lives possible.

But none of these breakthroughs would be possible without the people who drive them- the courageous children who become medical pioneers through their participation in NIH trials; the loving families and caregivers who endure sleepless nights and hectic days to provide their child unwavering support; and the world renowned NIH clinicians and staff who, without their expertise and determination, these groundbreaking medical discoveries would not be made.

This is the community The Children’s Inn supports and when we all work together, we make childhood possible today and a cure possible tomorrow.  

Partners in Philanthropy

Although located on the NIH campus, The Children’s Inn is not a government agency and we must receive a majority of our funding from private philanthropy. So none of our work could happen without your generosity and the generosity of every donor.

A gift to The Inn can set change in motion. Just look at what your support can mean to children and their families battling life-threatening diseases:

• $500: Serves a Family Dinner, a favorite activity at The Inn, for 50 families
• $250: Provides one night of lodging and activities for a family at The Inn
• $100: Helps replace toys, books, and buy new DVD movies
• $50: Helps a family afford a week’s worth of groceries during their stay
• $25: Gives an international family a calling card to stay in touch with loved ones at home

With every gift you make, a sick child and their family will have a place to call home at The Inn as they receive revolutionary treatment from the NIH. Thank you for being our partners in hope and discovery!

Support The Children's Inn at NIH through your employee giving program:

As a donor, you can support The Children's Inn at NIH by donating to them through your employer’s workplace giving program (CFC#10324 if you're a military or federal employee participating in the Combined Federal Campaign). Payroll pledges made through employer-sponsored charitable giving programs represent a cost effective and near effortless way to support your favorite charities.

As The Children's Inn at NIH's workplace giving partner, America’s Charities can help your company design and implement a program centered on supporting their work - through workplace giving campaigns, employee fundraising, cause-focused signature programs, volunteerism, donation drives, matching gifts, Dollars-for-Doers, In-Kind Giving and other employee engagement and philanthropic initiatives. Click here to request a demo and learn how we can help you do this.