Ambitious New Twin Cities NonProfit Throws Launch Party to Kick Off Donation Campaign



Hiatus (which stands for Help In A Tough & Unpleasant Situation) is a non-profit organization committed to providing valuable support for friends and families of hospital patients. The funky/casual party for this new charity will be held on Saturday, May 13th, at 7pm at Steak & Ale in Bloomington, with local rockabilly band The Gogs playing throughout the evening.

The purpose of the party on May 13th is to collect enough donated items and services so that Hiatus can serve at least 1 supporter each week for 1 year. Since patient caregivers put their own lives on hold to care for their loved one, items & services requested are intended to give a break, or "hiatus," to focus on patient recovery. Items may include gift certificates for lawn service, snow removal, restaurants, child care, pet boarding, pre-prepared meal services, grocery delivery, or a variety of items that would be useful for long periods of time spent at the hospital such as games, toiletries, or parking vouchers.

The Hiatus Project was born out of a desire to give support to the primary family member or friend who is caring for a loved one in the hospital. Currently, there is nothing in place to help patient caregivers with daily life activities put on hold to be at the hospital for days on end. Hiatus brings relief to all types of patient caregivers: new mothers caring for ailing newborns, spouses caring for stroke victims, siblings caring for heart attack victims, or friends caring for cancer victims.

Through an already established partnership with Fairview Southdale Hospital, Hiatus volunteers will communicate with Fairview Southdale on a weekly basis to determine a recipient each week. The selected person will have an opportunity to choose something from the list that might benefit them the most. Program beneficiaries are not limited to Fairview Southdale Hospital patients, and can simply request support via the project website.

The overarching intention of Hiatus and its inception is to create space and time for patients and their loved ones to focus on recovery. If recovery is not an option, it is an opportunity to just be with a loved one during their last days. Hiatus also hopes to create opportunities for people who have not yet been in this tough situation to express love, joy, and appreciation for their own friends and family without the looming threat of illness at hand.





Ambitious New Twin Cities NonProfit Throws Launch Party to Kick Off Donation Campaign