Stuff the Sleigh is a local non-profit organization that since 2008 has partnered with Texas Children's Hospital (TCH) to benefit pediatric cancer and hematology patients, their siblings and their families who are patients at TCH.  Stuff the Sleigh provides multiple avenues of year round giving:

Private Events

STS-2The charity holds an annual, private Christmas event for those children, their siblings and their families with a real-bearded Santa, his helpers and numerous corporate and individual volunteers and provides Christmas gifts for the entire family for those TCH cancer patients who are financially in need. Christmas carols and games are played while professional photographers take, what are unfortunately for many, their last and only family photos. Additionally, the charity provides Christmas financial scholarships on a need-basis during the Christmas season.

STS is expanding its private events program through the establishment of ‘Dare to Dream’, an STS program that grants wishes made by those wanting to have a unique experience as one of their last wants of kiddos with terminal cancer.

Lastly, STS is expanding to incorporate a Date Night Out for parents of kiddos with cancer, for an all-expenses paid date night, in which their kiddo with cancer (and siblings) play next door in a secure, healthy environment, while their parents enjoy a special date night out at a premier hotel and hear inspiring messages by titans in our community.

iPad Program

STS-1In 2012, Stuff the Sleigh implemented a new program providing Stuff the Sleigh branded iPads, in partnership with Apple, to pediatric cancer patients throughout Houston. The purpose is for these children to have a healthy distraction and entertainment outlet in which they can continue a semblance of “normalcy” by connecting with outside friends and family while in in-hospital treatment, surgeries, check-ups, etc. The kids have an outlet via Facebook, Facetime and also do their homework on these iPads.

Scholarships

STS provides year-round, need-based financial scholarships to those families in dire financial need to help pay for the cost of treatment, or would otherwise face the reality of stopping treatment.

Additional examples have been providing portable heaters to families who have sold everything to pay for treatment & now live in trailer houses, financial aid for those living in storage units due to the cost of cancer treatment, food and gas gift cards to provide fuel to drive to the Medical Center.

Funeral & Burials

STS-3STS unfortunately also provides financial aid to help cover the cost of burials of children who have lost their battle with cancer.

Legacy

STS has not implemented this as of today, but down the road, intends to establish an endowment fund to help fund treatments for pediatric cancer that show great promise at curing certain types of cancer. Not only do we want to give children joy for a brief moment in time, but we want to give them countless moments in time for a life lived with abundant joy and experiences. We want to create legacy.  

Please take the time to read more about this wonderful organization by visiting https://www.thesleigh.org/who-we-are/.