Grant-A-Dream Foundation targets 'caregiver burnout'

Everyone knows about the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which provides getaways to critically ill patients, but Broomfield mom Ann Townsend realized that caregivers of those patients face challenges of their own. So in 2018 she founded the Grant-A-Dream Foundation and started helping families across Colorado refresh and reconnect.

"Even if caregivers get time to take a vacation, they're exhausted, they don't want to put the time into even putting it together, or they don't know how to do it. And, often, they don't have the extra money for it," Grant-A-Dream director Ann Kline said. "With Grant-A-Dream, they don't have to think about anything."

Townsend founded the 501(c)3 organization after nearly three decades of caring for her daughter Hannah, who was diagnosed with a rare liver disease at seven weeks old and would go on to have two successful transplants. The Townsend family spent much of Hannah's childhood in and out of hospitals, leaving them physically and emotionally drained. At one point, the five-member family was a recipient of Make-A-Wish, and traveled to Hawaii, where Townsend had a revelation, Kline said.

"The thing she loved about that was that Make-A-Wish handles everything, from soup to nuts. She didn't have to worry about anything, And she realized that was great...it was just what she needed."

Townsend and Grant-A-Dream's mission is to prevent "caregiver burnout" by sending caregivers on a restful holiday from their 24-hour-a-day duties, with an emphasis on rest. The families are selected in conjunction with the Autism Society of Boulder and the Colorado chapter of HopeKids, another group that provides activities for critically ill children. So far, the group has provided vacations or assistance to 11 families, with six more planned for 2021. Many of the getaways have been to Colorado mountain destinations, but the foundation has provided at least two Caribbean vacations.

"They don't have to think about anything," Kline said. "They get picked up if they're going to the airport... We would handle everything, if it was kayaking, or if it was going out to dinner. We'd get wine put into the rooms, things like that."

In time, Kline said the foundation hopes to serve up to 1,000 families per year, "Our vision is to be the next Make-A-Wish." But she admitted that is probably a few years off. In the meantime, the group is holding fundraising events and working to arrange more caregiver getaways.

Locally, the Grant-a-Dream Foundation has found a champion in Niwot Market owner Bert Steele. The Fort Collins native is a lifelong friend of Grant-A-Dream board member Emily Blanco Clark, and described her late brother as his "best friend." So, when she approached him about assisting Grant-A-Dream, he didn't hesitate.

"I just decided to try to help, and it ended up working really good," he said. "They do a nice job."

Steele donates breakfast burritos to support the group's annual golf tournament fundraiser, and, for this year's event on June 5, also sponsored two teams.

"He has been like an unbelievable supporter of ours," Kline said, adding that his burritos are becoming one of the tournament's main attractions. "He has a heart of gold, and we're so grateful for it."

Grant-A-Dream has fundraising events planned at local restaurants in the coming months, and is also accepting new sponsors and donations. For more information, visit grantadream.org or on Facebook @grantadreamfoundation.