Children's Flight of Hope
Hope for Children Who Need Healing
Thirty-two years ago, a young girl was in an automobile accident and needed to get to another location for care. A pilot in Durham said, “I’ll take her.” That was the beginning of Children’s Flight of Hope (CFOH).
Today, Children’s Flight of Hope continues its mission to provide flights to specialized medical care for children in need. Pat Nelli, president and CEO, explains how CFOH has changed over the years. “Generous pilots donated private flights. Then we had our own plane. But that model was limited in the number of children we could serve and where they were located.”
In 2014, CFOH entered a partnership with American Airlines where they provided miles that CFOH could use for flights for international children in need of medical care. “Partnering with American Airlines was a pivotal time of growth for us. By 2019, both international and domestic delivery were soaring, and we provided 1,300 flights, and we have already far exceeded that number in 2023.” Pat points out that those numbers only include the child, but CFOH also provides flights for a parent or guardian.
Twenty percent of the children helped by CFOH come from North Carolina. “We have expanded to serve children in 50 states and 32 countries. We help children no matter the distance and no matter the frequency,” Pat says. “When a child with a medical and financial need is welcomed in the CFOH family, we provide flights for that child and a parent for the duration of their healthcare journey. The girl who has the dubious honor of being our most frequent flyer has flown with us 118 times. A lot of our kids have very serious, chronic, ongoing medical crises that require frequent hospital visits.”
Children’s Flight of Hope connected with TowneBank and Towne Insurance through Pat’s longtime friendship with TowneBank corporate board member Bob Hatley and Brian Reid, TowneBank Triangle president. “When I landed at CFOH four years ago, we were banking elsewhere. I quickly put the wheels in motion to move our relationship to TowneBank and we use Towne Insurance now, too.”
On the right are Cole Browne, James Morgan, and Justin Baldwin from Towne Insurance in Raleigh, joining three Neuse River Brewing employees during Hops for Hope.
Towne Insurance has a team including James Morgan and Justin Baldwin that helps CFOH through Hops for Hope. Corporate teams pair with local breweries over the summer and create their own signature beer flavor. Towne Insurance partnered with Neuse River Brewing & Brasserie. In September, the big Hops for Hope event is held at a park in Raleigh with tasting booths, food trucks, music, and a kid’s zone. In 2023,
“The words of gratitude from these families are so incredibly motivating,” Pat says. “They face devasting difficulties and uncertainties surrounding their children’s health, and we provide them with hope in knowing that distance and cost of travel will not be barriers to receiving the lifesaving care they need. I can’t imagine being a parent and thinking the best care is out there and I can’t get to it. The outcome we want is to bring healing to these kids.”
To learn more and see how you can help, visit ChildrensFlightofHope.org.