Zachary's Mission

Zachary's Mission, a non-profit organization, supports families of medically fragile children by providing basic necessities, financial support and programs that nurture emotional well-being.

We provide support to families with medically fragile children through our 3 core programs. The Zack Pack program is our signature program. A quality embroidered backpack, they are designed to satisfy basic human needs and lessen the financial and emotional hardships faced by families over extended hospital stays. Zack Packs also function as a durable tote throughout the child's medical treatment and quickly becomes a cherished memento of the family's journey and the support of the community. The Sharing Heart Fund provides financial assistance through gas cards, grocery cards, cafeteria vouchers, parking passes and payment of utility bills. Each item is provided to reduce some of the financial responsibility and stress due to a child's extended hospital stay. Our third program is the Baby's First Program. The goal of Zachary's Mission Baby's First Program is to nurture the emotional well-being of families with medically fragile children by giving them the opportunity to celebrate holiday milestones and preserve those special moments while in the hospital.

Testimonials

I wanted to just take a moment to say "thank you".

Around 2:30 AM the morning of April 25th, 2016 my 4 year old son Luke went into acute severe respiratory distress. Somehow he managed to make it my wife's and my bedroom to seek our help, which most likely saved his life. Within moments we called 911 and he and I sped to UPMC Children's by ambulance. Thanks to incredible work by both the staff at UPMC Children's and the team at our local EMS, Luke survived and made a full recovery. However, I can easily describe that morning as the worst morning of my life as I wondered whether or not our son would still be with us by the end of the day.

After Luke had been stabilized by the ED team we were transferred to the ICU. During the admissions process, one of the nurses presented me with a Zack Pack to help us get settled in for our hospital stay. It was only that point, still reeling from the events of the morning, that I realized that I had arrived at the hospital in my pajamas, with no wallet, ID, money, or anything to get us through the night. Although my wife was on her way, her parents having arrived few hours earlier to care for our toddler daughter, I can honestly say that the sheer thoughtfulness and concern of a stranger to try to ease my family's plight brought tears to my eyes. I cannot tell you what that simple gesture meant to me at a time when I felt so incredibly overwhelmed.

In hopes that someone else will know the relief that I did when presented with their Zack Pack I've made a $50 donation to sponsor a pack for another family. I truly hope that no family ever has to experience the pain the and terror of an extremely sick child, but if they do, I hope that they find some measure of comfort in the simple amenities provided in the pack.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your thoughtfulness and concern for a stranger in need.