The Burn Council of Northern Indiana invites the community to two open houses this Wednesday from 11am-1pm and 5pm-7pm to celebrate the 5th year of operations of its Burn Family Suites. Parking is available in the Parking Garage adjacent to the hospital off of Broadway. Refreshments will be available thanks to donations from Jimmy John’s and Tucanos.
The Burn Council of Northern Indiana is a non-profit dedicated to “Helping Burn Survivors get their Lives back to Normal” in Northern Indiana. No one ever plans to be burned, and we help families with the healing during and after the hospital, providing financial, supplies, and other assistance to Burn Survivors and their families. Its largest program, the Burn Family Suites, is an overnight hospitality area devoted to families of patients being cared for at the St. Joseph Regional Burn Center. Similar in concept to the “Ronald McDonald House” system, the Burn Family Suites are designed to be a quiet place for families to sleep, eat, shower, and wash clothes, only a few steps away should there be an urgent need to quickly return to the Burn Center. The rooms are proving to be a great comfort for families during a time that often involves a great amount of stress, especially for families that may live hundreds of miles away and would have to sleep in the lobby or pay for a hotel room. Guests have hailed from locales ranging from South Bend to New York City.
“As the only burn related non-profit in Northern Indiana, we help burn survivors and their families with limited financial means,” explains Chris Weidler, board president. “Celebrating its 5th year of operation, our Burn Family Suites are a ‘mini hotel’ within St. Joseph Hospital for families to sleep, eat, shower, and wash clothes, while being near their loved ones and avoid sleeping in the lobby or expensive hotel stays.”
The Burn Family Suites would not be in existence without the initial construction support of the many Lions and Leo Clubs in Indiana. “They took us on as a project, raised several thousand dollars, and their efforts were noticed and matched by The Steel Dynamics Foundation and the Lions Eye and Tissue Bank in Indianapolis,” adds Weidler, “allowing us to open for business in August, 2010.”
The Burn Council is a separate, 501(c)3 non-profit and is not affiliated with St. Joseph Hospital, a member of the Lutheran Health Network; however, “families are referred to us from Burn Center staff and we are located within the Medical Office Building of the hospital, so we greatly value our ongoing partnership with St. Joe and LHN,” stresses Weidler. The Burn Family Suites are funded by the community through financial gifts, item donations, and sponsorships.
Please contact the Burn Council at 260-444-3636 or burncouncil@gmail.com with questions, visit our website to support our efforts, or visit our Facebook page to share your experiences and well-wishes.
Organizational Background:
The Burn Council of Northern Indiana is a non-profit dedicated to “Helping Burn Survivors get their Lives back to Normal” and is the only burn-related non-profit in Northern Indiana. Created in 2001 as a 501(c)3 charity to help families with loved ones in the Regional Burn Center at St. Joseph Hospital in Fort Wayne, the Burn Council’s expanded focus is centered on two main areas: The Burn Family Suites and Survivor Assistance.
No one ever plans to be burned, and we help families with the healing during and after the hospital, providing financial, supplies, and other assistance to Burn Survivors and their families.
