South Suburban Chicago Programs

Named in honor of Carmen Freilich, who dedicated her career to supporting women throughout the childbirth experience. This fund will help provide new moms with essential items such as car seats, diapers, and other necessities for a safe start to life.

Among all the treatments and breakthroughs our doctors have made in managing side effects and treating cancer, the support and bond that brings us together is what makes us human. Our assistance extends to those who not only need emotional support, but financial as well. This is all part of why Franciscan Health is at the forefront in the fight against cancer.

This fund provides bags of specially selected items for each newly diagnosed cancer patient to help make their treatment more bearable. Donations allow us to fill these Cancer Comfort Bags with useful items like blankets, cozy socks, head wear, mouthwash, lip balm and nausea management aids.

A trusted leader in faith-based, integrated healthcare, Franciscan Health brings together the latest technology, innovative procedures and highly skilled and compassionate employees to serve our cardiac patients. Your gift to any of our hospitals helps us continue “Christ's Ministry in our Franciscan Tradition" by serving everyone with respect and compassion.

When a sexual assault victim arrives at the Center of Hope, they are arriving at a safe, secure, calm and compassionate place. Our specially trained nurses, certified Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE), help the victims relax and begin focusing on recovery. Your support for this center helps people heal emotionally, physically and spiritually.

Supporting our most vulnerable communities, this fund promotes social justice through educational programs, improves health for all with interventions such as food access and health screenings, and strengthens families and communities.

Being hospitalized can be lonely and frightening. The Compassionate Companions program in South Suburban Chicago trains volunteers to spend time with patients who are alone and to relieve caregivers spending hours in the hospital room with a loved one. Your gift to this program underwrites the cost of training volunteers and provides items to comfort our patients.

No one should have to make a choice between buying food for their table or dealing with an unexpected financial emergency. The Franciscan Health Employee Emergency Fund helps in times of unexpected need with interest-free loans. Please help support this safety net for our employees.

On average, one-third of our lives are spent at work. And maintaining a personal state of wellbeing while at work is critical. That’s why the Franciscan Health Foundation has established the Employee Wellbeing Fund. With this new fund, we will provide outlets for employees to manage and overcome signs of burnout, improve care delivery and supply opportunities for mental escapes encouraging mindfulness, creativity and fun.

This fund provides prenatal and postnatal obstetrical care for those who seek services, regardless of their ability to pay. The dedicated, experienced and caring staff members are committed to providing the highest quality of healthcare.

The Grace Project assists families affected by the opiate crisis and has one purpose - deliberate acts of kindness. Your gift can provide formula and diapers, help with bills and enroll mom and dad in parenting classes. Extending grace motivates parents to stay employed, progress in their recovery and give their baby the best possible start in life.

Seventy percent of obese children have at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The South Suburban Chicago Healthy Choices program is focused on helping children and families get on a path to better health with support and education on healthy eating and physical activity. Your gift supports community outreach and education.

Our 5,000+ Franciscan Health nurses serve on the front lines of patient care by providing safe, compassionate, quality care to patients and their families. But the field of nursing is ever changing, and it is critical that our nurses receive continuing education. That’s why we created the Nursing Excellence Fund. Your support will go towards continuing education and training, as well as resources to combat burnout and compassion fatigue.

In addition to the advancement of medicine, we believe in the advancement of people. We encourage Franciscan Health employees to pursue educational opportunities, so they may bring the most current and comprehensive care to their patients. Your gift enables the enrichment of their lives and the lives of their patients.

Your gift helps patients through serious and/or chronic illnesses that require extra attention. These life-limiting conditions can be costly and draining to patients and their caregivers, but through your generosity, we can help alleviate some of these burdens. Help us bring dignity, comfort and peace to those who need it.

When someone is going through an illness, things at home can suffer because of additional expenses for medication, lodging, travel, food or clothing. Gifts to this fund provide comfort and assurance to Franciscan Health patients and their families during their most vulnerable times.

This fund supports the purchase of patient care equipment/supplies, patient & staff education and training, resources to launch new program development or progress existing programs, and rehabilitation software/technology.

When babies are born with special health needs, they require specialized care. We help provide the expert services and state-of-the-art technology needed to treat some of the most vulnerable newborn babies. Your gift helps these families in a time of crisis.

Spiritual care is at the core of our mission and values. Your gift supports training and professional development for Franciscan Health chaplains. This fund also helps our chaplains respond to patients who lack financial resources for necessities like clothing and transportation.