What is the Angel Project and What do we do?

Our charity was founded in 2008 by Lisette Kingo after a visit to the Complex Care unit at Parkwood Hospital. Many patients spend decades in Complex Care units in Hospitals and will never go home again; accident victims, MS, ALS patients and others who have been left without tools and the finances to fend for themselves and have been abandoned by their families and society. Hospital Foundations are wonderful however, they have such a large need to fill that the social agenda and Complex Care units are often left to the last.

Do you know that Hospitals do not provide what we consider basic needs to patients such as shaving cream or soap and there are virtually no funds for recreational activities such as outings. We pride ourselves on being one of the very few organizations that operate with minimal overhead, and a totally volunteer team and Board of Directors, who often donate both themselves and personal funds. The majority of funds we raise through our website donations (www.theangelproject.ca) or various fundraising events, go directly to our patients or the Complex Care Unit at the hospital. At The Angel Project we not only raise funds to assist in at least one outing per eligible patient per year, when possible we assist with the purchase of items such as specialized wheelchairs, voice boxes and speech computers to name a few.  Although there are some provincial funding available, it’s not enough for patients who do not have enough to cover the patient portion, to make matters worse the wait times for Provincial funding is excruciatingly long . We also assist with basic needs such as providing soap, shaving cream, shampoo, Hygiene Kits, even simple comforts such as stuffed animals, soft blankets,  and gifts at Christmas. Our patients at Joe Brant Hospital (Burlington) and Parkwood Hospital (London) heavily depend on the funds we raise through our fundraising events and private donations and truly enjoy getting hand written holiday cards. 

To help raise Awareness and build sustainable support of The Angel Project, we created an Annual Hockey Tournament, The Angel Tournament , to “Skate for those who can’t”. We generally have approximately 70 children involved in the tournament, all “skating for someone who can’t.” 

Here is a breakdown of just some of the items The Angel Project has provided patients and hospitals with. To give you an idea for example just one piece of equipment can cost upwards to $10,000

•  Countless customized wheelchairs for patients
• Giving a voice back to patients who are unable to speak post-stroke or spinal cord injury through funding Computers, Dynovox Computers, and Speaking Devices
• Over $50K in rebuilding lounges and spaces for patients
• Construction of hospital outdoor garden areas with pergolas and furniture
• SMART Board for patient use
• Many iPads with Retina displays
• Hand Cycles for the rehabilitation of bedridden patients
• Several large screen TV’s and DVD players as well as movie library
• Wii Systems and Play Stations
• Hundreds of Hand made Quilts for patients
• Hundreds of Personalized Christmas Gifts
• Funding of “Slush funds” this fund is set up so that patients do not have to go through the red tape for a few dollars for small extras, such a hair cut or manicure
• Bingo Carts with prizes as well as gift cards, iTunes Cards, Tim Horton Cards, Games, etc.
• Electric Chair Lifts
• Computer Systems and Speech Programs
• Voice Boxes
• Revamp of Patient Lounges (including designer curtains, furniture, electronics, etc)
• Outdoor Gardens including garden furniture, plants etc.
• Outings to hockey games, Rock The Park, Western Fair, trips to various malls, trips to parks, etc. These outings always include medical transport.
• Medical transport for patients to attend various events and appointments.
• Support “NEW HOPE” a Short Film for Speech Pathologist created by patients.
• BEPAP Machine to assist patients in breathing
• The creation of Crafting  Corners including full supplies and space to let their creativity fly.
• Funding for entertainment such as a musicians coming to visit the hospital.
• Pocket talkers
• Sliding boards for patients transfers
• Eze-turn transfer disc
• Stroke Walkers
• Treadmills
• Upper extremity mobile cable systems
• Apple TVs
• Exercise equipment and activity supplies