Believe In Tomorrow Military Pediatric Initiative
Serving Families That Serve Our Country
For over 15 years, Believe In Tomorrow’s Military Initiative has supported our nations armed service families when one of their children has a life threatening medical crisis. We prioritize their access to exceptional respite and hospital housing that is a sanctuary from the stress and fatigue of their child’s lengthy medical treatments. Military families with a critically ill child often have a particularly difficult time. Treatment options frequently take families far from their base of support. During those times, our services are ready and waiting for families when they need it the most. Since it’s inception in 2005, the Believe In Tomorrow Military Initiative has provided over 40,000 overnight accommodations to armed service families.
We are excited to be opening the doors to The Children’s House By The Sea II in 2025. This new facility, adjacent to our flagship building on 66th Street, will accommodate pediatric patients with short life expectancies, larger families, and families of active U.S. military personnel. The innovative design will offer two three-bedroom apartments within steps of the beach. Located on 65th Street in Ocean City, Maryland, The Children’s House By The Sea II will serve as a beacon of hope to the children and families who stay there.
Leading the way in the 65th St. renovation project are Igor Conev and Mann Properties, who are helping to lead the coordination of labor and material donations, and Robert Purcell and his company, Beachwood Homes, who is volunteering to serve as the project’s General Contractor and is coordinating the construction effort. The Home Builders Care Foundation of Maryland has also taken a lead role in this project, which was named the Care Foundation’s 2024 Project of the Year. Under the direction of the Foundation’s Director Patti Kane, HBCF is coordinating contributions of labor and materials from members of the Maryland Building Industry Association.
Among the many contractors and building professionals donating to the project are Mike Thompson and his company, Edison Electric, are donating all electrical contracting labor and materials; Mike Reynolds and his company, Northern Building Restoration, are donating the installation of the windows, doors, siding, vapor barriers, and other concrete deck coatings and preparation,; Bobby Thompson and Gavin Robinson and Beazer Homes are coordinating many donations of labor and materials; Chesapeake Plumbing is donating the plumbing labor; Atlas Plumbing is donating the plumbing products; Steven J. Cirile, LLC, contributed the architectural design; Howard Goldberg contributed AIA legal services; Kirk Parsons and Engineering Technical Consultants, are donating engineering services; Kristen Walbert and Tecta America East, donated the roof installation and materials; U.S. Mobile Kitchens is donating all of the appliances; Eric McFadden and his company Trident Fire Protection, are donating the sprinkler system; Mike Geisler and the L&L Company and Cali Floors are donating the flooring; Filip Petrov is donating the LVT floor installation; Adam Candelero and his company VASCO Property Services donated the Tuffdek Installation and product; The James Hardie Company is donating Hardie Plank siding; Henry Corporation donated the Blueskin vapor barrier; Azek is donating trim; Choice Stairways is donating the interior stairs; Mitsubishi and Trane are donating HVAC equipment; and A&A Air Services is providing the installation. Four Seasons Landscaping is donating landscaping services; Ruppert Fence, provided the fence; Carl Dakes and his company, Dakes Painting, is donating interior painting services; Sherwin Williams is donating paint products; Terra Stoneworks and Granite Pro are donating countertops; Atlantic Aluminum is donating the railing systems; and Lance Fisher and Fishers Environmental provided environmental clean-up services, and 84 Lumber contributed a portion of the lumber. Home Depot, a Believe In Tomorrow national partner, has contributed volunteer labor and funding.
Although many contractors and suppliers have mobilized to build this new Believe In Tomorrow Children’s House By The Sea addition, building materials and labor are needed to bring this project across the finish line in time to open its doors to families this year. Anyone interested in joining this effort is encouraged to contact Believe In Tomorrow by calling 410.744.1032 or emailing Brian Morrison at bmorrison@believeintomorrow.org or Maryanne Davis at mdavis@believeintomorrow.org.
“We are creating this respite to be a place where families can gather and be together during a child’s medical crisis,” said Morrison. “Our mission is to create environments that are conducive to healing the mind, body and spirit; and to create spaces and opportunities that make every stay a once in a lifetime experience that helps families to refresh, renew and rebuild their lives.”