Our Grants and Grantees

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Hospice of Haines will use its grant to help maintain and improve its bereavement program’s hope bags. The hope bags provide any community member who has lost a loved one with books and pamphlets on grief and healing, as well as stress-relieving comfort items like journals, candles, and homemade candies. “Our award enables us to provide hope bags to community members for the next two years,” said Shannon McPhetres, Director and Volunteer Coordinator of Hospice of Haines. “Our organization also makes trained volunteers available as grief companions and offers group meetings and follow-up calls to attendees,” McPhetres said. “The Foundation’s support now and in the past has gone a long way toward helping us provide services.”

Braveheart Volunteers, a Sitka-based nonprofit that provides free companionship, respite care, grief support, and end-of-life education to Sitkans facing illness, loneliness, and loss, was awarded $3,700 to enable its program director, Hailey Rinella, to complete the International End of Life Doula Association training and certification in Pittsburgh, PA, in September.“We are so grateful to receive this support,” Rinella said.
 

Braveheart Volunteers Executive Director Nicole Miller explained, “This grant allows us to launch a dedicated death doula service in Sitka by winter 2026 that will be available free of charge to all families — a service that typically costs $50 to $125 per hour or $500 to $3,500 per family in other communities. The training will allow us to integrate the latest principles and practices for assisting individuals and families into our program,
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multiplying the impact across our entire volunteer corps and expanding the number of Sitkans who can receive specialized death doula support,” Miller said.

 Gustavus Helping Hands will also use its $3600 grant award for medical equipment. “We plan to purchase one new hospital bed and two new mattresses with protective covers to loan to people receiving end-of-life support in their homes,” said Board President Colleen Stansbury. “We are a hundred percent volunteer organization that supports the physical, medical, and emotional needs of our community members moving through end of life,” she said. “This generous donation allows us to continue to provide much-needed equipment.” 

The Foundation has supported Hospice and Home Care of Juneau, now Home Health and Hospice at Bartlett Regional Hospital, with a number of grants to help maintain hospice services in Juneau, provide protective gear and safety equipment to staff, and maintain patient care - especially during years when COVID was an issue in Juneau.  The Foundation brought international expert  Ira Byock, M.D. to Juneau in December, 2025. Dr. Byock is a leading palliative care physician and public advocate for improving care through the end of life. He provided a special presentation to medical staff at Bartlett Regional Hospital and spoke to almost 200 Juneau residents  on Dec. 10, 2025 at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center. His topic was "What Mortality Can Teach Us About Living Fully."

 Hospice of Wrangell received financial assistance for the purchase of medical equipment for its local loan closet. Board member Chris Ellis said the donation will enable the purchase of shower chairs for residents receiving home health services. “I also appreciate the donation of the Foundation’s When You’re Not Here booklets and other help we have received in the past,” Ellis said.  The Foundation also provided several cases of its book to all grant recipients to distribute free of charge in their communities. 

  The Foundation recently provided support for the wonderful play produced by Theater Alaska, These Birds, by Merry Ellefson, in collaboration with Ryan Conarro, Flodelino Lgundino and Claire Richardson.  Inspired by conversations with diverse Juneau residents, These Birds - A play inspired by death, flowers, and Farkle is a new interview-based play about death and dying. As stated by an interviewee, “No one gets out of here alive.” In a world often divided, death offers common ground: a place where stories meet, and where silence gives way to song. These Birds features stories gathered from Juneauites of every age and walk of life. The production uses movement, puppetry, an original score, and an ensemble of eight performers to invite audiences to find compassion, courage, and community in the face of life’s final mystery, and to cultivate connections with hospice, mental health, and end-of-life planning.