Mission

SECU Family House at UNC Hospitals provides an affordable, safe, nurturing home away from home for seriously ill patients, their family members, and caregivers from throughout North Carolina and beyond.

Category

Health

Additional Information

We are a place of healing, housing and hope. When families face the uncertainty of serious illness and treatment at UNC Hospitals, we open our doors and our hearts. We provide not only affordable housing for both patients and caregivers, but also a community of families sharing in the experience of facing cancer, bone marrow or stem cell transplant, serious burns, trauma, severe eating disorders and more. More than 100 volunteers make our house a Home in every way possible, and thanks to their efforts, we provide hot cooked meals most weeknights to our guests and a stocked pantry for other meals. In a little over four years, we've provided more than 100,000 guest stays and served 8,000+ patients and family members hailing from 99 of NC's 100 counties, 35 other states and 7 foreign countries. Our private rooms offer sanctuary at just $35 for a standard room or $50 for a suite--and those in need may pay as little as $5 a night thanks to the funds we're able to raise to make up the difference of our operating costs and room fees. In the wake of another project, we've been assessing our brand and presence. And here's what we're finding--these are things we see, and we know others see: A lackluster logo.  A dated website.  A brand that relies on comparisons with another brand to resonate in a first impression. ("We're like the Ronald McDonald House," we say, "but we serve adult patients and their families instead of children." It's like saying, "We're like Coke, but we're a little sweeter, so we're Pepsi.")  A nonprofit with a name that no one gets right the first time. ("Seck-you?" "Seek-you?"--when it's "Ess Eee See You.") An organization that is not well known in its own community--beyond its volunteers and those served--nonetheless across the state, our primary base of service. (89% of our guests were from NC last year.) Like all non-profit organizations, our resources (time, staff, technology, budget) are stretched thin and limited, and by nature we must focus on our mission and primary services. We just don't have the resources to make this happen on our own. We hope you'll consider us prime for pimping and help us make our jalopy into a Cadillac.   Thank you for taking the time to read this long statement... and please let us know if you have further questions.