Gemma's Hope
providing practical resources & hope after pregnancy & infant loss
- …
Gemma's Hope
providing practical resources & hope after pregnancy & infant loss
- …
Bereavement Book Carts
Each cart remembers a precious baby while also serving other grieving parents in hospitals
Novant Health Huntersville
Huntersville, NC
Atrium Health Union
Monroe, NC
Atrium Health Cleveland
Shelby, NC
UNC Health Blue Ridge
Morganton, NC
Catawba Valley Medical
Hickory, NC
Novant Health New Hanover Regional
Wilmington, NC
Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center - L&D
Charlotte, NC
Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center - NICU
Charlotte, NC
Atrium Health University
Charlotte, NC
Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center - L&D
Charlotte, NC
Novant Health Presbyterian Hospital - NICU
Charlotte, NC
Atrium Health Cabarrus
Concord, NC
Atrium Health Union West
Matthews, NC
Wheeling in Comfort
Every parent that finds themselves in the hospital with aching, empty arms deserves to hear "You are loved, and you are not alone." One of the ways we want to help share this message to parents is by offering them free books and accessible resources on infant loss and navigating grief. No matter what their journey looks like when they go home, at least they will be able to hear those words of encouragement from another mom or dad who has lost a child: You are loved, and you are not alone.
Our main project is donating rolling carts to local hospitals with labor & delivery & NICU units for easy access for nurses & staff to roll into a room whenever it's needed. Nurses feel more equipped to handle an already sensitive situation. Parents who are grieving the loss of their child(ren) are able to take home any book(s) and paper resources they feel they need, such as a flyer from the Mother's Milk Bank by WakeMed on how to pump breastmilk after a loss, or a brochure about KinderMourn counseling programs and services. Everything on the carts are 100% free to families, but we encourage people to "pay it forward" if they can. For perspective, books cost an average of $10 each. It costs anywhere from $150-$1,000 to bring these supplies to hospitals for a year, depending on their size. Other bereavement supplies like teddy bears, hand print kits, and impression molds can also be donated to the Bereavement Carts or purchased by hospitals that have a budget.
Your donation is very important to us. We hope you will consider donating to this cause to help bring parents hope during their darkest hours.
Hospital Book Cart Map
Green = Current, Yellow = Pending
Fall 2024 Goals:
- Novant Health Huntersville
- Atrium Health Pineville
- Atrium Health Union
- Atrium Health Stanly
- Caromont Regional Medical Center
- Atrium Health King's Mountain
- Novant Health Ballantyne
- Novant Health Matthews
- Novant Health Mint Hill
- Novant Health Forsyth
- Moses Cone Memorial Hospital
2025 Goals:
- Duke University Hospital - Durham
- Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center - Winston Salem
- ECU Health Medical Center - Greenville
- UNC Hospital - Chapel Hill
- North Carolina Baptist Hospital - Winston Salem
- WakeMed - Raleigh
- CoxHealth Medical Center South - Springfield, MO
- Lutheran Medical Center - Wheat Ridge, CO (Denver)
Start A Book Cart
If you are interested in starting a book cart in your local hospital and would like to help us make that happen please fill out the below information and we will try to make that happen!
If you'd like to start a fundraiser you can do so here.
The Book Cart Placement Process
How your donation makes this possible.
1From Generous Donations
Book Carts begin with fundraised donations. Once funding has reached its goal we will arrange for time for the book cart to be dropped off at the hospital. Families that fundraise/sponsor the book cart are encouraged to attend this placement ceremony in memory of their baby(s). Hospital staff will be instructed how to use the resources they've been given.
2To the Hospital
Nurses & staff can roll these resources into a room whenever it's needed. Nurses feel more equipped to handle an already sensitive situation with the Book Carts. Carts are small enough to store under a desk or in a closet if hospital space is limited. The carts usually have 2 shelves empty which is helpful for other bereavement supplies to be stored in like Teddy Bears or hand print kits.
3To Empty Arms
Parents who are grieving the loss of their child(ren) are able to take home any books they feel they need. Books are always 100% free, but we encourage parents to "pay it forward" if they can. Nursing staff have a "cheat sheet" they can refer to if they need to make a book recommendation based on the family's situation.
4To Bringing Hope
Gently used books can be donated back to us to be donated to counseling centers or OBGYN offices for additional resources to parents who were not in a hospital setting during their loss (early miscarriage, home birth, SIDS, etc). Continued fundraising by families allows for books to continue circulating through hospital Book Carts for years to come and donate other precious bereavement supplies.
Hospital Sizes
Book Carts are divided into 4 sizes to serve hopsitals of different sizes. For example, some community hospitals only see ~10 stillbirths per year in their maternity center, while large urban hospitals might see upwards of 60+ stillborn & infant deaths. We try to accomodate for each hospital based on their needs and space requirements.
Transform a Space
Allow us to transform your hospital's Bereavement Room or storage closet from drab, cluttered, and ineffective to calming, modern, and intuitive for families & nursing staff. We can fundraise to cover expenses, work within your budget, and gather local community volunteers and businesses to take part in making an effective storage space & bereavement room for your hospital, no matter how big or small.
Click on the image to the right to see a beautiful & inspirational transformation that was done in Australia in 2019.
Our Impact
Since 2022
$8,000+
Money raised
160+
Books donated to families
8
Carts donated to hospitals
24
Books donated to libraries
Request A Restock
For providers, hospitals, & other facilities that currently have a book cart and need to request more books or other supplies please use the link below.
© 2024
The information provided on this site & other materials is for educational purposes only, and does not substitute for professional medical or psychological advice.
Gemma's Hope Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in the state of North Carolina (EIN 88-3394772)