100000 legacy grant to Firefighters for Healing transitional healing center Hennepin County Healthcare Burn Unit Homes for Heroes Foundation

Firefighters for Healing Receives $100,000 from the Homes for Heroes Foundation for Transitional Healing Center

/ in Firefighters / Luke Feldbrugge

Last Updated on January 25, 2024 by Luke Feldbrugge

The new Firefighters for Healing Transitional Healing Center was a recent addition to the Level 1 trauma burn center at Hennepin Healthcare in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The new Transitional Healing Center assists the families of burn patients, but has specifically extended their care to the families of first responders burned in the line of duty, making it the first dedicated burn transitional healing center for first responders in the United States. By working with the nonprofit Firefighters for Healing, led by Executive Director and Founder, Jake LaFerriere, the Homes for Heroes Foundation contributed $100,000 to support the development and assembly of the new Firefighters for Healing Transitional Healing Center.

Firefighters for Healing Transitional Healing Center

January 18th, 2023 was declared Jake LaFerriere Day in Minneapolis, the same day the Transitional Healing Center had its grand opening at Hennepin Healthcare. The Firefighters for Healing Transitional Healing Center officially opened its doors in February 2023 to assist and support burn patients and their families.

As of January 2024, according to Helen Kyle, Senior Development Officer at the Hennepin Healthcare Foundation; since opening its doors the Firefighters for Healing Transitional Healing Center has provided the following services and savings to burn patients and their families.

  • 1,600 nights (and counting) of individual free stays within all 12 suites at the center.
  • Estimated over $340,000 in savings for families who need it most by providing this crucial resource.

Firefighters for Healing

Jake LaFerriere was a second generation Minneapolis firefighter. He was severely burned on duty in 2010 and needed long-term transitional care. After going through his personal experience, he wanted to do something to help the families of other burn patients, and also place some focus on assisting first responders, so he founded the nonprofit Firefighters for Healing.

“Firefighters for Healing provides support and resources for burn survivors, firefighters and first responders in ways insurance companies and caregivers are unable.”

LaFerriere said of the mission of Firefighters for Healing.

“So we kind of fill in the gaps where those gaps are. Whether that’s housing, whether that’s pediatric healing with our burn camp, whether that’s patient contact, boots on the floor at the hospital helping these families, bringing them stuff they don’t have because their house burned down. Gas cards, food, all those kinds of things.”

Transitional Healing Center Facility Planning

Firefighters for Healing Transitional Healing Center ground breaking ceremony volunteers red shirts lined up with shovels dirt

Through Jake’s stay at Hennepin Healthcare while he recovered from his injuries, he met numerous burn victims and their families, and came to understand the desperate need for such a facility. The new Firefighters for Healing Center family transition facility was his idea.

These units are to be used by the families of burn patients to stay long term. The center will host families from across the upper Midwest, and will offer amenities like full kitchens and laundry. The floor will have shared spaces, like therapy rooms and relaxation spaces. All of this is at no charge to the families or the patients.

As for creating a facility, it took longer than Jake would have liked to locate the ideal spot. Firefighters for Healing already had 5 similar apartments blocks away from Hennepin Healthcare that helped burn patients and their families. They were close, but not close enough for Jake.

“Well, when you stack rank the factors from the get go, it has to be proximity. You have to be in close proximity for the parents and the patients and survivors. They’re not going to leave the beds of their injured child if it’s too far away. They’re going to just stay there.”

Jake said of the search for the perfect location.

“Our hope is to have skyway connectivity. What that means then is our families won’t need to go outside and deal with the elements of the cold.”

Sherman Associates is the property development company who had a property in close proximity. And as luck would have it, they shared in Jake’s vision of a Firefighters for Healing Center.

Jake and Firefighters for Healing broke ground on May 19th, 2021 and the Firefighters for Healing Center would eventually become part of a larger mixed-use commercial and residential building.

Homes for Heroes Foundation Contribution of $100,000

The Homes for Heroes Foundation pledged $100,000 to the development of the Firefighters for Healing Transitional Healing Center. As part of the contribution, one of the twelve suites in the facility is named the, Homes for Heroes Suite.

inside view Homes for Heroes suite Firefighters for Healing Transitional Healing Center

“The burn center is going to have a fabulous way to help the families of these burn victims who need places to stay, who really run into trouble when they have to drop everything they’re doing to tend to their loved ones who are coming into the burn center.”

Robert Specht, Chief Financial Officer at Homes for Heroes and Board Member of the Homes for Heroes Foundation, said of the groundbreaking.

“The Homes for Heroes Foundation is sponsoring and paying for one of the twelve burn center units, that the victims will stay in and be with their families. They’ll have things like local firefighters come in and cook meals. It’s really what Homes for Heroes and The [Homes for Heroes] Foundation is all about.”

Burns can be Different from Other Injuries

Here is a story of one family who recently lost a family member from complications from his injuries, but the family wanted to share the story of their loved one and their experience in the Transitional Healing Center.

When it comes to burn injuries, there can be extreme pain and potentially long-term rehabilitation and recovery from the injuries themselves. But, one must also consider the scars left behind by burn injuries and the mental impact of those injuries on an individual.

“The injuries of a burn are more complicated than other types of injuries, particularly when children are involved. You can imagine the scarring that a child receives from a burn and the physiological impact, the social impact that they’ll be dealing with for the rest of their lives.” Carlson said of this type of injury.”

Amy Carlson, Director of Operations and Communications for the Hennepin Healthcare Foundation, explains that burn injuries can be different from other injuries when healing.

“To be able to see themselves, not only in their physician who has his own burn scars, and Jake who has his; but to come to this Transitional Healing Center and be with other family members. To be there and to have this opportunity for lodging that is comfortable and close to a loved one, to see other people who are going through the same struggle. It provides families and their loved ones with healing and the opportunity to understand they’re not alone.”

There is healing that needs to be done beyond what a doctor or hospital can provide. This is where the Firefighters for Healing Transitional Healing Center comes in, covering what insurance and doctors can not.

How the Transitional Healing Center Came Together

Things moved along on the healing center extremely well and we wanted to share with you some updates. Here are a few videos and photos that Firefighters for Healing @FF4Healing shared on Twitter to provide real time updates on the building progress:

JANUARY 13

FEBRUARY 16

MARCH 1

MARCH 15

MARCH 18

MARCH 29

Here is a look inside the new facility before the official opening in January 2023 by local TV news, NBC affiliate, KARE-11

Homes for Heroes Circle of Giving

This sponsorship from the Homes for Heroes Foundation was made possible by the Homes for Heroes Circle of Giving and its network of real estate and mortgage professionals. Homes for Heroes, Inc. is committed to providing savings to community heroes; such as firefighters, EMS, law enforcement, military (active duty, reserves and veterans), healthcare professionals and teachers.

To expand its Circle of Giving, Homes for Heroes, Inc., donates a portion of its earnings to the Homes for Heroes Foundation. So, every time a hero buys or sells a home using the Homes for Heroes program, they are helping other heroes across the country facing a housing crisis or who are in need of urgent financial assistance.

If you are interested in learning more about how Homes for Heroes can guide you through the home buying, selling or refinancing process AND save you an average of $3,000 after closing, simply sign up to speak with a member of their team. They will follow up with you to answer all of your questions. When you tell them you’re feeling ready to speak with their local specialists in your area about home buying, selling, or refinancing, they will connect you with their local specialists to begin the process.

Simply visit the Homes for Heroes Foundation page if you’re interested in learning more about where it has awarded recent grants to hero organizations throughout the country, how much they’ve awarded to date, and how it all works.

If you’re interested in supporting and donating to the Homes for Heroes Foundation to assist heroes in need, please visit their donation page to submit your contribution via PayPal. And, thank you for your interest and support.

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