Our Story
The Carry Project was born from a simple, devastating truth: when a family leaves the hospital with empty arms, the silence that follows can be deafening.
The Carry Project began in the tension of grief. In the middle of that pain, I longed for a community that would show up for me, not out of obligation, like friends or family often do, but out of purpose.
A hospital bag was never something I thought twice about, until I packed one for my son. Inside were the small things that would become our only keepsakes. That bag became the seed of a memorial space I'm building for other families walking the same road.
Years earlier, in 2019, my firstborn had spent days fighting in the NICU, as I reminisced on her experience I knew I wasn't the first to carry heavy experiences in the hospital. Two different heartaches, both born in a hospital, made me want to build something better for the families who come after me.
The Carry Project Inc. exists to stand in the gap. We refuse to let anyone leave the hospital empty-handed.
We can't take the weight away. But we can carry part of it with you.
Today, our volunteers hand-pack thousands of bags a year, placed directly into the hands of families by partner nurses, chaplains, funeral directors, and community leaders across the country.
MILESTONES
From one bag to a national network.
2019
The first 12 bags
Packed at a kitchen table after personal loss, delivered to one local hospital.
2021
First NICU program
Comfort bags launch in two regional NICUs after pilot feedback from L&D nurses.
2023
National partner network
Expanded to 20+ hospitals and 8 funeral homes across multiple states.
TODAY
Thousands held
Over 1,000 bags delivered. A growing volunteer base. Same mission.
Our Mission
To ensure no family carries child loss or a NICU journey alone, by placing thoughtfully curated comfort into their hands at the moment it matters most.
Our Vision
A future where every hospital, funeral home, and grief space in the country is partnered with a Carry Project bag — within reach the moment a family needs one.
Our Values
Tenderness over polish. Presence over performance. Long-term care over one-time gestures. Dignity in every detail.