Believe in Tomorrow breaks ground on beach respite house
OCEAN CITY, Md. – An organization that helps families who are going through the unimaginable is expanding. On Thursday, Believe in Tomorrow broke ground on a new home that will give kids, who are critically ill, a place to escape and just be kids.
“This is an incredible moment to see. This is history to open another facility for kids that are critically ill,” says Shevan Zebari, a Believe in Tomorrow guest.
The non-profit, which started more than 3 decades ago, is a safe haven for critically ill kids and their families.
“They’re spending most of their time in hospitals or in and out of treatment facilities. So to actually get that little vacation away from that to be with their families, many of them wouldn’t have that opportunity if it wasn’t for Believe in Tomorrow,” says Maryland Governor Larry Hogan.
The new 4 story home on 65th street will allow them to serve even more kids who are battling health issues.
“Families that have a great deal of stress and we’re trying to find ways to reduce that stress, get them to relax, to destress to get through the hospital treatment and get in a better mindset,” says Brian Morrison, the founder & CEO of Believe In Tomorrow.
The Zebari family tells 47 ABC they’ve seen firsthand how a simple beach getaway can change everything for their son Muhammad, who has a rare form of cancer.
“It’s incredible to see him in the water and enjoying himself not thinking about the hospital and treatment we forgot all about it basically. It’s been incredible,” says Shevan Zebari.
“Since all the struggles I’ve been through, this lets me release all the stress I’ve been through,” says Muhammad Zebari, a Believe in Tomorrow guest.
Right now, the non-profit has about half of the funding they need to build this facility. They hope to finish construction in late 2020. Believe in Tomorrow tells 47 ABC that this new respite home will prioritize United States military families with critically ill children, as well as children with short life expectancies. The new home will be built right next door to their first one on 66th street and should cost about $800,000.
To learn more about Believe in Tomorrow: click here.
