About Us
In 1996, Ruth Ann Wilkinson was diagnosed with colon cancer and lost her battle at 40. Toward the end of her life, she started a campaign to open Hope House, where cancer patients can stay and live during their treatment. The hope is to provide hope for the minds, bodies and spirits of cancer patients and their loved ones. As a result, Mary Collier, Fred Newman, and other Midlanders pooled their resources in 2004 to establish an advisory board that filed for an EIN. In 2005, Gifts of Hope began with a small advisory board. Since then, we have fought with passion to provide adequate support for those actively undergoing treatment for cancer and their loved ones.
Our Mission
Our mission is to provide hope for the heart, soul, mind, and body of cancer patients and their caregivers.
Our Purpose
Our purpose is to help ease the burden of cancer while providing hope.
Registered Not-For-Profit
We have structured our organization with community service in mind. As a registered not-for-profit 501c3 organization, we are governed by a volunteer board of directors. Everyone from our board to the staff within our facilities lends their time to this organization because they care. You can see that level of care at all stages of the organization.
Our History
The Hope House was born out of a great need in West Texas.
Ruth Ann Wilkinson, the visionary behind Hope House, was diagnosed with colon cancer and lost her battle at 40 years old in 1996. During her fight against cancer, Ruth Ann Wilkinson started a campaign to open Hope House, a home away from home for patients to stay and live during their treatment. Ruth Ann’s vision was to provide hope for the minds, bodies and spirits of the cancer patients and their loved ones.
Other individuals continued to carry and move forward with Ruth Ann’s vision. In 2004, Mary Collier, Fred Newman, and other Midlanders pooled their resources and formed an advisory board and began the process of filing for an EIN. In 2005, Gifts of Hope began with a small advisory board passionate for the mission.
Since 2008, the Hope House has provided over 10,000 room nights to cancer patients at no cost and served over 4,000 patients in the Permian Basin.
Gifts of Hope not only provides free lodging at the Hope House but also assists cancer patients with lodging, medical & dental bills, transportation, and other necessary support during cancer treatment.
Board of Directors
As a not-for-profit 501c3 organization, Gifts of Hope is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors
Lyn Ford - President
Stonnie Pollock - Vice President
Laurie Belew - Secretary
Joshua Groner - Treasurer
JD Benton - Board Member
Taylor Billingsley - Board Member
Dylan Carpenter - Board Member
Ray Fieldhouse - Board Member
Anthony Gilliland - Board Member
JD Granado - Board Member
Jessi Pitts - Board Member
Haley Swack - Board Member
Staff
Clinton Dickson - Executive Director
Christie Gesell - Associate Director
Sadie Parker - Support Group & Volunteer Coordinator
The Hope House is a 501C3
Gifts of Hope, Inc. is designed to assist with the needs of cancer patients in the Permian Basin. Money is raised through donations, memorials, and honorariums which are tax deductible. As donations are made, acknowledgments are mailed to the honored person or family, and a letter of receipt is sent to the donor. The money received is strictly used for direct patients’ needs associated with cancer treatment in our community
