Over the years, Black Diamond Networks has created a strong community connection in the Boston Area, through volunteer work for several different organizations, Hospitality Homes is one of those organizations.
It began in 1973, when a woman named Doris Jones’ 18-month old daughter needed experimental cancer treatment she couldn’t get near her home. The expense of a hotel in downtown Boston was too much, so Doris was left with no other option than to stay in the empty building next door that the hospital staff had offered to her. On her trips to Boston, she became friendly with Sue Gracey, a Boston resident. Sue was touched by Doris’ troubles and when she had space to offer several years later, she starting opening her home to patient’s families in need of a place to stay.
It wasn’t just Doris who was facing this issue, but many families had no choice but to sleep in nurse’s closets, floors, or even in cars while their family members were receiving potential lifesaving treatments.
In 1983 a local hospital leader Joan Biggers, secured enough funding to begin The Hospitality Program, along with Sue and Colin Gracey, and the Rev. Jeanne Sproat. She reached out and cultivated a group of volunteers who would begin housing family members whose loved ones were in local hospitals. In 2002, Hospitality Homes got the name it still haves today to more clearly convey the message of the organization. Since its inception they have served 15,300 families in need, and was the first program of its kind in the nation!
For the past 4 years, BDN has sponsored the Hospitality Homes Charity Golf Classic, hosted at Pinehills Golf Club in Plymouth, MA. This year the event fell on Thursday, July 28th. A few of BDN’s very own golfed in the tournament, while several others volunteered to help throughout the course of the event. We had volunteers on the green during the putting contest and volunteers helping out with the silent auction. This year, with the help of many generous donors, $105,000 was raised. It was a beautiful day for golf and service for families in need. We can’t wait until next year!
