How Basket of Hope Began
Through the generosity of its donors,
Basket of Hope
provides gifts to children diagnosed with cancer or other serious
illness. The baskets are delivered by volunteers who spend time meeting
with the family. Basket of Hope customizes each basket with age
appropriate toys, games, crafts, etc. for the child and siblings. Basket
of Hope began in 1995 after 7-year-old Christina Brunette completed her
cancer treatment at SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center in
St. Louis, Missouri. Her family, thankful for her treatment and
wanting to give back, developed the Basket of Hope program.
Basket of Hope has delivered thousands of gifts across the nation with the help of local and national sponsors. These gifts are personally delivered by local sports or community heroes.
Basket of Hope gifts are filled with age appropriate games, toys, craft items and educational materials. Parents are offered a Basket of Hope Tote to nourish them physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. We love letting families with seriously ill children know that the community cares about them, is thinking about them and is praying for them.
Basket deliveries are a wonderful way for the community to connect with families and patients! Basket of Hope partners with members of the NFL, MLS, NHL and MLB communitites to give hope!
Super Baskets of Hope Beginnings
The Super Baskets of Hope event began in 2012 when Basket of Hope’s National Spokesperson, NFL Hall of Famer, and Super Bowl winning Coach, Tony Dungy birthed the idea of delivering gifts to all 32 NFL city hospitals, from Super Bowl City, Indianapolis. The week of the Super Bowl, 7000 gifts were assembled at the Pacer’s stadium, with the help of 1000 volunteers, UPS, Vera Bradley, Dungy Family Foundation and Riley Children’s Foundation. Gifts were shipped out to all 32 NFL cities. Local NFL players then delivered the gifts to families with seriously ill children in their communities.
“When these kids are in the hospital and fighting these diseases it’s a lonely experience and I think something like the Basket of Hope is right up their alley for them to experience that people care. What a great start to the Super Bowl, that we have this program” – Gary Brackett, Former NFL Linebacker
Super Baskets of Hope events have taken place in Houston, TX, Atlanta, GA, New York, New Orleans (2x), Los Angeles, Tampa, Fl, Miami, FL, San Francisco (Bay Area), CA, San Diego and Phoenix, AZ (2x) since its inaugural year, and thousands of gifts have been personally delivered to families from coast-to-coast with the help of NFL players, professional athletes and national sponsors.
Super Baskets of Hope 2026
7000+ Basket of Hope gifts will be shipped from the St. Louis Basket of Hope National Office to all 32 NFL city hospitals, January 2026
Basket of Hope is working with NFL players, national sponsors and hospitals to make this event a huge success.
Super Baskets of Hope’s mission is to partner with all 32 NFL City hospitals, national sponsors, local NFL players and other professional athletes to deliver generous Basket of Hope gifts to families with seriously ill children in children’s hospitals & medical centers. Caregivers are offered a Basket of Hope Tote to nourish them physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, while hospitalized children are offered a Basket of Hope filled with age-appropriate games, toys, craft items and educational materials. Basket of Hope deliveries occur the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl and are coordinated by Basket of Hope Staff and the Super Baskets of Hope Leadership Board.