That’s why a delivery one Sunday evening brought an unexpected and delicious surprise. Sky High for Kids, a local nonprofit dedicated to supporting children battling cancer and other life-threatening illnesses, arrived with a special meal, offering Baurtista and his mom a break from the usual routine.
Houston restaurants rally to provide meals for pediatric hospital patients
Sunday Suppers at Texas Children’s Hospital gives families a break from the usual food insecurity.
This article was originally published on Chron.com – read the full article here!
Sunday Suppers, a Sky High for Kids program, partners with Houston restaurants to provide delicious meals for children with cancer and/or other life-threatening illnesses.
For 15-year-old Jaime B., four months in the hospital meant dealing with countless challenges, but one of the hardest? The food.
“Hospital food is okay, but of course, it is not my favorite. I miss restaurant food.” she admitted.
“We didn’t know we were getting a meal delivery that night but were so happy when it showed up. It is always nice to have something different – I especially liked the lasagna,” said Jamie.
Providing nutritious and comforting food to families at Texas Children’s Hospital Cancer Center is the goal of Sky High for Kids’ Sunday Suppers. The program was inspired by a dinner the nonprofit’s founder and CEO, Brittany Franklin, was having at the hospital with Mila, a nine-year-old battling acute myeloid leukemia. She saw firsthand how many families relied on services like Uber Eats and DoorDash.
“Meal delivery is so expensive, and not every family undergoing treatment can afford such a luxury,” Franklin said. “Together, Mila, her mom, and I thought, ‘What if we could provide meals to all families in need?’ and that is where the idea of Sunday Supper was born.”
According to research published in JAMA Pediatrics, many families face food insecurity during extended hospital stays. Studies show that limited food availability can add stress and factors into longer hospital stays and higher readmission rates within 30 days.
“When your child is battling cancer, the last thing you want to think about is trying to provide a meal after a long, exhausting day,” Franklin said. “Knowing that they don’t have to worry about food allows them to focus on what really matters—being there for their child.”
Franklin turned to the Houston restaurant community for support. Truth BBQ was one of the first to volunteer in June 2024.
“If there’s one thing Leonard and I hate, it’s seeing anyone hungry,” said Truth BBQ co-owner Abbie Byrom-Botello. “We feed the panhandlers and homeless that walk through our doors every day. I cannot bear the thought of a child not getting the meal they want. Our first meal (for Sunday Suppers) was fried chicken and tater tot casserole with banana pudding. We felt like that was going to be a hit, and I’ve heard they still talk about it.”
Several Houston restaurateurs, including Eunice’s Drake Leonards and Saigon Hustle’s Sandy Nguyen, have partnered with Sunday Suppers to provide meals for pediatric patients in Houston hospitals.
Sunday Suppers has served over 1,660 meals to families at the Texas Children’s Cancer Center’s main campus. In addition to Truth BBQ, Craft Pita, Eunice, and Trill Burgers have each stepped up to support the initiative. According to Franklin, each restaurant is encouraged to accommodate dietary restrictions where possible, but they are free to create meals based on their resources. Quesadillas, lasagna, prime rib, chicken pita with hummus, red beans with rice, and andouille sausage are just some of the dinners families have enjoyed over the past eight months.
For Mary Harmon and her son Daulton, who has been in and out of the hospital for over a year, Sunday Suppers have provided financial relief and convenience. The program allows them to enjoy a special meal without the added expense, and for Harmon, it means she doesn’t have to make the difficult choice of leaving her 12-year-old son alone to pick up food from the cafeteria or elsewhere.
“As a father, helping to feed children or anyone caring for them feels like a natural choice,” said chef Drake Leonards of Eunice. “Brittany Franklin and I are both from Louisiana, which creates a special connection. We both understand how deeply food can nurture not just bodies but spirits and community bonds as well.”
To provide meals every Sunday throughout the year, Franklin hopes to add even more restaurants to the roster, inviting any willing participants who can provide 170 individually boxed meals on a Sunday to take part. She has seen firsthand how the initiative has been life-changing for restaurant owners, giving them a meaningful way to give back to their community. While the hospitality industry is demanding and labor-intensive, Franklin says many have found the opportunity to serve families in need incredibly rewarding, with several restaurants even committing to delivering meals quarterly.
Craft Pita chef and owner Raffi Nasr said it was an easy decision. “When causes like this one come around, we have to rally around these families,” Nasr said. “We do it because it is rewarding to have something as simple as a boxed lunch bring a smile to the face of someone in need.”
Byrom-Botello agreed. “I have always said the community keeps our lights on, pays our mortgage, allows us to pay our employees and give them raises, advancement opportunities, and full benefits. Therefore, it is our responsibility to ‘keep the lights on’ for our local community when they need us.”