Hark’s Mission
Hark is on a mission to share the real story of ALS and to provide a network of compassionate resources for families.
Our Vision
Change the way the world views ALS. Create a courageous legacy of support for families.
What We Do
Hark-ALS provides assistance to alleviate the financial burdens faced by families battling ALS. We offer support in many ways, including, but not limited to, the list below:
- Provide grants for the following:
- Equipment not covered by insurance.
- Travel expenses for clinic appointment or family events they would not otherwise be able to afford.
- Household expenses.
- Small home modifications.
- What we are unable to provide a grant for::
- Ongoing caregiver expenses
- Ongoing prescription copays
- Accessible vans
- There are alternative ways we can help with the expenses we do not provide a grant for, please contact us for more information.
- Adopt a Child of an ALS Family for the Holidays – we recruit donors to adopt children of ALS patients struggling financially and help them make the holidays special for their children.
The Hark Legacy
Our Dad taught each of us, not by what he said, but by what he did, to be the best person we can be, to share the gifts that God gave us, to help others at every opportunity we’re given, to make a difference in someone’s life and to face life’s challenges with courage and dignity.
When he was diagnosed, a year and after his symptoms started, the doctor called and said, “I believe your father has ALS and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.” Our first thought was, that’s not something you want to hear a doctor say! Our second thought was, how bad can it be? What we soon learned was, it could be devastating! Slowly our father lost the ability to speak, swallow, talk, walk and breathe without help. We came together as a family, as we always do, to take care of him yet, even with 7 of us, it was difficult and, at times, we needed help, but we each took on a role and navigated our way through.
After he passed away I often thought, “What would I have done if I didn’t have my family, what if it was just me and I had to go through that myself, how would I ever have been able to manage? I would have been totally overwhelmed with no where to turn for help.”
Getting a diagnosis of ALS is frightening, you feel alone, you feel like no one understands, and there’s no hope. You don’t know where to turn, you’re embarking on a journey through a dark tunnel and you need someone to turn on that little flicker of light and say, “I’ve taken this journey, I’ll help you navigate your way through, I’ll be there with you every step of the way.”
Hark’s family is that Flickering Light of Hope.