In North Alabama each year, more than 1,000 births end with an infant staying in the Huntsville Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

When Athens mom Amanda Jones and her son became part of that number, she witnessed many families making more than just decisions about their newborn’s health care. She saw families trying to decide when and how often they could visit their child.

“It broke my heart,” Jones said. “That’s not a decision you should have to make, whether you can financially afford to go to the hospital to see your baby.”

For some, it was a need to go back to work. For others, it was not having the gas money. No matter the reason, it was enough to show Jones a need in the NICU for assistance.

After her son became a “NICU graduate,” she decided to give back. Jones now serves as chairperson of the Bundles of Hope Fund, part of the Huntsville Hospital Foundation.

“We’re a group of Athens moms who wanted to give back to the unit in honor of our babies,” said Jones, who believes her son might not have survived without HH’s care and support. “… (It’s) like a club you don’t want to be a member of, but you are.”

BOHF provides meal cards, gas cards and bimonthly in-hospital meals to families with infants in the NICU. In 2017, they served a family waiting for what was perhaps the most famous delivery at HH that year — Courtney and Eric Waldrop’s sextuplets. The Waldrops, their three older children and their six latest additions are now the stars of the TLC show “Sweet Home Sextuplets.”

The Waldrops have returned the favor by helping hand out meals with BOHF at the hospital, and on Saturday, they’ll be the keynote speakers at a fundraising event for the team.

The event, set for 6–9 p.m. at the Limestone County Event Center, features dinner from Moe’s Original Bar B Que in Decatur and a silent auction. Jones said more than $4,500 in items have been donated for the auction, including a date night package of dinner at Connors Steak & Seafood at Bridge Street Town Centre, tickets to the movies and a night at The Westin Huntsville.

“We’ve been so blessed,” Jones said. “The community has shown out. … We have some amazing items.”

Tickets to the event are $40 per person or $500 for a table sponsorship with eight tickets and a company logo advertisement. Visit https://bit.ly/BOHFdinner2019 to purchase.

Those who cannot attend the event but wish to support the cause can do so by visiting https://bit.ly/HHFdonatenow and specifying the donation go to “Bundles of Hope Fund.” Donors can also contact bundlesofhopefund@gmail.com to arrange a donation.

Jones said the money and items received provide a “small blessing in a very difficult situation.” Thanks to an increase in donations, meals that were once only handed out at Thanksgiving and Christmas can now be distributed once every other month.

“I’m so proud to be in such a wonderful community willing to support our cause,” Jones said. “We have been overwhelmed with the support we’ve received.”