Today we’d like to introduce you to Beth Dorsing
Hi Beth, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
In 2019, my son Andrew passed away at age 6.5 from complications due to a congenital heart defect. After his passing, my husband and I knew we wanted to do something good to not only remember Andrew, but to help us in our healing. With donations from a Go Fund Me, we started Andrew’s Bravery Box. While in the hospital, Andrew didn’t like uncomfortable procedures like IV flushes or bandage changes. We got him to come around by offering small toys as rewards for him cooperating with the nurses. It was out of this idea that Andrew’s Bravery Box was born. Today, we have 24 bravery boxes throughout 3 hospital and clinic systems in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area.
Some people seem amazed at how my husband and I could start a charity in the midst of what I would say is the worst thing that could ever happen to a parent. Growing up, I always found myself surrounded by people of faith. My husband also grew up in a Christian home and we both share a faith that gives us hope for the future. We know that this life isn’t the end, but we also know that we are called to make the best of it – sharing our gifts with others and helping them through hard times just as our friends helped us. It is for this reason that we work hard each year to collect toys form the community to bring to the hospitals. In our first full year, we donated about 2,000 toys. This year, we expect to donate over 5,000 toys to our partners!
I have also been a high school math teacher for the last 18 years. Working with my students is the best part of my day and I’ve actually been able to connect with a few students who have encountered the bravery boxes because of younger siblings in the hospital. Seeing the diverse backgrounds and experiences my students have has shaped my view of what we do with Andrew’s Bravery Box. I like to imagine the kids we help growing up to be students in my classroom. I hope I get to help them along the way somehow!
I grew up in Odenton, Maryland and moved to MN in 2005 after getting married to my husband. Andrew was our youngest son and his older brothers are Nathen and Jesse.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My biggest struggle was the catalyst for starting Andrew’s Bravery Box. When Andrew passed, I can honestly say that was the worst day of my life. We were blessed to be surrounded by loving friends and family that supported us through it. They have continued to support Andrew’s Bravery Box as we have grown. Finding a way to turn a terrible situation into something good has been our path to healing. We find joy in helping others through tough journeys and we know exactly what many of the families are facing.
Our current struggle is a welcome one – as we expand, we find ourselves in need of more donations in the form of toy drives or finiacial support to continue our work. We experiences insane growth last year and plan to work to sustain our 24 boxes this year.
We’ve been impressed with Andrew’s Bravery Box, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We are a non-profit organization that has been helping families in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area for the last 5 years. We provide small toys inside a of small bin called a bravery box that families and staff can use to reward kids who stay brave through difficult procedures. We started with 5 bravery boxes at Children’s MN in the cardiac ICU area and have grown to serve 9 locations with 24 bravery boxes.
Our charity started after seeing how offering a toy at the end of a tough procedure changed Andrew’s attitude and outlook. After just one day of rewards, he was requesting procedures so he could get a toy! Our unofficial motto is “Bravery through Bribery”, but really, we just understand that kids need a concrete reward at the end of something they don’t want to do. Children don’t always understand the reason behind a procedure or medication, they just know it’s not fun! By providing toys in our bravery boxes, we are helping to change kids’ outlook on what medical procedures lie ahead. When kids face their medical journey with a positive attitude, they are more likely to have positive outcomes. We also believe that our program helps remove some stress for the child as well as their parents.
Together with my husband, we do everything required to run this non-profit. I handle the book-keeping, website design and updates, social media posts, correspondence, and maintaining contact with our partnering hospitals and clinics to coordinate deliveries. My husband also shares many of these tasks with me. We are 100% volunteer run and about 89% of every dollar we spend goes directly to filling our bravery boxes. We are very proud of what we do and hope to continue rewarding bravery for years to come.
Our website is www.AndrewsBraveryBox.org
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
In my personal life, I like to read the Bible. I also think that having a healthy body is important to keeping my mind sharp, so working out with the BODi app is something I try to do daily.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.AndrewsBraveryBox.org
- Instagram: @andrewsbraverybox
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/andrewsbraverybox
