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Since September of 2018, the Hannah Hummingbird Junior Guild has collected donations for Seattle’s Children’s Hospital’s uncompensated care, where payment is not received by patients or the insurance provider.

The guild, which is a non-profit, is named after 16-month-old Hannah McNutt of Bainbridge Island, who passed away in 2012 after struggling with neural degeneration and epilepsy, and whose family still lives on the island, guild co-founder Amy James said.

McNutt loved hummingbirds and Owen’s Playground at Rotary Park has a hummingbird mural in her honor.

“We try a lot to be out within the community, and not necessarily to recruit people for the guild, but rather just to extend the outreach of the Children’s Hospital onto the island…I’ve learned a lot of people have been really affected by Seattle Children’s and by the care teams there, and just how special it is to be reminded of the fact that we have such an amazing hospital near us,” guild vice president and Bainbridge High School junior Lilly Hamilton said.

James said at a recent April heartwarming drive, the guild raised $4,000 to support Seattle Children’s.

Since its founding, the HHJG has been busy working on community drives, including making homemade blankets and seasonal gift wrapping, James said.

“It’s always really nice to hear people say how much they were affected by the hospital, and then want to sort of give back to that. And I think that helps me in knowing what we’re doing is making a difference,” Hamilton said.

James said one of the goals of Seattle Children’s is to provide every child who is admitted with a homemade blanket that they can take home with them.

“Allyson Brown (Hannah’s mom)…has all the blankets that were given to her for when Hannah was there at the hospital, and she said that made such an impact to have something homemade delivered to you when you’re in such a stressful situation,” James said.

Hamilton said the guild makes around 30 blankets throughout the year, and it’s been popular with both guild members and families.

“It’s good to know that it does go somewhere, and it does impact people in their lives, even if it is just like a bottle of toothpaste or a gift card for Amazon,” she said. “It will change someone’s day. And I think that’s really special and important to think about.”

The guild is composed of roughly 25 to 30 Bainbridge High School girls. Four students are nominated for officer positions and serve for one-year terms, which include: president, vice president, treasurer and secretary, James said.

The guild is supported by three advisors: Amy James, Cheryl Gillespie, and Shirley Rogers.

James said the guild takes field trips to Seattle Children’s to allow members to get a first-hand experience and learn about the mission of Seattle Children’s and the impact the guild’s contributions can have on patients and their families.

Aileen Kelly, executive director of Seattle Children’s Guild Association, described the impact of uncompensated care.

“Seattle Children’s is committed to caring for all children in our region, regardless of a family’s ability to pay. For families who face financial burdens related to their child’s care, uncompensated care covers medical expenses so families can focus on their child’s health, rather than the cost of restoring it. Financial assistance eligibility is based on monthly family income and family size,” Kelly said.

Last year, Seattle Children’s served 3,175 Kitsap County residents and provided nearly $6 million in uncompensated care, Kelly said.

James said in addition to supporting Seattle Children’s mission in removing cost barriers to accessing care through community donations, guild members are also able to learn leadership skills, including public speaking, teamwork and working towards shared goals.

“We’ve really seen these girls blossom as far as their leadership skills, which has been great to watch,” she said.

Guild president and BHS senior Ella Hatletveit shared her experience working with the guild.

“I enjoy doing the drives and the gift wrapping and even just talking with all the girls and doing meetings and talking about what the plan is. My favorite part is being connected with the community,” she said.

James said she and her fellow co-advisors serve in a support role of guild leadership and let students take the lead on running meetings and planning events.

“Community input has been positive, and it is amazing the generosity of the people in this community, even during difficult times,” she said.

To learn more about the guild, visit the HHJG Facebook or on Instagram @hannahhummingbirdguild