August's Boxes

Our flagship program is August's Boxes, named after founders Nick and Zoe Hoeppner's son August, who passed away at age three in a tragic accident. ​

 

August's Boxes—provided to Emergency Room staff, medical examiner's offices, and other professionals at the point of care—can be used to support legacy- and memory-making with the child's family by capturing "the physicality" of the child. To this end, there are tiny scissors to snip a lock of hair, different colored ink pads for fingerprinting, a glass bottle to hold heartbeat printouts, and clay molds for hands or feet casts.  

 

The boxes also contain bereavement resources, which includes a variety of grief-related literature and resources, such as books for siblings and listings of funeral homes, support groups, mental-health professionals and, less obviously, legal rights which can be provided to families based on the circumstances of the death event.