As the Executive Director of Hunter Hospitality House and the writer of this blog, I often share the stories of those we serve, our dedicated volunteers, and our generous supporters. After a recent series of posts about the rest of our staff, someone suggested it might be time to share a bit about myself. So, welcome to this special edition of our blog, where I'll be interviewing myself—Tracy Willard—about the heart and soul behind Hunter Hospitality House, what inspires our work, and the vision we hold for the future.
What inspired you to start Hunter Hospitality House, and how has your vision for it evolved over the years?
My family’s own situation in 1991 was the inspiration. Babies who stay in the hospital longer than their mothers need to be fed every three hours. This was the case for us when our son Hunter was born prematurely. Sadly, he passed away when he was just 16 days old, and Hunter Hospitality House was founded in his memory. I remember the experience of driving to the hospital every few hours when I was emotional and exhausted, which was not safe for me or anyone else on the road—and I lived right in town. I have great empathy for those people doing that drive.
Parents who stay right across the street from the hospital at HHH can make those feedings without fail, which is important for the baby’s health and, in some cases, the nursing mother’s health, too. When we opened the first location, with recommendations from hospital staff, we realized the need was much greater than just parents of hospitalized babies. We know that when someone you love is critically ill or near death, you want to be right there with them in the hospital. But taking care of your own needs—like getting a shower, a quick bite to eat, and a little nap—can make a world of difference in how well you’re able to focus on your loved one and the information you’re getting from the medical staff. Our three locations of Hunter Hospitality House are close to the hospitals, so you won’t be gone long, you can be on call, and you won’t even have to drive.
We also recognized the need to make Hunter Hospitality House available to those undergoing outpatient treatments like cancer therapy or wound care, ensuring they’d have access to the healthcare they needed, too.
Can you tell us a bit about your role at Hunter Hospitality House and what you do on a day-to-day basis?
As the Executive Director, my main responsibilities include raising funds to keep our services free, recruiting volunteers, increasing community awareness, working on outreach to neighboring counties, and leading the organization. A typical day might include writing thank you notes for donated items, signing donation receipts, attending a local networking meeting, researching advertising opportunities, coordinating a staff meeting, having lunch with a volunteer, and supporting another organization at their fundraising banquet.
Can you share a memorable story or moment that encapsulates the impact Hunter Hospitality House has had on its guests?
We once had a cancer patient tell us that if Hunter Hospitality House wasn’t available, there wouldn’t be a way for him to get to his twice-daily treatments in Port Huron. He lived 45 minutes away, didn’t have transportation, and didn’t know anyone who could bring him to town, either. For him, free hospital lodging was a matter of life and death.
What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced as Executive Director, and how did you overcome it?
Undoubtedly, the COVID-19 pandemic was a huge challenge for Hunter Hospitality House. We closed the homes (at that time, there were just two) for three months, during which time I spent most of my days learning everything I could about how we could reopen safely for our guests, volunteers, and staff. We reopened at limited capacity and stayed on top of all the changing requirements from the CDC and the local health department. Leading our organization through that crisis was not anything I could have imagined doing, but our team worked together like rock stars.
How do you see the role of Hunter Hospitality House within the community, and what future goals do you have for its growth and outreach?
We are blessed to live and run Hunter Hospitality House in an area where collaboration and support among organizations and businesses are the norm, not the exception. I love attending community meetings and events and building relationships that help us all succeed in serving the public. My role is to support and help where I can.
In terms of growth and outreach, I work tirelessly for Hunter Hospitality House to be fully funded, become a household name throughout the Thumb of Michigan, and remain in the community for generations to come. While we don’t anticipate opening any new locations, I would love for us to be every family’s first choice for hospital lodging in the Port Huron area, the first thought when considering volunteer opportunities, and among the first organizations thought of when donating to charity.
What advice would you give to someone looking to start a nonprofit or community service organization?
Research, research, research. Remember the Bible verse that there’s nothing new under the sun? It’s so true. Find the people who are already providing the service you want and ask for their advice. Be sure your area isn’t flooded with organizations similar to what you’re hoping to start because duplication of services leads to inefficient use of funds and overlapping efforts. Finally, count the cost. Are you willing to market, fundraise, and live out your organization’s mission 24/7 for the rest of your life, constantly representing it wherever you go? It can be a lot, but it’s the best job I’ve ever had and better than I ever prayed it would be.
Can you share a fun or interesting fact about yourself that the reader might not know?
For a couple of years back in the early 2000s, I wrote a family humor column for our local newspaper. It’s hard to believe now because I can barely think of a funny Facebook post, let alone a chuckle-worthy 800-word essay!
Any final thoughts?
I am a wife to Jeff, a mom to Garrett, Cullen, and Parker, a mother-in-law to Denielle, Kirsten, and Lily, a grandmother to Linus, Wren, and Vanessa, and a sister to Sherilyn. These are my people, and I devote a lot of time and energy to making these relationships rich and memorable. My family is everything to me.
Every day, I am reminded of why we do what we do at Hunter Hospitality House and the profound impact we can make during the hardest times in other families’ lives. I’m grateful to everyone who has been a part of our story, believed in our mission, and helped us keep Hunter’s legacy alive.
What inspired you to start Hunter Hospitality House, and how has your vision for it evolved over the years?
My family’s own situation in 1991 was the inspiration. Babies who stay in the hospital longer than their mothers need to be fed every three hours. This was the case for us when our son Hunter was born prematurely. Sadly, he passed away when he was just 16 days old, and Hunter Hospitality House was founded in his memory. I remember the experience of driving to the hospital every few hours when I was emotional and exhausted, which was not safe for me or anyone else on the road—and I lived right in town. I have great empathy for those people doing that drive.
Parents who stay right across the street from the hospital at HHH can make those feedings without fail, which is important for the baby’s health and, in some cases, the nursing mother’s health, too. When we opened the first location, with recommendations from hospital staff, we realized the need was much greater than just parents of hospitalized babies. We know that when someone you love is critically ill or near death, you want to be right there with them in the hospital. But taking care of your own needs—like getting a shower, a quick bite to eat, and a little nap—can make a world of difference in how well you’re able to focus on your loved one and the information you’re getting from the medical staff. Our three locations of Hunter Hospitality House are close to the hospitals, so you won’t be gone long, you can be on call, and you won’t even have to drive.
We also recognized the need to make Hunter Hospitality House available to those undergoing outpatient treatments like cancer therapy or wound care, ensuring they’d have access to the healthcare they needed, too.
Can you tell us a bit about your role at Hunter Hospitality House and what you do on a day-to-day basis?
As the Executive Director, my main responsibilities include raising funds to keep our services free, recruiting volunteers, increasing community awareness, working on outreach to neighboring counties, and leading the organization. A typical day might include writing thank you notes for donated items, signing donation receipts, attending a local networking meeting, researching advertising opportunities, coordinating a staff meeting, having lunch with a volunteer, and supporting another organization at their fundraising banquet.
Can you share a memorable story or moment that encapsulates the impact Hunter Hospitality House has had on its guests?
We once had a cancer patient tell us that if Hunter Hospitality House wasn’t available, there wouldn’t be a way for him to get to his twice-daily treatments in Port Huron. He lived 45 minutes away, didn’t have transportation, and didn’t know anyone who could bring him to town, either. For him, free hospital lodging was a matter of life and death.
What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced as Executive Director, and how did you overcome it?
Undoubtedly, the COVID-19 pandemic was a huge challenge for Hunter Hospitality House. We closed the homes (at that time, there were just two) for three months, during which time I spent most of my days learning everything I could about how we could reopen safely for our guests, volunteers, and staff. We reopened at limited capacity and stayed on top of all the changing requirements from the CDC and the local health department. Leading our organization through that crisis was not anything I could have imagined doing, but our team worked together like rock stars.
How do you see the role of Hunter Hospitality House within the community, and what future goals do you have for its growth and outreach?
We are blessed to live and run Hunter Hospitality House in an area where collaboration and support among organizations and businesses are the norm, not the exception. I love attending community meetings and events and building relationships that help us all succeed in serving the public. My role is to support and help where I can.
In terms of growth and outreach, I work tirelessly for Hunter Hospitality House to be fully funded, become a household name throughout the Thumb of Michigan, and remain in the community for generations to come. While we don’t anticipate opening any new locations, I would love for us to be every family’s first choice for hospital lodging in the Port Huron area, the first thought when considering volunteer opportunities, and among the first organizations thought of when donating to charity.
What advice would you give to someone looking to start a nonprofit or community service organization?
Research, research, research. Remember the Bible verse that there’s nothing new under the sun? It’s so true. Find the people who are already providing the service you want and ask for their advice. Be sure your area isn’t flooded with organizations similar to what you’re hoping to start because duplication of services leads to inefficient use of funds and overlapping efforts. Finally, count the cost. Are you willing to market, fundraise, and live out your organization’s mission 24/7 for the rest of your life, constantly representing it wherever you go? It can be a lot, but it’s the best job I’ve ever had and better than I ever prayed it would be.
Can you share a fun or interesting fact about yourself that the reader might not know?
For a couple of years back in the early 2000s, I wrote a family humor column for our local newspaper. It’s hard to believe now because I can barely think of a funny Facebook post, let alone a chuckle-worthy 800-word essay!
Any final thoughts?
I am a wife to Jeff, a mom to Garrett, Cullen, and Parker, a mother-in-law to Denielle, Kirsten, and Lily, a grandmother to Linus, Wren, and Vanessa, and a sister to Sherilyn. These are my people, and I devote a lot of time and energy to making these relationships rich and memorable. My family is everything to me.
Every day, I am reminded of why we do what we do at Hunter Hospitality House and the profound impact we can make during the hardest times in other families’ lives. I’m grateful to everyone who has been a part of our story, believed in our mission, and helped us keep Hunter’s legacy alive.