OUR ORGANIZATIONAL PURPOSE

The Empowered Hearts Foundation is an IRS-recognized 501c3 organization that exists to support families with children facing serious illness and disease. When a child’s health becomes uncertain, families often carry significant financial strain - from overwhelming medical bills to ongoing treatment and long-term care costs. For many low- and middle-income households, this stress can become nearly as heavy as the illness itself.

Our purpose is to lessen that burden. Through fundraising and the generosity of compassionate donors, we work to provide direct relief that helps families breathe a little easier during the hardest moments of their lives. We believe no parent should have to choose between financial stability and getting their child the care they need, and we’re committed to standing in that gap whenever we can.

THE HARD FACTS

Many U.S. families raising children with serious illness, disability, or long-term medical needs face heavy financial burdens. Studies show that families with a disabled child are nearly twice as likely as others to report difficulty paying medical bills.

Even when children have insurance, care costs can be steep: hospital stays alone may leave families paying $1,300–$3,000+ out-of-pocket per admission. For complex conditions (like congenital heart disease), lifetime costs can total millions, and families often carry tens or hundreds of thousands in out-of-pocket expenses.

Care requirements also often force parents to reduce work hours or leave jobs entirely - leading to lost income, worsened financial stress, and sometimes even food or housing insecurity when medical debt piles up.

These harsh realities illustrate why support from causes like the Empowered Hearts Foundation is so needed: to help ease the financial burden so families can focus on caring for their children.*

MEET OUR DIRECTOR - Nathan R Mitchell MBA

For nearly 25 years, I’ve helped leaders and teams unlock their potential, build healthier cultures, and create workplaces where people feel valued and supported. My work has taken me across Corporate Retail, Higher Education, and Small Business, with certifications from GiANT Worldwide, the Jon Gordon Companies, and The John Maxwell Team.

But along the way, I learned something bigger: leadership isn’t just about performance - it’s about people. Strong leadership can elevate lives, and when families face crisis, they need more than inspiration. They need support.

That belief fueled the creation of the Empowered Hearts Foundation. While I continue coaching leaders through Lead Empowered LLC, Empowered Hearts allows me to take that mission beyond the workplace - helping families whose children are battling severe illness and overwhelming medical costs. No parent should have to choose between financial survival and their child’s care.

Whether I’m guiding leaders or standing beside families in their most difficult moments, my purpose is the same: empower people, remove barriers, and help them unlock their true potential.

"It's in that moment when we realize, 'It's not about me, there's a bigger purpose at work here, and it's my responsibility to fulfill it,' that a great leader is born!" - Nathan R Mitchell

*SOURCES

Houtrow AJ, McKernan LC, Shearer CL, et al. Health Care Cost Concerns and Hardships for Families of Children With Disabilities. JAMA Network Open. 2025;8(4):e20257826.
Carlton ER, Chua K-P, and colleagues. Out-of-Pocket Spending for Non–Birth-Related Hospitalizations of Privately Insured U.S. Children, 2017–2019. University of Michigan / CHEAR Study. 2023.
Brennan J, et al. Association of Financial Hardship Because of Medical Bills With Adverse Outcomes Among Families of Children With Congenital Heart Disease. JAMA Cardiology. 2020;5(10):1200–1207.