Your Comic Books Can Support Hospice Care

Do you have comic books and related items you no longer need? If so, these items can help support the patients and families served by the non-profit Barnabas Health Hospice and Palliative Care Center (BHHPCC) when you donate them to the Superheroes For Hospice fundraising project. An ongoing initiative begun in 2009, the unique Superheroes For Hospice program has raised over $120,000 to date.

The generated funds are not earmarked for any particular initiative, but instead, they help bridge the gap between reimbursement and the true cost of quality end-of-life care. Barnabas Health Hospice and Palliative Care Center prides itself on serving all who need their special kind of care regardless of the patient’s ability to pay, and the agency is aggressive in accepting cases that other hospice centers refuse due to logistical difficulties and expenses. Furthermore, since mandated services, like 13 months of bereavement support are not reimbursable, fundraising projects like Superheroes For Hospice are essential.

So, you see, those forgotten boxes in your closet, garage or basement can be dusted off to do some really good things. “We hold on to these collectibles, thinking that we’ll be able to retire comfortably someday, only to realize that the boxes take up a lot of space, and the effort to sell them is a lot more work than we anticipate,” says  Spiro Ballas, Director of the Superheroes For Hospice project and Senior Volunteer Coordinator for BHHPCC. “Selling them to a dealer is always an option, but that usually involves letting them go at wholesale rates. Donating the comic books instead to this cause is a nice alternative that feels a whole lot better,” adds Ballas.

In addition to the gratification of giving back to a worthy cause, there is also a financial benefit to donors who itemize their taxes. BHHPCC is a 501c charity, making the donation tax-deductible.

The donated items are sold at the Superheroes For Hospice charity comic books, held twice a year. Proceeds from the sale become monetary donations for the hospice. “I’m always looking for three things: people to donate their unwanted comics and collectibles, comic book fans to attend our events, and people to spread the word about both needs,” explains Ballas.

The best way to stay informed is to get on the project’s email distribution list. To do so, send an email to Ballas asking to be placed on the ‘comic list.’ You can also consult the project’s website [ www.Barnabashealth.org/comics ] and Facebook page [www.facebook.com/fansofsfh] for further information.

With the next Superheroes For Hospice Charity Comic Book Sale fast approaching on Saturday, November 7th, 2015, now is a great time to donate. The event will be held at the hospice’s West Orange, NJ office. From Archie to Zenescope, and from humor to horror genres, the project accepts all types of comic books and related items, like graphic novels, un-opened action figures, artwork, statues, etc. To make a donation, simply contact Spiro Ballas for details: SBallas@BarnabasHealth.org or 973-322-4866.