The Hospitality Cart at Levine Children's Hospital

Eastwood Homes is in the business of building houses. But it takes heart from our team and our homebuyers to transform those structures into a home.

With a company philosophy of “Built With Care” that grew directly out of the heart of our team members and owners, it was a natural connection to form a philanthropic partnership with Levine Children’s Hospital.

We have three components to our partnership with Levine, including an annual golf outing and a donation with the sale of every home in the Charlotte area to the hospital. But today, our hearts are focused on the Hospitality Cart. Since 2008, Eastwood Homes has sponsored this cart full of the everyday essentials that children or their families may need while staying – oftentimes unexpectedly – at Levine Children’s Hospital. Whether it’s a pair of socks or a toothbrush, we wanted to provide that sense of “home” to those families in a strange place, who are so focused on one thing: their child’s health.

Throughout the years, our team members have donated to the cart, bringing in bags of shampoos and children’s books, soaps and hand lotions, and whatever is needed. We felt a genuine connection to the cart and to Levine. But it was a video shoot that brought our team even closer to a family that has made several trips to the hospital over the past three years.

We met with the Parker family at our Walnut Creek community in Indian Land, just outside of Charlotte, for a video highlighting the impact the Hospitality Cart has made on families just like them. Prior to their arrival, our team constructed a wooden ramp to allow for easy access to our model home for the Parker’s daughter, Elliot, who uses a wheelchair. The story could end there, with an impactful video that reflected how something so simple as a cart full of supplies could be such a blessing to those who are away from their home. And truly, that would have been enough to know that we are making a difference for these families. (Scroll to the bottom of the page for our full video with the Parkers.)

Yet, it doesn’t end there. Shortly after the video, the Parkers reached back out to us to ask if they could pay our team to build a similar ramp at their home. They had a metal ramp that wasn’t as sturdy for Elliot as they would have liked. Of course, we were happy to help.

It was then that our builder Chad Blake began to wonder if he could go above and beyond for this family. The next morning, he called our subcontractors to ask for their help. Victor with F&C General Construction and Ray with Builders FirstSource graciously agreed to donate their time and supplies to make the donation of this ramp a reality for the Parkers.

Chad is quick to thank Victor and Ray because, without them, this gift wouldn’t have been possible. But for Chad, helping the Parkers was something that touched his heart.

“Levine’s holds a special place in my heart, and that’s what started this whole thing,” he said. “My daughter spent 10 days there in the hospital because she was premature.”

He says the doctors and nurses at Levine were the most phenomenal people a person could meet.

“When you are there, you see what some of the other people are going through,” he said. “We were lucky to only be there for 10 days.”

His daughter is 8 years old now. He also has a 3-year-old daughter. When he showed a video of Elliot using her new ramp for the first time to his family, his 3-year-old was quick to realize they were the same age. Helping the Parkers brings his experience full circle.

“I hope it makes all of us give our kids and family a hug, hold them a little tighter, and be thankful for what we all have in this world,” Chad said.

We couldn't agree more, Chad.

And now, please meet the Parkers: