About Us
Warmth. Comfort. Support.
Cape Ivy provides warmth, comfort and support to children who have chronic or critical illnesses and their families. Cape Ivy makes and donates soft fleece ponchos designed specifically for children who may be receiving IVs, PICC lines, ports or other medical treatments. Side openings allow medical tubing and equipment to remain accessible while children stay warm and comfortable.
Founded as a small effort to help children in the hospital, Cape Ivy has grown into a national nonprofit serving hospitals, residential medical facilities and community organizations. The mission remains simple: provide something practical and comforting to children during some of their most difficult days.
A simple idea, inspired by Gavin
Cape Ivy began with a mother who understood firsthand how difficult it can be to keep a child comfortable during frequent medical treatments.
After her son Gavin spent much of his childhood receiving infusions and other medical care, his mother Meg saw a need for something that would keep children warm without getting in the way of IV lines and medical equipment. What began as an idea for a better hospital garment became a way to help other children and families facing similar challenges.
Meg and Cindy ultimately decided that instead of selling the ponchos, they would donate them to children who needed them. Cape Ivy was born from that decision, and Gavin’s story continues to be part of the organization’s history and purpose.
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Volunteer Organization
Cape Ivy is an all-volunteer nonprofit. There are no paid staff members. Volunteers and the Board of Directors support the organization’s operations, outreach and growth, allowing Cape Ivy to focus its resources on getting ponchos to children and families who need them.
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Overhead
Cape Ivy is committed to being a responsible steward of the donations that make its work possible. As an all-volunteer nonprofit, Cape Ivy keeps administrative expenses low and directs the vast majority of its resources toward producing and distributing ponchos.
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A nonprofit built on transparency
Financial information, including Cape Ivy’s IRS Form 990 filings, is available for anyone who would like to learn more about the organization’s finances and operations.
Designed for a medical need. Loved for so much more.
Cape Ivy ponchos were designed to solve a practical problem: keeping children warm while allowing medical tubing and equipment to remain accessible. But the response from children, parents and healthcare professionals has shown that they can mean much more than that.
Child Life Specialists, nurses, parents and other healthcare professionals have shared how much children enjoy choosing a bright, colorful poncho and having something that feels like it belongs to them—not just another piece of medical equipment. The ponchos offer warmth and comfort, while also helping children feel a little more like themselves during a hospital stay.