At Empowered Endings Foundation, we believe that no one should face the end of life without support, understanding, or dignity. This Giving Tuesday, we invite you to join a growing movement to humanize healthcare and ensure compassionate end-of-life care is accessible for all.
In a world where healthcare systems often feel impersonal and overwhelming, where families struggle to navigate complex medical decisions, and where financial barriers prevent people from accessing the care they deserve, your generosity creates real change. Every contribution—whether it’s financial support, shared time and expertise, or simply spreading awareness—helps us bridge the gaps in our healthcare system and ensure that compassionate, dignified end-of-life care is available to everyone who needs it.
Why Support for End-of-Life Care Matters Now More Than Ever
When individuals and families navigate complex and terminal illness, they often encounter significant gaps in our healthcare system. From understanding the difference between palliative care and hospice care to managing the overwhelming cost of hospice care and end-of-life care costs, the journey can feel isolating, confusing, and financially devastating.
Many families face impossible choices: should they pursue aggressive treatment that may prolong suffering, or transition to comfort care? How do they navigate medical aid in dying laws in their state? What happens when insurance doesn’t cover the full cost of hospice care at home? Who can they turn to when they feel lost in a system that often prioritizes protocols over personhood?
According to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, while hospice care is a Medicare benefit, many families still struggle with uncovered costs and understanding their options. Healthcare professionals—doctors, nurses, death doulas, social workers, and therapists—also need support.
They witness suffering daily and often lack adequate training in palliative care, grief support, and the emotional toll of end-of-life work. Care partners and family members sacrifice their own wellbeing while providing round-the-clock care, frequently experiencing anticipatory grief, financial strain, and profound isolation.
Our foundation exists to fill these critical gaps by providing:
- Educational resources about end-of-life planning, advance care planning, living wills, power of attorney, and navigating care options
- End-of-life financial assistance for families who cannot afford the care their loved ones deserve, including support with hospice care costs and palliative care expenses
- Grief support groups, family bereavement resources, and ongoing emotional support for those navigating loss and anticipatory grief
- Training and professional development workshops for healthcare professionals, death doulas, therapists, and care partners
- A compassionate online and in-person community where no one faces this journey alone—connecting patients, families, and professionals
- Resources on alternative healthcare approaches and holistic end-of-life care that honor the whole person
This Giving Tuesday Season, your generosity helps us turn those powerful conversations into tangible impact. The momentum from that evening continues to grow, and with your support, we can expand our reach, deepen our programs, and serve even more families who desperately need these resources.
Many Ways to Give: Finding Your Path to Impact
Generosity takes many forms, and we welcome contributions of all kinds. Whether you give time, treasure, or talent, your support makes a meaningful difference in the lives of patients, families, and care professionals. Not everyone is in a position to make a financial contribution, and that’s completely understandable. What matters is finding the way you can contribute that feels authentic and sustainable for you.
1.) Financial Contributions: Turning Resources into Real Support
Your tax-deductible donation directly supports our mission to reduce financial barriers to compassionate care. Every gift—whether twenty-five dollars or one thousand dollars—creates immediate, tangible impact. We understand that many people want to know exactly how their money will be used, so we’ve outlined specific examples of what different contribution levels can provide:
- Twenty-five dollars covers printed care education materials and end-of-life planning checklists for families in crisis who need immediate guidance
- Seventy-five dollars funds a facilitated support group session for caregivers and grieving loved ones, providing connection and professional guidance
- One hundred fifty dollars supports professional training in compassionate end-of-life care, helping death doulas, nurses, and counselors develop deeper skills
- Five hundred dollars provides a week of holistic support services for a low-income family, including grief counseling, practical care assistance, and financial guidance
- One thousand dollars or more sustains our nationwide education programs, supports the Empowered Collective community, and provides ongoing financial assistance to multiple families
You can make a one-time contribution or set up a recurring monthly donation through our secure online platform. Many donors find that smaller monthly gifts fit more comfortably into their budget while providing us with predictable support we can count on throughout the year.
For those who are able to make larger contributions, please know that major gifts directly enable us to expand our financial assistance programs, launch new educational initiatives, and reach underserved communities where access to end-of-life resources is especially limited. If you’re interested in discussing a significant donation or exploring planned giving options, we welcome the conversation.
2.) Share Your Time and Expertise: The Gift of Presence
Your professional skills, personal experience, and willingness to show up for others are invaluable. Many of our most impactful programs are led by volunteers who bring deep expertise and lived experience to our community. If you’re a healthcare professional, counselor, educator, writer, or someone who has navigated end-of-life care personally, you have knowledge that can help others.
Consider contributing by:
- Facilitating or presenting at our educational webinars and workshops on topics like navigating hospice care, understanding palliative care options, or creating advance directives
- Volunteering as a grief support group facilitator or peer counselor, offering compassionate presence to those processing loss
- Contributing to our resource library with articles, how-to guides, end-of-life planning kits, or educational materials that demystify complex topics
- Offering pro bono services in your area of expertise—whether that’s legal guidance on power of attorney documents, financial planning for end-of-life care costs, or therapeutic support
- Serving as a community connector, helping us identify families who need financial assistance or individuals who would benefit from our support groups
Even a few hours a month can make a profound difference. If you’re interested in volunteering, we’ll work with you to find opportunities that align with your skills, schedule, and comfort level.
3.) Amplify Our Message: The Ripple Effect of Awareness
Sometimes the most powerful gift is simply spreading the word and connecting people who need support with resources that can help them. Most people don’t think about end-of-life planning until they’re in crisis, and by then, they’re often overwhelmed and don’t know where to turn. By sharing information about Empowered Endings Foundation, you help ensure that when someone faces a terminal diagnosis or loses a loved one, they know they’re not alone.
Help us reach more people who need support:
- Share our resources with a friend, colleague, family member, or patient who might benefit from grief support, end-of-life planning guidance, or community connection
- Post about our mission on social media using hashtag Empowered Endings, helping us reach people beyond our current network
- Forward our newsletter to your professional network, especially colleagues in healthcare, social work, counseling, or hospice care
- Invite others to join our community and attend upcoming educational events, workshops, and support groups
- Talk openly about end-of-life planning, advance care planning, and the importance of having conversations about death and dying—helping to break down cultural taboos
- Share our financial assistance program information with social workers, hospital case managers, and community organizations that work with families facing end-of-life care costs
Advocacy also matters deeply. When you talk about the need for better palliative care access, the importance of grief support, and the gaps in our healthcare system, you help shift cultural attitudes and potentially influence policy changes that benefit everyone.
- Contribute Content and Stories: Sharing Wisdom and Experience
Your voice matters, and your story has the power to help others feel less alone. Whether you’ve navigated end-of-life care as a family member, worked professionally in hospice or palliative care, or experienced profound loss and found your way through grief, your insights can guide someone else on their journey.
Share your insights and experiences to help others:
- Write a guest blog post about your experience with end-of-life planning, navigating hospice care, supporting a loved one through terminal illness, or finding meaning in grief
- Share your story of how community support, grief counseling, or end-of-life financial assistance made a difference during your most difficult moments
- Contribute professional insights about alternative healthcare approaches, integrative therapies, or compassionate care practices that honor the whole person
- Participate in research initiatives or surveys that help us understand community needs and improve end-of-life care delivery
- Record a video testimonial about your experience with our programs or the importance of accessible end-of-life care
We know that sharing personal stories can feel vulnerable, and we handle every contribution with deep respect and care. You have full control over how your story is shared and whether you’re identified by name or remain anonymous.
- Build Community: The Power of Connection
One of the most profound gifts you can give is authentic human connection. Isolation is one of the most painful aspects of navigating terminal illness, caregiving, and grief. When you participate actively in our community—whether online or in person—you help create the supportive environment that everyone deserves during life’s hardest moments.
Join us in building a compassionate community:
- Attend our free educational webinars, workshops, and support groups—your presence matters and your questions help others
- Engage authentically in our online community discussions, offering compassion, sharing resources, and asking thoughtful questions
- Become a peer support companion for someone newly facing a terminal diagnosis or navigating the early stages of grief
- Host a gathering or conversation circle in your area to connect with others interested in compassionate end-of-life care and life enhancing practices
- Reach out to someone in our community who seems to be struggling, offering a listening ear or practical support
Building community is reciprocal—when you show up for others, you often find that the connection sustains you as well. Many of our most active community members initially came seeking support and discovered that giving support became part of their own healing.
Stories of Impact: Real Lives, Real Change
Being part of the Empowered Endings Foundation Community has been especially helpful since I am the caregiver for my husband and go through various emotional stages. The mission of Dr. Uslander and his wife Elizabeth has brought comfort and connection when I needed it most. I do not feel alone anymore, and I have learned so much about how to advocate for better care.
— Jeanette C.
Community Member and Care Partner
Empowered Endings is an essential resource for information and support. I have been involved since their inception and continue to champion their growth. What they are building is exactly what our healthcare system needs—compassion, education, and real support for families facing impossible decisions. I give monthly because I believe in this mission deeply.
— Mel M.
Advocate and Donor
Join the Movement This Giving Tuesday
When you give to Empowered Endings Foundation, you are not just supporting an organization—you are joining a nationwide movement to reimagine what it means to age and die well in America. You are ensuring that financial burden never prevents someone from receiving compassionate care. You are helping families navigate the most difficult moments with clarity, support, and dignity. You are building a more human-centered, compassionate healthcare system that honors every person’s journey.
Together, we can change the narrative around death and dying. We can create a culture where end-of-life conversations are normalized, where advance care planning is seen as an act of love, where grief is honored rather than rushed, and where everyone—regardless of financial circumstances—has access to the care, education, and support they need to live and die with dignity.
This Giving Tuesday, your contribution—whatever form it takes—helps us move closer to that vision. Thank you for being part of this movement.
How to Give
Online: Visit
empoweredendings.org/donate to make a secure one-time or recurring donation.
By Mail: Make checks payable to Empowered Endings Foundation
Empowered Endings Foundation
8132 Camino del Sol, Unit F
La Jolla, CA 92037
Include your name, address, and email to receive a tax receipt.
501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Organization | Tax ID: 82-1902112
Stay Connected to Our Community
Join our growing community of changemakers committed to transforming end-of-life care.
Sign up for our newsletter at empoweredendings.org
to receive updates about our programs, events, resources, and the movement to humanize healthcare.
Your Gift Brings Comfort, Clarity, and Compassion
Together, we can ensure everyone has access to the care, education, and support
they need to live—and die—with dignity.
