How Jack’s Caregiver Coalition Started

by Founder & Executive Director, Kyle Woody ​

It was the day before Thanksgiving. In Norfolk, Virginia, in 2011, when my wife Sarah was diagnosed with Colon Cancer. She was only 34 years old. We had just celebrated our second son’s first birthday. 

About a year later, some friends from California traveled across the country to spend a week with us. At the dinner table that first night, Sarah and I shared the things in the area that we hoped they could see and do during their week with us. 
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“That’s nice” they responded. “But we didn’t come here for that. We came here to serve you.” That wasn’t particularly surprising, except for one thing--They were looking at me. 

“But I don’t need help,” I said. “Sarah’s the one with cancer.” 

They went on to explain that before they came, they spoke with a friend of theirs who had been through what we were experiencing. They asked him, “How can we best show up for this family? What should we do?”, and he told them,  

“Serve the caregiver. They’re always forgotten.”  ​

His name was Jack. 

A couple of years later, Sarah and I had moved our little family to where she had long desired to live and where she would die, the Twin Cities of Minnesota.  

Jack’s wisdom had changed me. For the first time I saw myself as a caregiver and I became hell-bent on finding other caregivers to serve. First, I found Justin Nicolay of Prior Lake; then, Dustin Cesarek of Burnsville. We all realized what a difference it made to talk to other guys who were caregivers. So, in December of 2014, the three of us founded a non-profit hospitality company we call Jack’s Caregiver Coalition.  
-Kyle Woody 

What’s Happened Since Then ​

It’s been close to 10 years since Kyle, Justin, and Dustin founded Jack’s Caregiver Coalition. In that time, Jack’s has improved the lives of countless caregivers. 97% of the men who engaged with Jack’s reported an average of 80% improvement in how equipped they felt for their caregiving role.  ​

Caregivers Helping Caregivers ​

It started with Kyle, Justin, and Dustin meeting up to encourage each other. This practice turned into our Jack-to-Jack coaching program.  

​Then, Jack’s addressed the “support group issue.” Traditional support group models didn’t serve guy caregivers in a way that made them comfortable enough to attend. So, Jack’s started the Klatch, a support group with a different feel to it. These Klatches are a place where caregivers can talk about what is going on in their lives; what they walked in with. They decide what they will talk about. It is refreshing to discover that you aren’t alone. ​

Continued Support Throughout the Entire Caregiving Journey ​

Over the years, we learned that the transition from Caregiver to someone living with loss is filled with complex emotions and continued support needs. So, Jack’s created the Sequel Maker program. This provides a continuum of care for people who are all too quickly forgotten about by the rest of the world. ​

​​Standing with Caregivers Amid Their Storms

We also recognized the perilous time in a Caregiver’s journey when they must call their family and closest friends to come to their home because their loved one is close to the end. So, we started Storm Chasers. This program utilizes our mobile support team and our new kitchen on wheels. Many of us have been there, ourselves. So, we show up with food and encouragement for the family. ​

Continuing to Innovate Support ​

Our latest innovation involves the Twin Cities care community coming together to support caregivers by providing a day of refreshment, resources, and belonging. CaregiverCON is for Caregivers from any background; men and women caring for a loved one who is facing a health crisis. ​

Caregiving Is a Team Sport ​

These programs have all been made possible by generous donors. And we are growing. Expanded programming means that we are serving more caregivers than ever before. So, this year, we have greater needs than ever before. If you have ever wondered what you can do to make a difference for caregivers, we have something you can do. 

Help by Supporting Our Big GIVE Fundraiser.

​You can attend this special night and even buy a table and invite your friends or your team from work. Too busy to attend? You can be a sponsor, raising visibility for your business—or you can donate—without attending. ​

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