These are just a few of the many stories where CareCircle programs have helped make a difference. Whether it's the joy of welcoming a new family member, or the difficult challenge of saying goodbye to a friend or loved one, CareCircle can help with organizing, communications, and arranging for just the right practical and emotional support at just the right time.

I got the call in the middle of the night that Dad had been rushed to the hospital... and I knew there would be a lot to handle all at once. Mom is recovering from a hip replacement operation and my three siblings live at least 3 hours away. I had heard about CareCircle programs from a friend and immediately went online to set ours up. My sisters and I used the program’s Web pages to keep in touch and update each other on Dad and Mom. We let all of our friends and relatives know how they could go on the Web site, keep up-to-date and help in small ways. We used the program’s online Calendar to let them arrange meal deliveries for mom from hundreds of miles away. The CareCircle program saved us time by reducing the number of repetitive phone calls, but allowed us to get information faster and more accurately. Most importantly, it allowed us to arrange for help for Mom and Dad when we couldn’t be there all the time. To start a CareCircle program now, click here.

Mom’s condo was destroyed when it burst into flames from a lightening strike... luckily she was away when it happened. Suddenly we had to find a new place for her to live, put together all the things she needed for her new place and help her with the emotional side of losing her treasured belongings. We used a CareCircle program to organize mom’s temporary housing situation, communicate with the community and family members collecting various things for the families affected by the fire. It was a great way to focus our family and friends and the entire caring community’s good intentions into actions that Mom really appreciated: providing replacement furniture, kitchen stuff, organizing meal deliveries while she was settling in, and much more. To start a CareCircle program now, click here.

My sister gave birth to twins... and 4-year old Ryan had no idea how his life was about to change. Lucy had always wanted a big family but as her sister and best friend I knew that it would initially “take a village” to make it work. I pulled together a group of family members and friends and came up with a plan to help Lucy for the next few months. With a CareCircle program Web site we used the Calendar to organize “in-house friend support” for each day (help with baby baths, or to provide much needed rest). Meal deliveries were organized and long distance friends picked restaurants from the list we provided on the Web pages. We used the Web site to organize Ryan’s life so he had rides to pre-school, play dates, and rides to his after-school activities so he wouldn’t feel left out. It did take a village to help Lucy but the family and friends loved having an easy way to help Lucy and Todd during those early hectic days. To start a CareCircle program now, click here.

My friend Susan was diagnosed with Stage 3 Breast Cancer... and we didn’t know what to do or what to say. A friend at work told us his company provided a service called CareCircle programs that help friends set up a private online community of support to help friends. We talked to Susan, and after a little convincing she let us set up a program for her. Having a place for her to communicate and for her friends from all around the world to leave messages of support immediately comforted Susan. We used the Interactive Calendar to sign up for taking Susan for her treatments so that she never had to go alone. Susan quickly realized the wisdom of not trying to go through this alone; with friends by her side she felt more confident. The activities we organized through the Web site included: meal deliveries on chemo days, providing small gift ideas, and creating a gallery of photos of our past vacations together that made Susan very happy. We helped Susan focus on the future and the memories we will be creating together when she finishes her treatments. To start a CareCircle program now, click here.

I got the call that our baby girl could be picked up in China... I couldn’t believe it after all these months of waiting we would meet our new daughter. We were told that we would be away for three weeks; we wanted to be sure our 4-year old son Peter was taken care of while we were away. My Mom came down to live at our house but my friend Charlene set up a CareCircle program the next day. We used it to communicate with family and friends for our entire trip and continued when we got home. Charlene used the Calendar to help organize rides for Peter to school and after school activities. We were able to upload pictures of our new daughter Lily and share them in real time with family and friends. We kept a diary on the Web site that we continue to look at today; it helps us to remember the excitement and fear we had on the trip to pick up Lily. It was such a great way to communicate to our many friends and allow them to share our China experience with us. To start a CareCircle program now, click here.

My 52 year old mother was sent on her second tour of duty in Iraq... Theresa is an army reservist (Lt Colonel) and a grandmother, hospital administrator and marathon runner. When she got called up to active duty, her 16 year old son and group of her friends set up a CareCircle program. The program’s Web site made it easier for Theresa to efficiently communicate with her family, friends and community members who had signed up to help during her tour. One friend organized monthly packages of items for Theresa and her peers, decorations for holidays, lots of baked goods, DVD’s, CD’s and much more. Theresa used the site’s Guest Book to tell stories of her day-to-day life and uploaded pictures from Iraq including sand storms, Iraqi children, and military “mini-marathons” organized by the soldiers. The CareCircle program provided an online home for Theresa and a way to feel closer to her growing group of fans back home. Her community loved it even more since they could help support their friend Theresa in small ways that were greatly appreciated. To start a CareCircle program now, click here.

My beloved husband was diagnosed with terminal cancer... We thought his esophageal cancer was gone but it turned out that it had spread to his other organs. We didn’t know what to do or what to say to our friends and family. I worked in admissions in a local college and it was time for making decisions on next year’s students. A friend of mine told us about CareCircle programs and at first we weren’t sure that we wanted to have a Web site; we were private people. Our friend Grace explained that the Web site access was invitation-only and one of the purposes of the program was to help guide friends on what we would and would not appreciate them doing for us, so we agreed to try it. What happened changed our lives. It helped remove the awkwardness of the situation. Suddenly a steady flow of love came in via the site’s Guest Book. Meal deliveries for my 80 year old parents staying in our home were organized (so I didn’t have to worry about my 15 year old daughter and my parents being fed), and I was able to spend my non-working time with my husband in the hospice facility without worrying. We started out by inviting a small group of friends, but by the time John died many friends who knew John during different phases of his life came forward to share stories on the site’s Guest Book, sent pictures for the Photo Gallery. Some old friends came to visit John one last time before he passed. John was able to die with dignity and grace, knowing how many people loved him and how he had made a big impact on the lives of the people he had known. To start a CareCircle program now, click here.

If you'd like to start your own CareCircle program, for as little as $4.99, click here.

If you've read a story or two, but want more details about how CareCircle programs work and how they can help you help a friend or family member through a challenging time, click here.