Bridging care when
children need it most.
CareBridgeBox maintains continuity of care for medically complex children during emergencies — integrating directly into existing disaster response systems to fill the gap no one else is designed to fill.
Program at a Glance
Disaster response systems are optimized for scale, not individualized medical needs.
When a disaster strikes, emergency systems mobilize quickly — but they're built for speed and volume, not for the child who depends on a specific medication schedule, a particular device, or a care routine that falls apart the moment a family is displaced.
Medically complex children are among the most vulnerable in any emergency. They lose continuity of care not because no one cares, but because the systems designed to help them simply weren't built for their level of need.
CareBridgeBox exists to bridge exactly that gap — working within existing infrastructure to provide rapid, structured support without adding burden to already-strained responders.
02 — Program Model
How CareBridgeBox works
A structured, two-tier deployment model designed to activate fast, integrate cleanly, and support every family through a critical window.
Tier 1 — Immediate Box
Pre-staged · Deploys on day one
Tier 2 — Triggered Support
Intake-activated · Hours, not days
03 — Intake System
Fast. Simple. Frictionless.
Our QR-enabled intake system is designed for the chaos of a real emergency — one scan, one request, under 60 seconds.
Scan to Request Support
Available at all Tier 1 deployment sites
Caregiver or responder scans QR code
A code is displayed prominently at every CareBridgeBox deployment site. No app download or account required.
Brief intake form — under 60 seconds
Minimal, plain-language questions identify the child's primary needs and connect them to the right resources — no clinical knowledge required to complete it.
Tier 2 support is automatically triggered
Coordination begins immediately. The right resources, referrals, and follow-up are dispatched — within hours, not days.
Continuity is maintained through the crisis
CareBridgeBox stays connected with the family through the acute phase, bridging communication between caregivers, responders, and healthcare providers.
04 — System Integration
Built to work within existing systems
CareBridgeBox doesn't create a parallel system. It integrates with the infrastructure that's already there — reducing burden, not adding to it.
Aligned with established frameworks
05 — Northwest Ohio Pilot
Starting where it matters.
The pilot is designed to prove the model in a real-world environment — with real partners, real deployments, and real feedback — before scaling.
Hospital Partner
Securing one hospital partner to serve as the anchor for community benefit funding and care coordination pathways.
EMA / VOAD Pathway
Establishing one verified EMA and VOAD referral pathway with clear deployment protocols and points of contact.
10–25 Unit Deployment
Producing and pre-staging 10–25 CareBridgeBox units across identified shelter and response sites in Northwest Ohio.
Live Intake System
Deploying the QR intake system in the field and capturing real-world intake data and caregiver feedback.
Funding Pathway
Primary funding through EMA and hospital community benefit programs, with state and public health channels as expansion targets.
Validated Outcomes
Collecting partner validation, intake functionality data, and real-world operational feedback to inform the next phase.
06 — Design Philosophy
Built on three non-negotiables
Every decision in CareBridgeBox's design traces back to a simple commitment: build something that actually works when things go wrong.
Be Fast First
In a disaster, speed is care. Every element of CareBridgeBox — from intake to deployment — is designed to reduce time-to-support, not add steps to it.
Keep Systems Simple
Complexity fails in the field. CareBridgeBox is deployable, understandable, and operable by caregivers and responders without specialist training.
Support, Don't Replace
Existing emergency infrastructure is essential. CareBridgeBox integrates with EMA, VOAD, and hospital systems — filling gaps, never creating new ones.
07 — Success Metrics
What success looks like.
The pilot will be evaluated against four concrete indicators — all grounded in operational reality, not projections.
08 — Program Leadership
Built by someone who has seen the gap.
CareBridgeBox wasn't designed from a desk. It was designed by someone who has worked in disaster environments and watched medically complex children fall through the cracks in real time.
Firsthand experience. Practical design.
Matthew Ayres is a nonprofit program architect and disaster response volunteer specializing in practical, system-integrated solutions for vulnerable populations. As a founding leader of The Avalon Foundation, he developed the CareBox and #PainBox programs — both centered on children with complex medical needs.
Through deployments with the American Red Cross during hurricane responses in North Carolina and Florida, Matthew contributed to logistics and distribution of critical resources in active response settings. His FEMA-aligned deployments as an IT Specialist gave him direct experience supporting multi-site emergency communications and operational infrastructure.
These combined experiences revealed a consistent, critical gap: medically complex children lose continuity of care during emergencies — not from neglect, but because standard response systems aren't built for their needs. CareBridgeBox is his direct response to that gap.
His design philosophy is simple: build solutions that are simple, scalable, and aligned with existing infrastructure — because they need to work when everything else is going wrong.
Parent Organization
A program of The Avalon Foundation
CareBridgeBox is developed under the umbrella of The Avalon Foundation — a children's charity built on the belief that kids can and should care for kids. The Foundation's programs share a commitment to practical, inclusive support for children facing complex challenges.
Ready to help bridge the gap?
CareBridgeBox is actively seeking hospital, EMA, and VOAD partners for the Northwest Ohio pilot. If you work in emergency management, pediatric care, or community benefit programs, we'd like to talk.