CARING GROUND TRANSPORTATION

COMPLIMENTARY RIDES TO TREATMENT

Mission Administration email is admin@groundangels.org

Office Hours are 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Monday thru Friday.

Please send a text before or after office hours to 832-301-2816.

Our volunteers can view and respond to Patients requests  and run missions 24/7.

Learn More

Our patient’s wellbeing is always our prime concern.  COVID appears to be on the rise again so if your medical condition recommends extra protection – PLEASE ASK all passengers to wear a facemask.  In TEXAS all vehicle passengers are required to wear a seatbelt. 

IMPORTANT
ALL VISITORS PLEASE NOTE.

HOUSTON GROUND ANGELS ONLY OPERATE IN THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA. WE ARE NOT ACTIVE IN OTHER PARTS OF TEXAS - OR IN OTHER STATES. WE ARE A SMALL GROUP, TRYING TO HELP PATIENT TRAVELLERS IN AND OUT OF HOUSTON's CRITICAL CARE MEDICAL FACILITIES.

We can only support Patients going to critical medical treatment.   We regret  we cannot assist LOCAL Houston patients  needing transport to Dental, Optician and routine doctor appointments.  Patients must ALWAYS have a back up plan – as we just cannot support the many requests received.

CALL 832-301-2816 with any questions.

WE NEED VOLUNTEERS - PLEASE JOIN US

our mission

Houston Ground Angels is a non-profit, 501 (c)(3) organization established in 2000. Its purpose is to provide complimentary ground transportation for local Houston patients and those flying in from out-of-town – getting to and from critical medical care at both local clinics and Houston’s Texas Medical Center, which includes the MD Anderson Cancer treatment center.

We ask all Patients to REGISTER – ONE TIME  to provide basic key information including contact details.  Houston Ground Angels driver volunteers meet patients at their homes or at public/private airports and provide a ride to or from their medical clinic or a Med Center hotel.

Transportation (we call them Missions) is provided by driver volunteers (Ground Angels) who generously gift their time, automobiles and gasoline.

Click the PURPLE button if you are a patient needing ground transportation – arriving or departing from an area AIRPORT. Complete this  On-Line request form.

Request A ride - Airport

Click the RED button if you are a Greater Houston RESIDENT patient and need LOCAL road transportation. WE MUST HAVE AT LEAST 2 DAYS NOTICE FOR LOCAL RIDE REQUESTS.  

REQUEST A RIDE - LOCAL

Our operations are entirely supported by public donations.  PLEASE consider making a donation to help our mission here.

donate Now

who we are

 All operations are entirely supported by public donations.  THANK YOU for helping us.

  Over 6150 rides were requested in 2023 – we were successful in meeting 75% of the need.

Our volunteers provide complimentary LOCAL and AIRPORT rides for patients and their family’s to get to their critical medical treatment

More VOLUNTEER drivers needed – please connect with us to volunteer

what we do

Every year, hundreds of thousands of people from across the country and the world come to Houston’s highly respected and acclaimed medical facilities seeking life-saving treatments, for themselves, their child, spouse, or other family member.

Many patients travel alone, or a parent arrives with their young child. They do not know the city, or anyone who lives here. It can be stressful to arrive in a strange city, especially when you or your loved one has some other life-threatening disease or illness. Many patients have to make multiple visits during their treatment journey.

When you combine mounting medical bills, interrupted employment, and the expense of airfare, meals, and local transportation, it can become overwhelming. Expenses can pile up. It is estimated that in fighting their illness a patient can spend $11,000 in meals, hotels and local transportation.

Houston Ground Angels’ volunteer drivers assist these patients by providing ground transportation, by picking them up from home, or from public and private airports around the city and drive them to the Texas Medical Center or other medical facilities. When they are ready to go home, a Ground Angel will pick them up and take them back, either to the airport for their outbound flight or to their residence.

All rides (we call them MISSIONS) are absolutely without cost to the patient.

how can you help?

1. Become a Houston Ground Angel.

Just click on become a VOLUNTEER and complete the form.

2. Help spread the word about Houston Ground Angels with your social group/friends or neighbors.

3. Make a DONATION to support our mission.

Please take a moment and read our history in the “ABOUT US” section.

Here is a short video – on the MD Anderson Hospital website that tells one patients story.

Get our latest Community Newsletter here – get added to the circulation – we send out twice a year.

I didn’t realize how alone  and nervous I felt until I saw your organization was involved. Having friendly personal support is so meaningful.  I have requested pickups and drop-offs this week as I return to MD Anderson from NY City. The rodeo is in town and your city is buzzing.  I understand if my trips are not accepted by someone. I am just grateful Houston Ground Angels exists and there is an opportunity for a safe and friendly ride.

Audie M. (Mar2024) 

Our volunteer picked us up at Bush airport and brought us to a hotel in the Medical Center area. We were an 83 year old, sick and sucking on supplemental oxygen, my wife-care-giver, service dog, and 3 bags, plus a wheelchair. Derek lifted and rearranged several times to get us all in. No complaints and welcoming conversation entire time. Ride to hotel included a slight detour through medical area so we could see where our hospital was located from our accommodations. Thanks again to Houston Ground Angels. 

Armando M. (Mar2024)

I  just wanted to take a moment  to thank you all for providing transportation services  for my husband and me recently.  Both volunteers Walter and Lucy were just fantastic and patient with us, and we are so grateful for you. Once things calm down some, I’d  be willing to investigate if Memphis  (our nearby  larger city)  has a similar service for patients traveling  in. Perhaps I can pass it forward.

Thank you again, and know you helped us when we really needed it.

 

Allison R-K (Sep2024)

Ground Angels is the BEST 💕  Thank you so much  Ground Angels for what you do to help Cancer Patients like myself. Your driver Volunteers are the nicest people on earth!

Denise T. (Aug’24)

I am making this donation on behalf of Melanie (Ground Angel Driver). Melanie picked me up and dropped me off 2 days this week. I am a cancer patient and my rides with Melanie to my radiation treatments were so comforting and enjoyable! She is a blessing to anyone who passes her along life’s journey.
Diane J. (Jan’24)

Thank you Houston Ground Angels, and please thank Dick and Jerry again, for picking me up.  I am truly grateful for all that you do. My treatments have graduated to a year follow up.  I will see you all next year.  With Much Gratitude

Barbara L-G. (Aug’2024)

I just want to say how appreciative & grateful I am to volunteer Richard for the care & concern he showed to me. When we arrived at my pre-paid Vrbo lodging accomadation, the ‘host’ was nowhere in sight, couldn’t be found, and didn’t answer phone calls, emails, or texts. Grabbed my phone, and made a reservation right quick at the the nearby Holiday Inn, and off we went. If I’d been Uber’d to that lodging location, of course the Uber would have just dropped me off, w/o even trying, or caring to “see me into my apt”. Richard saved me a great deal of anxiety. Since my cancer diagnosis of a few months ago, my ability to process and deal with conflict is/has been affected, and I know if I had been dumped/left there by an Uber, the bad situation would have been a lot worse.
Thank you, Richard, and Thank You – Houston Ground Angels!
John D.  (Sep’24)

This is such a wonderful organization. The volunteers are the kindest, most caring people that I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Melanie is wonderful and I enjoyed talking with her so very much. Gerry is very funny and made me very relaxed and feeling less stressed. I am sorry but I cannot remember the young man that picked me up at the airport one morning. But it was such a pleasure to meet someone so young that is volunteering to do such good works. 
James A. (Feb 2024)

I just wanted to take a moment to thank you all for providing transport for my husband and me recently. Volunteers Walter and Lucy were just fantastic and patient with us and we are so grateful for you.  Once things calm down, I’d be willing to investigate if Memphis (our nearby city) has a similar volunteer group for patients traveling in.  Perhaps I can pass it forward.  Thank you again, and know you helped us when we really needed it.

Allison R-K (Aug 2024)

INFORMATION about the SPANISH WEBSITE

The Houston Ground Angels website has been translated into Spanish to help non-English speaking patients better understand how to start the complimentary travel process we call “Missions”.  However, be advised our staff and office people do not speak Spanish. Please consider finding a bilingual relative, or friend who can help you if our staff contact you by phone about your ride request. You also may need help to complete the on-line forms which are all in English.