The Marco Houpe
Foundation
Empowering Human Potential
For Burn Survivors, by Burn Survivors
Since 2008, The Marco Houpe Foundation has been dedicated to helping burn patients and their families at every step of their recovery. We support the Nationwide Children's Hospital Burn Unit in conjunction with providing counseling, life coaching, medical and essential needs, direction for reconstructive and plastic surgeries along with education on fire prevention.
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In addition, our nonprofit organization based in Columbus Ohio, provides public speakers to hospitals, schools, youth organizations, and corporate companies. Our ideas are directed toward positive development, inner strength, and an "I Can Do It" attitude, all professionally bundled to "Empower Human Potential".
TMHF would like to thank the countless number of volunteers who have continued to graciously give us their time, dedication and priceless input over the years.
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TMHF has had a busy 2025 holiday season. Our 17th Annual TMHF Toy Drive, which ran from November 17th through December 21st, was a great success all in part to our amazing and dedicated volunteers, staff and the great parents, students and faculty of Gahanna Middle School East. Thank you all for your generous donations.
HERE WE GROW AGAIN!
This year's toy drive netted over $8,700,000 dollars' worth of toys, book and games which were distributed to NCH Burn Center, Fire Fighters Kids and several families throughout the greater Columbus area.
The Marco Houpe Foundation would also like to give a very special THANKS to the Columbus Fire Department along with the doctors, nurses and staff of Nationwide Children's Hospital Burn Center, all helping to Empower Human Potential.
Be on the lookout for our 2026 events, fundraisers and how you can get involved.
POWERED BY: Molina Health Care
TMHF SPECIAL FEATURE
“My goal is to “Live a life worth saving” and I hope I’ve made all the work people put into my recovery, worth it.”
It has been over a decade ago, on a cold December night; Mike woke up to an inferno. After the surreal shock washed over him the survival instincts kicked in. Running out of his room into the fiery hallway, he saw no one else was awake. He started yelling and thankfully woke up his roommates while consequently being overcome by the smoke as he passed out.
6 weeks later he woke up at Bothin Burn Unit with 3rd degree burns on 77% of his. body along with scorched lungs.
It’s been a marathon but he has recovered much since then.
Mike tells me that he constantly reminds himself that healing isn’t a linear process; even if that would make it easier. Just because it gets better doesn’t mean it will get easier.
Over these 10 years a lot of living has happened. "I’m glad I lived long enough to bury my Pop and that it wasn’t the other way around.”
If you or someone you know has survived a fire and are now having problems coping with the scars, (both inner and outer) please contact The Marco Houpe Foundation.
An organization for burn survivors, by burn survivors.