it is about time.
Hello,
As I sat, watching the inauguration, listening to "air and simple gifts" performed by yo-yo ma, itzhak Perlman, Anthony McGill and Gabriella Montero, I was inspired to write to you. I have not updated my blog or sent out an email in many months. But today I feel a need to reiterate how important you have made my life. It is the air I breathe and the simple gifts in life that allow me to stand where I do today.
On a monthly basis, I get an email or a message from someone who lets me know they have read my blog to help them get through their own transplant or their child's transplant. I may get an email from someone who knows someone that is about to have a stem cell transplant or from someone who is a friend that does not know how to deal with their best friend going through a transplant.
In the past few months, I have ventured into becoming the director for a non-profit organization called Smile Forever Foundation. This foundation's mission is to help patients and families financially who are battling cancer, autism or another disabling disease.
Most of our recipients are in northern NJ but geographical boundaries do not get in the way. I got a call the other day from a social worker with two teenage siblings who both need heart transplants from Connecticut who are going to Boston, MA.
On February 20th, I turn 30 and on April 5th will be my three years since my transplant. So I am some where in between a three year old and a 30 year old.
I have been very busy lately. My dog, Rowley, named after my transplant doctor, is quite an energetic character. Thank god he has a sister, Cassie, he plays with almost everyday to wear him out.
As the director of the Smile Forever Foundation, I would like to expand the mailing list, brainstorm better fundraising ideas and bring in more money to help more patients. Currently, the foundation is giving to 14 families and other organizations this month. In the four years of existence, we have raised over $500,000 and given to more than 200 families.
Many of you have been very valuable in my life and now I am turning to you to see if any of you would like to help me. I would like to bring volunteers and get a few committees involved with helping me.
The most important committee I need right now is a few people that would like to be a part of my brainstorming committee. In the spring, we typically have a walk-or an event that brings in a substantial amount of money. However, this year, we would like to steer away from the walk and do something more creative-and something may really want to come to.
I have May 17th at Stone Point Park in Old Tappan, NJ booked right now. I have thought about trying to get some musical talent or a play in the park, but would love ideas. Or if anyone knows of anybody that may be interested.
I am also trying to put together a few restaurants to have fundraisers for the foundation.
I spend many hours working for the foundation and want to expand the Smile Forever Foundation.
Some Examples of the help recently.
I am meeting a woman on Friday that only has a few more months to live. Her children are 20 and 22 years old.
The foundation is sending a check to a family in Cranford, NJ to a 15 year old boy who has bone cancer and does not have much longer to live.
He is obsessed with PEZ so we are helping the family go to the Northeast Pez Convention in Connecticut.
There are many families we have helped with therapy for their autistic children. We have given almost $30,000 to a public school for children with special needs to allow for extracurricular programs, funded their year book and field trips.
The day before Thanksgiving, we gave money to a family with a little boy in the Bergen County area who is blind from cancer he had when he was 2.5 years old. He is now 12 and is currently dealing with another cancer. He has had three cancers in his 12 years.
In December we gave a family money-the father has a brain tumor-his prognosis is grim-possibly 9 months-He will leave behind a 3, 8 and 11 year old.
This foundation helped me greatly when I was sick. Mr. Gonnelli, the president of the foundation, lost his wife to breast cancer. Even when she was sick, she still helped others and died smiling. Hence Smile Forever.
People are coming to us and saying the big organizations have exhausted their funds and cannot help. Smile Forever is a grass roots organization but typically we give more to the families than many of the bigger organizations give with an
average of $2000-$3000 and sometimes people will ask us for help again.
Most of the money received is given to families with the exception of administrative fees and the cost of our events.
If anyone would like to do a corporate match, we welcome them. The foundation is a 501 c 3 with a tax id.
On a daily basis, I speak to someone who is going through something terrible. But I believe in this foundation. I love this foundation and there is not anything else I would rather be doing.
I know people are busy. I know the economy is not great. But I know there are some people who may want to help out this foundation. I welcome you and would love to speak with you or meet you.
If anyone has ideas or knows people, please contact me. If anyone would like to do their own fundraising event to help raise money for the foundation, we welcome that.
I hope you are healthy. I spoke to a woman the other day who has advanced stages of MS. She cannot walk, she cannot use her arms-her sons do almost everything for her-the cooking the cleaning-they are
12 and 13 years old. She said to me, "we don't have a lot but at least I have healthy kids."
I thank you for inspiring me. I thank you because you make me see this world as a beautiful positive place. And you all are my foundation that allow me to have the confidence, the strength and the
will power to live with the blood of a 3 year old and the heart of a survivor.
With love,
Jennifer
As I sat, watching the inauguration, listening to "air and simple gifts" performed by yo-yo ma, itzhak Perlman, Anthony McGill and Gabriella Montero, I was inspired to write to you. I have not updated my blog or sent out an email in many months. But today I feel a need to reiterate how important you have made my life. It is the air I breathe and the simple gifts in life that allow me to stand where I do today.
On a monthly basis, I get an email or a message from someone who lets me know they have read my blog to help them get through their own transplant or their child's transplant. I may get an email from someone who knows someone that is about to have a stem cell transplant or from someone who is a friend that does not know how to deal with their best friend going through a transplant.
In the past few months, I have ventured into becoming the director for a non-profit organization called Smile Forever Foundation. This foundation's mission is to help patients and families financially who are battling cancer, autism or another disabling disease.
Most of our recipients are in northern NJ but geographical boundaries do not get in the way. I got a call the other day from a social worker with two teenage siblings who both need heart transplants from Connecticut who are going to Boston, MA.
On February 20th, I turn 30 and on April 5th will be my three years since my transplant. So I am some where in between a three year old and a 30 year old.
I have been very busy lately. My dog, Rowley, named after my transplant doctor, is quite an energetic character. Thank god he has a sister, Cassie, he plays with almost everyday to wear him out.
As the director of the Smile Forever Foundation, I would like to expand the mailing list, brainstorm better fundraising ideas and bring in more money to help more patients. Currently, the foundation is giving to 14 families and other organizations this month. In the four years of existence, we have raised over $500,000 and given to more than 200 families.
Many of you have been very valuable in my life and now I am turning to you to see if any of you would like to help me. I would like to bring volunteers and get a few committees involved with helping me.
The most important committee I need right now is a few people that would like to be a part of my brainstorming committee. In the spring, we typically have a walk-or an event that brings in a substantial amount of money. However, this year, we would like to steer away from the walk and do something more creative-and something may really want to come to.
I have May 17th at Stone Point Park in Old Tappan, NJ booked right now. I have thought about trying to get some musical talent or a play in the park, but would love ideas. Or if anyone knows of anybody that may be interested.
I am also trying to put together a few restaurants to have fundraisers for the foundation.
I spend many hours working for the foundation and want to expand the Smile Forever Foundation.
Some Examples of the help recently.
I am meeting a woman on Friday that only has a few more months to live. Her children are 20 and 22 years old.
The foundation is sending a check to a family in Cranford, NJ to a 15 year old boy who has bone cancer and does not have much longer to live.
He is obsessed with PEZ so we are helping the family go to the Northeast Pez Convention in Connecticut.
There are many families we have helped with therapy for their autistic children. We have given almost $30,000 to a public school for children with special needs to allow for extracurricular programs, funded their year book and field trips.
The day before Thanksgiving, we gave money to a family with a little boy in the Bergen County area who is blind from cancer he had when he was 2.5 years old. He is now 12 and is currently dealing with another cancer. He has had three cancers in his 12 years.
In December we gave a family money-the father has a brain tumor-his prognosis is grim-possibly 9 months-He will leave behind a 3, 8 and 11 year old.
This foundation helped me greatly when I was sick. Mr. Gonnelli, the president of the foundation, lost his wife to breast cancer. Even when she was sick, she still helped others and died smiling. Hence Smile Forever.
People are coming to us and saying the big organizations have exhausted their funds and cannot help. Smile Forever is a grass roots organization but typically we give more to the families than many of the bigger organizations give with an
average of $2000-$3000 and sometimes people will ask us for help again.
Most of the money received is given to families with the exception of administrative fees and the cost of our events.
If anyone would like to do a corporate match, we welcome them. The foundation is a 501 c 3 with a tax id.
On a daily basis, I speak to someone who is going through something terrible. But I believe in this foundation. I love this foundation and there is not anything else I would rather be doing.
I know people are busy. I know the economy is not great. But I know there are some people who may want to help out this foundation. I welcome you and would love to speak with you or meet you.
If anyone has ideas or knows people, please contact me. If anyone would like to do their own fundraising event to help raise money for the foundation, we welcome that.
I hope you are healthy. I spoke to a woman the other day who has advanced stages of MS. She cannot walk, she cannot use her arms-her sons do almost everything for her-the cooking the cleaning-they are
12 and 13 years old. She said to me, "we don't have a lot but at least I have healthy kids."
I thank you for inspiring me. I thank you because you make me see this world as a beautiful positive place. And you all are my foundation that allow me to have the confidence, the strength and the
will power to live with the blood of a 3 year old and the heart of a survivor.
With love,
Jennifer
posted by Jenn at 11:10 AM
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