2013 was a year of tremendous growth in the work being done by The Go Jen Go Foundation, its supporters, donors and volunteers. I am so very proud of the selfless commitment of our Board of Directors in making sure we can help every family that comes to us for support.
As we draw this year to a close, I wanted share some of the important work being done.
In 2013 we have been able to help more families than ever before due to the generous contributions from individuals, corporations, and fundraising events like:
- All In to Fight Cancer
- The Inaugural Run Jen Run 5k
- Pink on the Rink, the Charlotte Checkers and the Kahn Family
- South Park Youth Association Pink Sock Drive
- SHE 4Life and the Overlook Fall Festival
- Team Carolina Lacrosse Club
- The Pinnacle Institute of Cosmetology
- 24 Hours of Booty
- Consolidated Planning
- Smiley’s 4 C’s
- Sales Performance International
- Y2 Yoga
- Carolina’s Hematology and Oncology
- The Plym Foundation (Charlotte Smarty Pants.com)
- All of our wonderful Run Jen Run sponsors and participants
These are just some of the events and organizations that generously support the GJG mission.
Here are some of the ways in which your donations have gone to help families this year:
- A new mattress for a survivor who was in pain from chemo at night
- A trip to Africa with a survivor’s ministry, (a lifelong wish)
- Power bills for a survivor who was using a heating pad to avoid turning on her heat
- A train ticket for a mother to be with her daughter during her mastectomy
- Visa cards for families who have to choose between pain meds or groceries
- Three different survivors’ reconstruction surgery
- Rent for several families facing eviction
- Money to help pay for COBRA insurance after job losses
- Money for day to day expenses when co-pays wipe out the family checking
- A new refrigerator so the survivor didn’t have to store her food in a cooler
- Monthly financial Support for over 20 families this year
The Board of Directors would like to humbly thank every Go Jen Go supporter for their generous gifts, their volunteer efforts and their unending messages of love and support. As a foundation, we strive to be good stewards of the money that is donated, using very little of those funds for the day to day costs of operations. We are an all-volunteer organization, with no paid staff. We are dedicated to helping women and families focus on the things that are important while they are in the fight of their lives. And we know we couldn’t do this without the unending support from the Go Jen Go army.
On a personal note, I would also like to thank all of the people who have reached out to help Jen in her difficult fight. The dinners, the playdates, the cards and letters, the gifts. Each one is dearly appreciated and truly helpful. Jen continues to amaze me with her strength, her courage and her grace. She inspires us all to be better people, to cherish every minute, to find the bright side, to wag more and bark less.
I could never explain how difficult it is to face our dire future, day after day, and push it aside to live for the present. It is so much easier said than done. But she soldiers on, for her sons, for her family. For me. And I try to do the same for her; I’m just not as strong. But, the help from all of you is enough to keep us going. And the love we get for the love we give is overwhelming. Thank you.
Hug your family and have a very Happy New Year.
Joe
