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Annual Appeal Letter

November 2007

Dear Friends:

Last month we received a call to help a single mom with two small sons.  Her six-year-old son is terminally ill, suffering the effects of a rare genetic disorder.  The extensive co-pays for his medications and therapies were so financially draining that everyday household bills were being set aside and had become unmanageable.  Worst of all, this mom, in an effort to buy the required drugs for her son’s condition, was unable to purchase medication she desperately needs for her own battle with brain cancer.

Complicated situations like this make us wonder how families can survive the emotional, physical, and financial costs that accompany serious illness.  The critical diagnosis of a child doesn’t always happen in a stable home with two healthy parents, healthy siblings, or financial security.  The reality is that of the nearly 1,200 families our organization assisted last year, 48% were headed by single parents and 37% were unemployed.

Think of the challenges and losses faced by a mom whose four-year-old son was hit by a car this past spring causing paralysis to his lower extremities.  Because this caring, single mother remained at the bedside of her son during his lengthy hospitalization and critical care, she lost her job, was unable to pay the rent, lost their home, and is currently residing in a shelter with her four children.  Social workers turned to our Fund for assistance.

Thanks to our donors, we were able to respond to these requests.  But we really need your help, too.

Our support to families like these is made possible only through the generous donations of individuals like you, grants from private foundations and corporations, special events, community organizations and the fundraising activities of students from preschool to college!  Your response to our annual appeal is critical because we need every gift to provide the help these children and their families require.

Please consider making a gift this year to help us with a mission that has touched the lives of more than 16,000 families in crisis over the last 31 years.  Your generous support will help us lighten the financial pressures for families who may be facing eviction or loss of services while caring for a seriously ill or disabled child.  Every gift, whether you are able to send $25, $50, $100, or more, helps us pay an electric, phone or gas bill, fill a family’s oil tank, pay the rent, purchase handicap equipment or provide some comfort with assistance for funeral expenses.  I can assure you that your gift will be greatly appreciated and, on behalf of the children who will benefit, I thank you for your consideration.

Our best wishes to you and yours for a safe and enjoyable holiday season. 

Gratefully,

Margaret M. Dolan
Executive Director