01/09/2014
I want to take a moment as we begin 2014 to thank you all for your support of our mission. It is hard to believe that Kylie would turn 10 years old this spring! As we reach this milestone and reflect on moving forward, we recognize the time commitment of our growing family and the impact that of both of us working full time in addition to running this organization will have on our children. For that reason, we have decided that it is time for our family to explore different ways to honor Kylie’s legacy and wind down our organization. We are so incredibly thankful that we have been able to impact the lives of so many children and families in their time of need. Your kindness in helping our mission will be felt for many years to come.
With change comes time for reflection, and we could not be more proud of the legacy you have all helped us create in Kylie’s memory. After Kylie passed away, we knew we wanted to raise awareness regarding issues children and families face during a hospitalization. We now look around us and see that we have accomplished that mission. We not only raised awareness for our mission, but as we regularly spoke with students who helped collect care bag supplies, we encouraged them to give back to other organizations too. We hope the children we met along the way will see philanthropy as a consistent part of their lives.
Regarding our care bags, we have connected with another organization, The Megan Littlejohn Foundation, that is excited to take over that program, ensuring families will still know that people in their community care for them during their times of crisis. Additionally, we are setting up funds in select hospital units to provide them with holiday and emergency supplies for families for the next few years so they have time to establish connections with other local organizations for assistance.
We are most proud to know that our organization touched you and inspired you to open your heart to those in need. It is our hope that each person who encountered Kylie’s organization, whether through a monetary donation, volunteer opportunity, or even as a family who received assistance will continue the tradition of supporting those in need.
Throughout 2014, we will be working toward winding down our organization and utilizing the funds previously donated toward our mission. We will not be actively fundraising going forward and will not host Hope on the Slopes this year. Thank you does not seem adequate for the businesses and volunteers who supported our event for all seven years. The teams at Boston Mills/Brandywine, Beach Boyz Entertainment, James Kurtz III Graphic Design, Printing Concepts, Countryside Florist, House of LaRose, Cohen and Company, Kindercare Learning Centers, and so many more always provided unwavering support and generosity to make our event such a huge success each year. The volunteer support for our event was unlike anything I have ever witnessed, and I cannot thank our volunteers enough for the tireless hours they gave so we could celebrate Hope on the Slopes each February.
The kindness and love you all have shown will remain with us and with the families we served for a lifetime. As a family, we are excited to embark in new ways we can honor and celebrate the legacy that Kylie left. Thank you again for sharing this journey with us!
Jason, Elizabeth, our angel Kylie, Andrew, Tommy, Ellie, and Jack Long
