Taylor's Hope Foundation

Home
United States
East Islip, NY
Taylor's Hope Foundation

Directions Website Contact the organization

Taylor's wish is for more people to know about Histiocytosis and for people to help spread awareness! For more on Taylor's story see the desription section

Taylor is 19 years old and has been battling Neuro Degenerative Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis for over 10 years. She has gone through things no child should have to go through. In the past 10 years she has had numerous MRI's, xrays, bloodwork, spinal taps, PET scans, surgery, over 350 infusions of IV chemotherapy and different oral chemos. Doctors don't know enough about this diseae to have all of the answers. Histiocytosis is a rare life threatening disease that affects only 1 in 200,000 children. It is therefore considered "an orphan disease", so there is no government funded research for it. Many children are going undiagnosed for far to long and then it is to late for them. Taylor did a press conference a couple of years ago at the hospital for Rare Disease Awareness Day and she wrote a speech in it she said "just because Histio is rare, it doesn't mean kids like me with Histio don't matter". She wishes that people knew about Histio and she is 100% correct. We set this page up to try to make her wish come true. The sole purpose of this page is to bring awareness to alll Histiocytosis diseases. Taylor was diagnosed with Neuro Degenerative Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (LCH) that has caused a lesion on her brain as well as neuro degeneration to her cerebellum and brainstem. Since it is so rare (1 in 200,000 kids) it is very hard to diagnose and know what the “right” treatment plan is. This disease is also so rare that it is considered an “orphan disease” so it doesn’t affect enough kids to warrant government funded research. We will continue to fight for awareness as well as raise money for research until there are more answers and hopefully one day a cure.

10/31/2026

Halloween Raffles!

10/27/2026

💙 OUR 2027 NIGHT OF HOPE HONOREES 💙

Each year at Taylor’s Hope Foundation, we have the privilege of recognizing people who truly represent what our mission is all about… hope, strength, compassion, generosity and helping others.

This year, we are proud to introduce our 2027 Night of Hope Honorees!

✨ The Inspiring Hope Award is awarded to a person or family whose courage, strength, resilience and journey inspire others.

The Moccaldi Family is our 2027 recipients of The Inspiring Hope Award.

In 2023, Lily was diagnosed with leukemia. Throughout her battle, she showed incredible strength, resilience and courage.

But a childhood cancer diagnosis affects the entire family. Lily’s big sister, Grace, has navigated all of the emotions that come with watching someone you love go through treatment. Her mom, Melissa, and dad, Mike, have been pillars of strength for their girls, continuing to show up and hold their family together even on the hardest days.

And throughout their own journey, the Moccaldi family still found a way to help others.

Each year, they host a lemonade stand at their home and have raised thousands of dollars to support families at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital.

Their story is one of courage. Their story is one of family. Their story is one of giving back and most of all, their story is one of HOPE.

Their courage, compassion and decision to turn their own difficult journey into hope for others are exactly what Taylor’s Hope is all about. We cannot wait to honor Lily, Grace, Melissa and Mike.

💙 The Heart of Hope Award recognizes a person, family or supporter whose generosity, dedication and continued support help Taylor’s Hope carry out its mission of helping others.

Jenn Portela & Jimmy Callen are our 2027 recipients of The Heart of Hope Award.

Some people come into your life unexpectedly and simply become part of your story. We first met Jenn and Jimmy many years ago after Taylor was honored at a New York Rangers Winter Classic event. They recognized us at the game, introduced themselves, began following Taylor’s story and from that moment on, they have continued to show up.

They are always among the first to rally people to attend our events, sell 50/50 tickets, support our fundraisers and get friends and coworkers involved.

Every year, they arrive at our toy drive with two carloads full of toys. Around the holidays, I can almost count on a text from Jenn asking, “What families do you have this year? What can my office get?”

They never wait to be asked. They never look for recognition. They simply see a need and want to help.

Over the years, Jenn and Jimmy have become so much more than people who attend our events, they have become part of our Taylor’s Hope family. Their generosity, kindness and willingness to help us help others have played a real role in the success of our mission.

Please join us in congratulating:

✨ The Moccaldi Family — The Inspiring Hope Award

❤️ Jenn Portela & Jimmy Callen — The Heart of Hope Award

We are so grateful for all of our 2027 Night of Hope honorees and cannot wait to celebrate them on January 23, 2027. 💙

10/17/2026

🏈❤️🖤 IT’S HOMECOMING DAY, EAST ISLIP! 🖤❤️🏈

Taylor’s Hope is so excited to be marching in the East Islip Homecoming Parade TODAY at 11:00 AM! 🎉

Main Street in East Islip
From Bank of America to the East Islip Fire Department

We’ll be handing out tons of fun giveaways along the parade route, including mini footballs, rubber football ducks, bracelets, necklaces, football sunglasses, foam fingers, football stickers and more! 🎁🏈

Come out, line Main Street, cheer loudly, and help us show our support for all of the incredible East Islip students, athletes, teams, clubs, coaches and staff who make Homecoming such a special day. ❤️🖤

We also still have a limited number of our Taylor’s Hope × East Islip “Hope Lives Here” shirts available for $15 each! We’ll have them with us at the football game after the parade.

Then stick around and fill the stands for the game — let’s show them how much our community is behind them!

🏈 East Islip vs. West Islip
⏰ 1:00 PM

Hope Lives Here. 💙
Show Your EI Pride! ❤️🖤

10/14/2026

💙🏈❤️ 🚒🎃⛳️ Taylor’s Hope has a busy weekend coming up, and we’d love to see you out supporting our community! 💙🏈❤️ 🚒🎃⛳️

Saturday starts with the East Islip Homecoming Parade! 🎉
We’ll be marching down Main Street beginning at 11:00 AM, from Bank of America to the East Islip Fire Department.

We hope to see you all there! Keep an eye out for Taylor’s Hope … we’ll have lots of fun giveaways, including mini footballs, bracelets, necklaces, football ducks, beads & more! ❤️🖤🤍

After the parade, come cheer on East Islip Varsity football team at the 1:00 PM football game vs. West Islip! 🏈

We’ll also have a limited number of our Hope Lives Here shirts available for $15 each.

Then Saturday night, we will be helping out East Islip Fire Department Engine 1 at their Halloween Party! 🎃🚒 Tickets are still available!!

We’re also helping East Islip Engine 1 and East Islip Engine 2 with several East Islip Fire Department fundraisers:

🎃 Engine 1 Halloween Party Grand Prize Raffle (see flyer for details) — Only 100 boxes • $20 each
🏈 Engine 2 Tailgate Raffle — (see flyer for details) Only 100 boxes • $20 each
⛳️ Engine 2 Golf Outing 50/50 — $50 per ticket • only 200 tickets sold - $5,000 winner

📲 To purchase raffle chances, party tickets, shirts, or for more information, text/call 631-965-8155.

Come out, show your EI Pride, support our athletes and students, support our local firefighters, and spend the weekend with Taylor’s Hope! ❤️🖤🤍💙

HOPE LIVES HERE.

09/11/2026

25 years. A quarter of a century.

It seems like so long ago, yet somehow still feels like yesterday. For some, 25 years is an entire lifetime. For so many others, September 11, 2001 is a day they can still see, hear, and feel as though no time has passed at all.

At Taylor’s Hope Foundation, we pause to honor every life lost, every family forced to say goodbye far too soon, every survivor, every first responder, and every person who still carries the physical and emotional scars of that day. Though we pause together today, we remember every day.

We pray for those who were there.
We pray for those who lost someone they loved.
We pray for the heroes who ran toward danger.
We pray for those who became sick in the years that followed.
And we pray for every family whose life was forever changed.

For so many, 9/11 is not simply a date in history. It is a name, a face, a memory, an empty seat at the table, and a loss that never truly goes away.

May we never forget the lives lost, the heroes who served, and the way our country came together with compassion, courage, kindness, and love.

Today, tomorrow, and always, we remember.
🇺🇸 We will never forget. 🇺🇸

09/10/2026

❤️ HOPE LIVES HERE ❤️

Taylor’s Hope is excited to announce that we will be marching along Main Street in the East Islip Homecoming Parade on October 17th!🎉

This year, we’ll be showing our EI pride in our brand-new Taylor’s Hope × EI shirts ... and you can order one too!

👕 Shirts are $15 each
📅 Order deadline: September 23rd
📝 [Order your Taylor’s Hope × EI shirt here!](https://forms.gle/PYWdwnubbh6uSHnd7?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

Whether you’re marching with us or cheering from the sidelines, we hope you’ll come out and cheer on some amazing kids at the Homecoming Parade!❤️

And you know Taylor’s Hope… we’ll have some fun giveaways for the kids along the parade route, too!🏈🎉

We can’t wait to celebrate Homecoming with our community!

💙 HOPE LIVES HERE 💙 ❤️ EI PRIDE ❤️

To learn more about Taylor's Hope visit www.taylorshopefoundation.org

07/20/2026

Today is Carli’s birthday… she would be turning 24 today. 💕💙💕

Today is a day filled with so many emotions. I’m angry that she’s not here physically with those who love her. I’m sad because I miss her. I’m grateful she’s no longer in pain, but I truly wish there had been another way for her to be here with us and pain free.

But today, in her honor, we will try not to focus on what cancer took from us. Instead, we want to focus on what Carli gave us and celebrate the beautiful life she lived.

So I’m asking everyone to help us honor Carli by doing something kind for someone else today. We have followers from all over the country, and wouldn’t it be amazing if every one of us who is able to did one act of kindness in her honor? Share a photo on this post or on social media, tag us and we will share it to our story to share her story even more today.

Buy a stranger a coffee. Send a text to someone who might be struggling. Donate to a cause you care about. Hold the door. Offer a compliment. Pay for someone’s ice cream. Help a neighbor. Make someone smile.

It doesn’t have to be something big. It just has to be kind. Let’s fill Carli’s birthday with acts of love, compassion, and kindness. Please help us honor Carli in the best way we can think of, because even on the days it hurts the most, we have to try to find the good. And if we can’t find it, we should try to be the good.

Because we knew Carli, we are better. Because we knew Carli, we have been changed. And because we knew Carli, we have the opportunity to make the world a little brighter today in her honor.

If you do something kind today, share it in the comments or post it on social media using so we can celebrate Carli’s birthday together.

Happy Heavenly 24th Birthday, Carli. You should be here. You are loved, you are missed, and we will continue to spread kindness in your memory. 💕💙💕

07/08/2026

We are heartbroken over the passing of our friend, Lindsay Lattari.

Although we only had the privilege of knowing Lindsay for a few years, she left a lasting impact on our hearts. Lindsay first came into our lives through her friendship with my sister-in-law, and we will always be grateful for that connection. Because of that friendship, we had the honor of recognizing Lindsay on our Hope Float during the East Islip St. Patrick’s Day Parade and later honoring her at our 2025 Blue Ribbon Dinner, celebrating the strength, courage, and hope she embodied every day.

She was one of those rare people whose kindness, warmth, and beautiful smile could brighten even the darkest days. No matter what she was facing in her own battle, she always found a way to be the sunshine in someone else’s life. She made people feel seen, loved, and hopeful.

Lindsay faced cancer with extraordinary strength and grace, never letting her illness define her. Instead, she chose love. She chose hope. She chose to lift others up, even while carrying so much herself.

Above all else, Lindsay’s greatest joy was her family. The love she had for Mike, Charlotte, Anna, Julia, and her entire family was evident in everything she did. They were her world.

We will forever be grateful that we got to know Lindsay and her family. She reminded all of us that true strength isn't just found in fighting a battle—it is found in the way you love others, inspire hope, and continue to put smiles on the faces of those around you, even during life's most difficult moments.

To Mike, Charlotte, Anna, Julia, and the entire Swistun and Lattari families, please know that you are surrounded by love. Taylor’s Hope stands beside you, and we will continue to keep you in our hearts and prayers in the days, weeks, and months ahead.

Lindsay, thank you for sharing your light with all of us. Your beautiful spirit will never be forgotten, and your legacy of love, courage, and kindness will continue to inspire everyone who had the privilege of knowing you.

Rest peacefully, Linds. Until we meet again. ❤️

05/30/2026

💙🎉 We’re Heading to the Islip Street Fair! 🎉💙

Join us this Sunday, May 31st and stop by the Taylor’s Hope booth for a day filled with fun, giveaways, and some incredible deals!

✨ What you’ll find at our booth:
👕 Taylor’s Hope apparel at deeply discounted prices
🎟️ Tickets for our upcoming A Day of Hope at Great South Bay Brewery
🎁 Giveaways and raffles throughout the day
💙 Information about our mission and the families we support

⭐ Sunday is also the FINAL DAY for our Early Bird Special! ⭐

Purchase your tickets for A Day of Hope and receive ONE FREE SHEET OF RAFFLE TICKETS per family to use at the event. Don’t miss your chance to save and get a head start on our amazing raffle baskets!

Whether you’re looking for a great deal on apparel, want to support a local cause, or are ready to grab your event tickets, we’d love to see you!

📍 Islip Street Fair
📅 Sunday, May 31

Come say hello, enter some raffles, shop our apparel sale, and help us continue spreading hope throughout our community. 💙

HopeLivesHere 💙✨

05/23/2026

While we enjoy the extra time with the people we love this weekend, we all should take some time to pay tribute to those who gave everything so we could have these moments. We also honor the families of those fallen heroes, who carry their sacrifice in their hearts each and every day.

Remembering and honoring our nation’s heroes today and always. ❤️🇺🇸💙

Address

East Islip, NY
11730

Website

http://www.taylorshopefoundation.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Taylor's Hope Foundation posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.