Little Birds Foundation

08/03/2022

12/29/2020

Today is very bittersweet as we have dissolved our foundation and officially closed the bank account. The remaining funds will be donated to Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago for the below research. We started and ended with Lurie Childrens and have come full circle. And we finally got to contribute to research 🔬❤️ Thank you to everyone that supported us over the years, made donations, showed us love, etc. You made all this happen.

Olivia’s Blankets will continue so you can follow that journey over at Dear Olivia Madilynn.

07/08/2020

A little over 7 years ago we started Asher James Congenital Heart Disease & Thrombosis Foundation, later named to the Little Birds Foundation, to continue Asher’s Fight. Over these 7 years we accomplished many things including blood clot signs and symptoms info cards that we delivered along with books and/or stuffed animals on Asher’s birthday, got Olivia’s Blankets out to more hospitals and spread awareness and advocated for congenital heart defects research. Along this journey we have learned so much and made many friends. With our little one growing and becoming more active in her own activities, our family has decided to dissolve our foundation. We have appreciated all the love and support many of you have shown us over these past 7 years. We couldn’t have done all the amazing things without your help and support so Thank you!

Olivia’s Blankets will still go on and will still need your support and donations of blankets and supplies so we hope that you continue to support us and join us in creating and getting these blankets out. This will just be sponsored by volunteers and our family instead of the organization.

Again thank you for all the support and love you all have shown us over these years. This decision was not made lightly but one that we have been thinking about over the past year. We are still deciding what organization the remaining funds will be donated to.

03/04/2020

4 years ago I set off to Washington DC for my first Legislative Conference. I was pregnant with Nina and eager to share Asher’s story to make a difference. This year I went to this Conference thinking it was my last. It felt bittersweet. I have loved this trip every year. I shared with others that it was my last and they weren’t accepting that. It was supposed to be my last because I was planning to end the foundation at the end of the year but still continuing to do Olivia’s Blankets.

This year I wanted to give a bereaved mom a chance to attend that had never attended before. Sarah was the mom that came and as much as she loved coming, I loved having the opportunity to bring her. She was the sweetest mom and I loved sitting and talking to her and passing on what I’ve learned over the years. And I loved watching her advocate in memory of her Cam.

So after having a chat as soon as I got home last night, Little Birds Foundation will continue on and we will continue giving a bereaved mom a chance to attend each year with me. And will mentor the previous year’s mom to help her fundraise, contact airlines, etc so that she can hopefully attend again. This will require doing a fun fundraiser to help make this happen each year. Would love any recommendations.

I’m so EXCITED about this. I love this trip. It’s one of the one times of the year I get to talk about Asher and people understand and I’m advocating now for the future of my friends, their children and my own daughter who has a higher risk of having a heart baby.

03/03/2020

Today was a full day of advocating for CHD research. My heart is full. We have to keep advocating until no more pass away from CHD.

03/02/2020

Today we’re in Washington DC attending the CHD Advocacy Conference. Today’s speaker was a bereaved mom, Callie Chiroff, from Wisconsin. She was so great sharing parts of her journal and letters she wrote to her son Theo during his 6 months of life, all spent in the hospital. The second photo is a picture from the day before her son passed. She wanted him to feel fresh air before he passed and the doctors made that possible. That is SO touching.

02/26/2020

Sunday we held our annual Olivia’s Blankets event. These ladies came out and helped get 3 bins of blankets made.

02/06/2020

Thank you Chicago Blackhawks and Jockey for sharing our story ❤️

12/09/2019

If anyone is looking to donate to an organization this holiday season, we are always collecting receiving blankets for Olivia’s Blankets.

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2IU9R5I2SZ8CR?ref_=wl_share

About Olivia’s Blankets- https://www.littlebirdsfoundation.org/olivias-blankets.html

Olivia's Blankets was created in memory of Olivia Madilynn by her Aunt Decnie. The blankets are created so that parents that lose a child can keep half of the blanket while keeping the other half...