A great start to 2019 for the JDJ Charitable Foundation

We are excited to share some first quarter highlights from the JDJ Charitable Foundation with our friends, supporters and family. While we have accomplished so much in the first three months of the year, we still have many more exciting things planned for the rest of 2019! 

RFP & Scholarship Program

Last year, the JDJ Charitable Foundation awarded three deserving high school seniors $2,500 scholarships, and two non-profit organizations with grants to support programming aligned to our mission. Once again, we are seeking to support high school students looking to continue their education at a four-year university in the Tri-State area and programming for non-profits focused on similar charitable initiatives. Visit our website to learn more about our scholarship and RFP programs. Application deadline is April 26, 2019.

Ronald McDonald House NY

On Sunday, April 28th, at 5PM, the Loving Heart Society will cater and serve meals to families residing in the Ronald McDonald House located on the UES. Team JDJ will also deliver care packages to the families residing in RMHNY as well. We are so excited to partner with such an awesome organization. Sign up to join us today!

#MiracleMustaches

This March, we ran our first peer-to-peer fundraising campaign, entitled “Miracle Mustaches.” In honor of the late Joseph Blauvelt and Joseph Watkins, 15 members of Team JDJdonned stellar mustaches throughout the month of March to raise money and awareness for our pediatric brain tumor research fund at CHOP (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia). The campaign was a tremendous success, and we achieved our fundraising goal of $15,000! Also, as part of this campaign, Team JDJ delivered therapeutic care packages and fake mustache sets to children at CHOP. Seeing the smiles we brought to the children’s faces made the entire initiative well worth it! To celebrate the success of this fundraiser and thank the participants, we also hosted an appreciation party at McFadden’s Saloon.

Monte Carlo Night

Team JDJ spent the majority of Q1 preparing for our first ever Monte Carlo Night fundraiser at the New York Athletic Club in NYC on April 6, 2019. The night was a tremendous success thanks to the many guests that came to support our cause, and our event sponsors, SmartFlyer, Truly Organic and Amherst Pierpont. All proceeds raised through this event went to our newly created JDJ Pediatric Electric Wheelchair Granting Program.

Shinola Shopping Event

Team JDJ celebrated Fat Tuesday together at Shinola in TriBeCa for a private shopping event complete with wine, a signature Shinola cocktail and of course, Mardi Gras beads. Shinola donated a portion of all proceeds from the evening to our Foundation, and we even raffled off a Shinola watch.

Cycle For Survival

For the third year in a row, Team JDJparticipated in Cycle for Survival on February 22, 2019. Thanks to our dedicated team members, we were so excited to beat our fundraising goal of $25,000. Funds raised through this event by Team JDJ went directly to fund rare cancer research at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital.

Make A Wish Update

At the end of 2018, our President and Vice President, James and Allyson Blauvelt had the pleasure of working with the Metro New York Branch of the Make-A-Wish Foundation to become trained as wish granting volunteers. The Blauvelts were able to grant a wish to a young girl suffering from cancer. Today, we are so thrilled to report that the little girl is healthy, cancer free, and she and her family leave in just a few weeks for a trip to Disney World, donated by the JDJ Charitable Foundation!

Corporate Volunteer Day with SmartFlyer

On January 8th, we partnered with SmartFlyer to help organize their corporate volunteer day at Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan. Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen is NYC’s largest soup kitchen, serving over 1,000 meals per day in the Chelsea neighborhood! It was a great day of giving back.

The Birthday Party Project

Also, on January 8th, 10 Loving Heart Society volunteers journeyed to Jersey City to host a birthday party with The Birthday Party Project. Volunteers spent the night with five families helping celebrate their little ones’ birthdays. Together, with the deserving families, the LHS team played games, danced, ate pizza and cake, and had a wonderful time. This is the second event that our Foundation has hosted with The Birthday Party Project, and we are grateful to work with an organization that tirelessly brings smiles to the faces of children that need it most.

Charitable Spotlight

This year, Ronald McDonald House New York (RMH-NY) is celebrating their 40th anniversary. Since 1979, RMH-NY has provided temporary housing to over 35,000 families with children undergoing treatment for pediatric cancer. Families come from all over the world to seek treatment at some of the top hospitals in New York City. RMH-NY provides not only a place for families to stay but many amenities, programs and support services, such as meals, transportation, tutoring and wellness programs. Additionally, an extensive lineup of activities and events for visitors of all ages and backgrounds are offered to families every day. After long days of treatment, these programs help give children and their families a break and much-needed relief. Ronald McDonald House New York helps families battling pediatric cancer focus on what’s most important: their child’s health.