Friends of Karen
From time to time we are lucky enough to come in contact with a very special organization filled with very special people and a very worthwhile cause. The attached message is from such an organization and we’re proud to share it with you.
DID YOU KNOW?
For over twenty-eight years, Friends of Karen has provided financial, emotional and advocacy support to families with children from birth to 21 years of age with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses and living in the tri-state area. Friends of Karen’s goal is to help maintain the highest quality of life and prevent the financial and emotional collapse of the family, as they go through this most difficult time.
Last year, Friends of Karen helped 577 families with children with life-threatening illnesses. Additionally, we helped 805 of their siblings.
HOW DOES FRIENDS OF KAREN HELP?
They Pay –
• Basic living expenses, such as rent and mortgage, utilities, car payments, etc. that
become unmanageable due to lost wages and the high cost of medical care.
• Medical co-payments, hospital bills including television and telephone
• Transportation to/from medical treatment
• Childcare for siblings
• Health insurance payments
• Special home care needs and food
• Funerals
• Counseling
Friends of Karen’s Back to School program provides much needed school supplies to our Friends of Karen children and their brothers and sisters. Holiday Adopt-A-Family program, which begins in the Fall, assures festive holidays for those unable to provide for themselves because of the cost of their child’s illness, and Children Helping Children programs collaborating with schools and service clubs gives children the opportunity to help other children in their community.
Please visit their website at: www.friendsofkaren.org or call them at 631-473-1768 for more information about their services and their up-coming Open House scheduled for late November.
Friends of Karen, 21 Perry Street, Port Jefferson, NY 11777
“When the parents of a terminally or catastrophically ill child receive financial and emotional help, they then have more time to love.”—Sheila Petersen, Founder, 1978.