Anonymous donation jump-starts wish-granting initiative | DreamCatchers for Kids
Youngstown, Ohio – Every child dreams … to become an astronaut or a doctor, visiting Disney World or meeting its sports heroes or favorite musician. Many children will at some point in their lives have the opportunity to see those dreams come true.
But for a child with a life-threatening medical condition these dreams may never be realized. The Hope Foundation of the Mahoning Valley has established the DreamCatchers for Kids™ initiative to create amazing experiences that bring hope and joy to these children and their families. The initiative relies on the generosity of individuals and businesses to fulfill its mission.
DreamCatchers for Kids™ has received its initial gift from an anonymous donor in the amount of $5,000. The Foundation’s executive director, Anthony Spano, says “this generous gift will allow us to begin the work of improving the lives of children with life-threatening medical conditions by creating amazing experiences that will bring them both joy and hope.”
Citing the need in the region to provide seriously ill children with an opportunity to realize even the simplest dreams, Spano believes DreamCatchers for Kids™ will do just that in Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull Counties. “All of this will stay local, money local, kids local … everything will stay local to serve our kids. A trip to an amusement park, meeting a sports hero or entertainer, becoming a police officer for a day or receiving a new video game, these are just a handful of things these kids want to experience,” he says. “We are now ready to start making those dreams come true.”
Anyone can refer a child to the program as long as they have written permission from the child’s parents or legal guardians. The child must meet certain criteria to be considered. This includes being 3-18 years of age, diagnosed with a physical challenge or serious or chronic illness by a physician and is a U.S. citizen.
Spano hopes that this initial gift will encourage other members of the community to step forward and support the program. Additional information is available at www.hopemv.org/dreamcatchers.
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The Hope Foundation of the Mahoning Valley (H.F.M.V.), a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization, was founded in 2007 after the increasing success and popularity of the Game of Hope Charity Basketball Classic. Our unpaid staff, volunteers and supporting individuals and organizations are committed to our mission. They provide charitable and financial support to local charities that share our goal of improving the lives of chronically/terminally ill children. With money raised from donations and our signature fundraisers, The Foundation provides grants of up to $5,000. For more information about The Foundation please visit the website at www.HopeMV.org.
