The Christine’s Hope for Kids Foundation, founded on the principle that every child deserves the chance to be a kid regardless of the circumstances, will be kicking off a Five Year Anniversary campaign in March of 2015.
The Mercer County-based non-profit, through its efforts and donations raised in just five short years, has given hope to tens of thousands of kids locally while engaging student volunteers in the spirit of developing the next generation of community leaders.
Christine’s Hope for Kids, recipient of the 2014 Outstanding Foundation Award by the NJ Association of Fundraising Professionals, will begin its year-long campaign with the “Five for Five” program. With a contribution of $100.00, the Five for Five program allows donors to support the foundation via the purchase of a package of five celebratory notecards. Each package contributes to supporting five different children. The cards can be used to celebrate a birthday, an anniversary, a promotion or in memory of a loved one. Each card tells the recipient that a donation to the Foundation has been made in their honor. The packages are available at local retail outlets as well as on the Foundation’s website. The Five for Five program is the first of a variety of opportunities designed to celebrate the anniversary through support of the Foundation’s mission.
Christine’s Hope for Kids was founded to continue the legacy of the late Christine Gianacaci, a 22-year-old Lynn University student hailing from Hopewell. Christine had a passion for helping children in need and was fulfilling that passion on a January 2010 mission to Haiti when her life was tragically taken by a catastrophic earthquake. Her determined pursuit of spreading hope to children worldwide led her parents, Jean and John, to found the organization in her honor.
The mission of Christine’s Hope for Kids is to continue Christine’s spirit and loving qualities; to help less fortunate children; and to support local community agencies to work with and benefit children in need.
“Whether we are supporting children to attend camp, holding book fairs, or packing pajama bags for children in shelters, we believe that it is the little things that can and do make the greatest impact in a child’s life,” says John Gianacaci.
The Foundation strives not only to raise money, but also to teach and communicate the idea that every person can make a difference. In keeping with this positive concept, the Foundation hosts school events and programs that allow young students to directly help less fortunate kids in their own communities, and was the first organization in Mercer County to be selected as the 2014-2015 NJ Association of Student Council’s State Charity of the Year. “These kids are the next generation of community leaders. If we can facilitate the spirit of volunteering at a young age…they will carry it on,” says Jean Gianacaci.
Christine’s Hope for Kids partners with other local agencies to make a myriad of activities available to children regardless of their circumstances, allowing kids to be kids. Via activities such as summer camps, sports programs, swimming lessons, equine therapy programs, art and photography classes, the Foundation looks to further Christine’s legacy and maintain momentum in the years to come.
For more information on upcoming events and other ways to support Christine’s Hope for Kids, please visit the Foundation’s website, www.christineshope.org.
