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Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation welcomed a new board chairwoman and acknowledged the support of major donors at a private reception held at The Art Foundry in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone.
During the event the organization announced the election of a new 2015-2016 board chairwoman, Donna Barranco Fisher, who has worked as a volunteer with TBCF since 2012, providing families with legal and educational support.
“Our donor reception is an opportunity for us to better get to know our supporters and welcome them to our Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation,” said Lindsey Guerrero, executive director of TBCF.
Dr. Dan Greenfield, medical director of Cottage Children’s Hospital Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Program, spoke at the reception. Tina Fanucchi-Frontado, 2014 board chairwoman, and vice chairwoman Nikki Greene also thanked long-time board members Susannah Rake and Rosalind Amorteguy, who completed their terms at the end of 2014.
“Our annual donor reception is an appreciation to all those in the community who have provided so much support to the Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation,” Guerrero said.
“Without our supporters we would have never accomplished all that we have in 2014. We’ve been able to supply services to 674 individuals alone, as well as having 685 residents across Santa Barbara County who have volunteered their services to Teddy Bear.”
TBCF is proudly celebrating a major milestone by helping families and children get the urgent care and services that they need by utilizing the nonprofit organization’s financial assistance program.
“We have been able to exceed in gifting more than $1 million in financial awards to families since the organization’s founding, in 2002,” Guerrero said.
The average out-of-pocket expense for a family with a child with cancer is nearly $10,000 per year, and through the financial program TBCF supports families with expenses, such as rent, utilities, auto insurance, car repairs and medical bills. TBCF works to offset these expenses and help alleviate the enormous financial burden by the gifting of financial assistance to families of up to $12,000 per family.
Guerrero noted that TBCF is working with far more donors then ever before, including seven medical centers from Los Angeles to as far north as Stanford, and east to Madera County.
“We want to make sure that any of our children who are in treatment and are being treated outside Santa Barbara County are still able to be aware of our services,” she said.
The Pay-It-Forward program is a unique family-based volunteer outreach program that helps to ensure that the breadth of TBCF services continue to reach families and children in need of care.
“Families that we have helped in the past contribute to the success of our Pay-It-Forward program,” Guerrero said. “They help raise money for us and put on beneficiary events, and they speak as ambassadors for us in the community and at service groups for us. We are extremely thankful for their continued support.”
The Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation, established in 2002 by founder Nikki Katz, is a grassroots organization that aims to assist families of children who have been diagnosed with cancer throughout Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties.
Paloma Angel became aware of TBCF when her mother told her how much the organization had helped her friend’s daughter, Lexi, who had died of cancer at a very young age.
Angel was so touched by how TBCF helped Lexi, her family and others, that she started volunteering and joined in fundraising efforts to donate to Teddy Bear in Lexi’s memory.
“I think that Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation is such an important organization that I spend as much time as I can spreading awareness of them to our community,” Angel told Noozhawk. “There are so many ways that people of all ages can contribute to Teddy Bear. You can help financially or volunteer your time in the office or at one of their many events.”
TBCF graciously thanks Pure Joy Catering, The Art Foundry and Signature Parking for helping to make the event a success.
Click here for more information about the Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation, or call 805.962.7466. Click here to make an online donation. Connect with the Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation on Facebook, or follow TBCF on Twitter: @TBCF4Kids.
— Noozhawk iSociety columnist Melissa Walker can be reached at mwalker@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkSociety, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Become a fan of Noozhawk on Facebook.
