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Newsletters
March 2009
March 2009
| SAMANTHA LORENE CALAFIORE MEMORIAL FUND, INC. Our SLiCe of Heaven |
The Samantha Fund was created in memory and in honor of our daughter,
Samantha Lorene Calafiore, after her sudden passing on August 12, 2002 at the
age of 5-years-old. In her name, the fund supports NJ families and communities
in need of assistance due to various circumstances. Many of the funds financial
distributions go to families who have received devastating news that their child
has a life altering illness. We also distribute funds to families after the traumatic
loss of a parent. In addition, the fund supports organizations and programs that
aid families facing other life-altering situations such as abuse, HIV/AIDS, special
The Samantha Fund is a non- profit 501(c)(3) tax-deductible charity. Since
everyone involved with the fund is a volunteer, 100% of all monies raised goes to
the fund. The fund is able to continue to support families because of the
dedication and commitment of our supporters and volunteers. To learn more
about Samantha’s Fund and for a complete list of all fund recipients, visit www.
samanthafund.com.
Below is the list of families that received financial support from Samantha’s Fund
since our last newsletter (January 2008).
 | Bergen County family whose son has “late infantile” batten disease, a neuro- | |
| degenerative disorder. As yet, there is no cure and no extensive treatment. |
| Morris County family whose 10-year-old daughter was diagnosed with acute | |
| myeloid leukemia. As the family deals with their daughter’s needs, the father was diagnosed with cancer and in need of seven weeks of radiation. |
| Morris County family whose 5-year-old daughter was diagnosed with leukemia. |
| Bergen County family dealing with their son’s neuro-degenerative disorder. As | |
| yet, there is no cure and no extensive treatment. |
| Sussex County family whose mother passed away leaving two sons and a | |
| husband.A fund was started to support the future education for their sons. |
| Morris County family whose 7-year-old son was diagnosed with mitochondrial | |
| disorder, which causes damage to cells of the brain, heart, liver, kidney and respiratory system. |
| Passaic County family whose 12-year-old son became severely disabled after | |
| being hit in the chest by a baseball sending him into cardiac arrest. He is under going advanced medical treatments and various types of therapy costing astronomical amounts of money. |
| Supported five Morris County families thru Operation Holiday 2008. Operation | |
| Holiday aids families trying to overcome hardships, illnesses, emotional and physical abuse. We also donated 12 Samantha bears to the children of the families. |
| Morris County family whose 4-year-old daughter was born with severe trachea | |
| malaysia. She has undergone seven procedures in the last four years. She is undergoing rehabilitation therapy and has already begun to show signs of recovery. |
| Morris County family whose 7-year-old boy was diagnosed with acute | |
| lymphoblastic leukemia over three years ago. The mother left her job after her son’s diagnosis. This young boy has conquered three years of treatment. |
| Essex County family whose 4-year-old daughter was diagnosed with kidney | |
| cancer and had to have one kidney removed. She’s undergoing weekly chemotherapy and her Mom has taken a leave of absence from her job. The cancer was diagnosed early and her prognosis is positive due to her Mom’s vigilance. |
| Bergen County family whose 8-year-old boy was diagnosed with a rare form of | |
| childhood cancer. The boy needed surgery, followed by chemotherapy and radiation. The prognosis with treatment is excellent. |
| Hudson County family whose 13-year-old daughter had lacerations to her | |
| spleen and kidney and then had to have her kidney removed after an accidental sleigh riding accident. |
| Morris County family whose 1-year-old daughter was diagnosed with chronic | |
| kidney disease. She has undergone many medical procedures and will receive dialysis until she is old enough to receive a transplant. |
| Sussex County family whose mother died after being diagnosed with lung | |
| cancer and two inoperable brain tumors. She leaves behind her husband and their 11-year-old quadruplets. The mom’s two greatest wishes were for her families’ home to be secure and for her children to have the opportunity to go to college. |
| Bergen County family whose 4-year-old daughter was born with a rare | |
| congenital brain disorder. This disorder has left her with speech delays, not able to walk, not able to eat solid foods, and she suffers from severe seizures. She is currently undergoing extensive genetic testing to determine any underlying disorders |
| Supported NJ athletes with disabilities by participating in the Special Olympics | |
| Annual Torch Run 2008. |
Our hope each year is to hear about fewer families having to go thru such
heartache and crisis. Unfortunately, that does not happen. These families do
however share how thankful they are to have been touched by Samantha and her
Fund. They are able to keep themselves together and feel they are not alone
because of the communities that have given them support. As one parent wrote
us, “You can never let such a wonderful memorial to Samantha end, it’s too
important to families like mine.” Those words remind us that this journey is
where we need to be. It has been a privilege to be Samantha’s parents and to be
on this journey with all of you. We thank you for continuing to care for Samantha
and for wanting to be part of helping others in need.
We have great fundraising plans for 2009. Mark your calendars for our Fall
Fundraiser being held in Little Falls the evening of October 17, 2009. More
information will be available in the coming months on our website. Another way
we continue to raise money is thru Samantha Fund gift items. Our first creations
were Samantha bears and pins. We have since expanded our selection to
include tote bags, insulated lunch bags, notepads, clip-on sanitizers and more.
Visit our updated Gift Shop at www.samanthafund.com/GiftShop to see all
available items.
Finally, this newsletter is our annual fundraiser that raises a considerable portion
of our yearly funds. We want to thank you for taking the time to read this year’s
letter and if you wish to make a donation please use the enclosed Donation Slip.
We look forward to seeing you in October.
Peace,
Sharon and Sammy Calafiore
Forever Samantha and Joshua’s Mom & Dad
NO ONE IS USELESS IN THIS WORLD WHO LIGHTENS THE BURDENS OF ANOTHER. (Charles Dickens) |
