Goodbye 2009

As we say goodbye to 2009, I have to thank everyone who helped make this such a wonderful year for the Jack Fund. We have had a truly successful year, had so many generous contributions from so many amazingly kind people. The 2nd Annual Toy Drive was a huge huge success. We received over 200 toys from the Amazon Wishlist, and the response to our Drop Off Day was overwhelming. It was a great day, thank you to everyone who came out and donated a toy - I hope you had as nice a time as we did. And the amount of toys donated that day was also incredible, we filled (and I mean FILLED) over four large cars (and by large I'm talking mini vans and SUVs). Again, hundreds of toys were donated that day.



In fact we received so many toys this year we had to expand where the toys were distributed to. It wasn't difficult at all to find places that not only would take the toys but desperately needed them and were incredibly grateful. Toys went to not only Newark Beth Israel Hospital but also places like a church in Elizabeth, a school in Orange, and a soup kitchen in Hillside. They were spread throughout the state and were given to hundreds of sick and needy children. Thank you all again for your contributions, your kindness and your generosity.



On a personal note, these are a tough few days for us, having lost Jack on January 2, 2008. I am so thankful that two years later Jack is still with us through this Fund and all the kind people who support it, and remember him. Thank you again.

"And did you get what you wanted from this life, even so?

I did.

And what did you want?

To call myself beloved, to feel myself beloved on the earth."

-- Raymond Carver

Jack was beloved, he was loved on this earth and is still so loved. Thank you for helping so many children to feel loved.

(All of these awesome pictures from the Toy Drive on December 12 are all courtesy of the amazing Tina from Life is a Highway Photography.)