In 2010, a group of friends created a philanthropic organization called David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation with the goal of supporting one or two Families per year battling a cancer diagnosis.
Today, we wrote a grant check for our 1,001st Family affected by a cancer diagnosis. 694 Families offered financial assistance in just the past 3 years with countless more families receiving wellness services and emotional support. This would not be possible without the support from our Board of Directors, Patient Advocates, Service-Arm Providers, individual donors, business sponsors, community partners and volunteers who serve by our side as A Beacon of Hope to our families battling this deadly disease.
It’s only fitting that members from our youth group, Generation Dream share the news with all of you!
On behalf of Co-Founders Tim Hall and Carmen Malatino and our Board of Directors – thank you from the bottom of our hearts for affording us the opportunity to shine a bright light of Hope for families during their darkest of times.
Two new and highly successful DDBCF fundraising events were established in 2016:
a) The Inaugural Frank A. Cosimano Memorial Golf Classic presented by: Bergen Risk Managers and
b) Shave the Date presented by: Swing Graphics
The incredibly generous team from Informed Mortgage’s planned giving initiative set an all-time DDBCF record for Giving with an astounding $24,375.00 donated in the year 2016!
DDBCF welcomed 2 returning members back to the Board of Directors; Carmen Malatino and Kelly Powers; while three new Board Members Jason Cosimano, Steve Crisalli and former Director of Patient Advocacy Bill Raney were invited to serve as well. Office space for the Foundation was secured at 364 North Main Street, Suite 10D in Manahawkin, NJ.
Director of Patient Advocacy; Lauren M. Raney (7/28/1977-12/16/2016) was appointed by the Board of Directors as our Inaugural Trustee Emeritus.
2011 – 2016: 763 Families battling a cancer diagnosis have received $621,813.06 in Financial Grants!
All of us at David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation want to thank our patients and their families for inspiring us each and every day. It was an extremely difficult end to 2016 with the passing of so many loved ones and friends of DDBCF including: Mallory, Anthony, Virginia, Melissa, Michael, Phyllis, Layard, Alice, Patricia and Lauren. Our thoughts, prayers and love remain with all of these families. In the midst of her own battle with cancer, Lauren Raney proudly served as an original member of our Directors of Patient Advocacy Board in hopes that she could offer support to other patients battling this deadly disease. What Lauren may not have realized before her passing on December 16th is that she not only offered our current patients support and hope but lifted the spirits of any and every person that was blessed to have crossed paths with her.. On December 20th 2016, the DDBCF Board of Directors unanimously voted to appoint Lauren M. Raney as our first ever Trustee Emeritus. Lauren will be forever honored for her service as a Director of Patient Advocacy while all of us trust that she will eternally watch over and guide us on this journey.
Thank you to our Executive Partners at Informed Mortgage. Informed Mortgage’s planned giving initiative has set a high standard for charitable giving thanks to the efforts of Stephen, Christopher, Michael, Informed Mortgage Staff and all their customers.
Thank you to the parents and kids from our youth group, Generation Dream. This motivated, talented and compassionate group of kids are determined to make a positive impact in the lives of our patients and their families.
Thank you to students from our Southern Regional High School group led by teachers Ms. Rebecca Posch and Mrs Jody McLennan.
Thank you to our community partners, Dawn and Pete from Swing Graphics and Ryan Johnson from Ryan Johnson Photography for their help with photo, images and multiple revisions to content.
A special thank you to our Board of Directors (Steve Crisalli, Dani Corso, Kristin Panzone, Bill Raney, Kelly Powers, Jason Cosimano, Tim Hall) who serve the mission of the Foundation on a 100% volunteer basis!
Please take a minute to look back on 2016 with us in the attached summary of accomplishments. Please know that if you attended one of our events, donated an auction item, sponsored an event, volunteered or made an individual donation – YOU are responsible for providing HOPE to a family diagnosed with cancer that desperately needs our help. THANK YOU! Our Mantra for 2017 is: #WeWill
$10.00 includes one order of pancakes, bacon, sausage, coffee, soft drinks and pictures with Santa.
We will have Jetty printed DDBCF gear and our Southern Regional High School/DDBCF gear avilable at discounted prices for the perfect holiday gifts for family, friends and co-workers.
The 5th Annual Stafford Run for Hope presented by Informed Mortgage to benefit David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation (DDBCF) was the first year DDBCF was involved in the entire event. It was a very good first year and look forward to many more successful Run for Hope events. The original Stafford Triathlon/Duthlon was created by our friend and Race Director Ross Reynolds. Ross and his wife Marissa put forth a yeoman effort and we cannot thank them enough for supporting DDBCF. A special thanks to Chuck and Danielle Schnell and all the volunteers!
Our presenting sponsor Informed Mortgage in Manahawkin, NJ continue to set the bar very high. Informed Mortgage’s planned giving initiative to donate $25.00 per every closed loan out of their Manahawkin office was started last year. The planned giving continues today with the end result being a tremendous financial support system for our families battling cancer. Thank you Informed Mortgage.
We had 2 Main Sponsors for this year’s Stafford Run for Hope event. The Law Office of William Wright LLC in Manahawkin and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. William Wright competed in the this year’s events and took home some award hardware. We want to thank our friends at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. ER Tech Mike Rowe is also the Founder of 11th Hour Racing and led the triathlon relay team to a first place finish in the relay division. The team consisted of Dr. Rich Massone in the swim, Dr. Katie O’Leary on the bike and Mike on the run. Mike formed this nonprofit to assist patients at TJUH in need of financial assistance. We look forward to partnering with Mike and the entire TJUH in the future!
We want to thank our student group from Southern Regional High School led by teachers Rebecca Posch and Jody Denn McLennan. We had more than 20 SRHS students volunteering on the day of event and additional students participating in the race. Great job & Thank You!
We want to say a special thank you to sponsor and creative artist for the 5th Annual SRFH: Swing Graphics. Dawn and Pete have been a huge support system for DDBCF over the past year and we look forward to continuing this partnership! Thank you to our friends and community partners at Jetty for printing this years event shirts. Thank you to local radio station WJRZ FM 100.1 for promoting this year’s run.
A special thanks to Stafford Township Police Dept., DQ Events, Road ID, Surf City Lifeguards, Shore Brake Cyclery, LBI TriClub, Typestries Sign & Design, Stafford Township Recreation Department, Ocean County Parks & Recreation, Fusaro’s Pizza, Manhattan Bagel and Bagels & Beyond!
Last but certainly not least, we want to thank members of our youth group Generation Dream. These future leaders raised money on their own for our families battling a cancer diagnosis. We have collected $3,002.00 from this group so far and could not be more proud of them. A special thanks to Alyssa Antonelli, Domenic Crisalli, (Reese, Maddie and Landon Beirne) who collected almost $2,200.00 on their own! Great Job & Thank You!
We are beyond excited for our Bengal Block Party at Barnegat High School on Friday May 15th! The event will take place from 4-10pm. This event has been in the making for a couple of years and we want to thank Teacher Ms. Schuler from Barnegat High School and her Interact Team for making it a reality.
Please join David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation for this Community-Wide event, supported by our friends at Jetty, featuring: Live Music (5 Bands), DJ, Light Show, Food, Vendors, Bouncy House, Games, Activities and a Walkathon!
We are thrilled to have students from Stockton University Service-Learning Program involved in our Bengal Block Party. The Stockton University Service-Learning Program is dedicated to Service with a Purpose!
We want to thank our friends at Jetty for supporting the Bengal Block Party!
There is a $10.00 admission donation to enter the Bengal Block Party. Kids 10 and under are free!
We had an amazing inaugural campaign with our youth service group Generation Dream. Our Dream Team raised a whopping $7, 689.32 for local families affected by a cancer diagnosis. They put the finishing touches on an incredible 2014 by hosting a Holiday Party for the oncology patients at our local Hospital Southern Ocean Medical Center.
They’re excited to kick-off our 2015 event calendar with the Generation Dream Pancake Breakfast on Sunday March 15th from 8:30 – 10:30 at TGI Fridays in Manahawkin. Generation Dream will be assisting the Fridays’ Staff throughout the morning with various jobs including: Hostess, Food Prep and Servers. Admission is $10.00 and includes pancakes, bacon, sausage, coffee and soft drinks. 60% of the proceeds go directly to: David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation!
Our friends at TGI Fridays in Manahawkin, NJ have been proud supporters of the Foundation since 2011. We are forever grateful for our business partnerships in the community and TGI Fridays in Manahawkin remains a driving force behind the scenes for DDBCF. Please come out and enjoy breakfast with the Dreamers as they raise funds for local families affected by cancer!
The youth service group of David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation called “Generation Dream” was created by Director Kim Manzella and our first meeting was held on June 25, 2014. We had approximately 22 kids at our first meeting and by the end of 2014 we had 75 amazing kids dedicated to making a difference in the lives of our families affected by a cancer diagnosis.
Generation Dream was responsible for raising $7,689.32 in donations to benefit David’s Dream & Believe families.
This inspiring group of kids managed a family fun day on the Seaside Heights Boardwalk for families battling cancer. They created personal cards for many of our patients and put together numerous care packages for our patients and their families. Generation Dream put the finishing touches on a very successful 6 month opening campaign in 2014 by hosting a Holiday Party at Southern Ocean Medical Center for their Oncology patients.
We are having our first meeting of 2015 on Monday February 9th 6:30pm at the Beach Haven Moose Lodge on Rt. 72 in Manahawkin, NJ. Our meetings are always open to newcomers and community service hours can be earned through various events and programs throughout the year!
During my battle with Stage IV head & neck cancer in 2010, I was blessed to be surrounded by amazing family, friends, doctors, nurses, caregivers and even strangers offering their prayers, love, support and providing me with HOPE. David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation was forged on those very principles of: kindness, generosity of spirit, faith, hope and love that were ever-present during my cancer journey. An overwhelming desire to “Pay it Forward” crystallized the “Dream” and a group of friends ‘Believed” in that Dream. We set out to offer financial assistance and ignite HOPE in the hearts of a couple patients per year…Fast Forward 4 years…
As of December 31st 2014 (4 years), we have supplied financial assistance and provided HOPE to 325 families!
2014 proved to be a momentous year for the Foundation with a multitude of significant accomplishments as listed in the attached summary but none more important than our mission to provide financial assistance, services and HOPE to our families affected by a cancer diagnosis. All of us at David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation want to thank our patients for inspiring us each and every day. We lost several inspirational members from the DDBCF patient family in 2014 but want your families to know, we carry their spirit with us every day!
Thank you to the many businesses, sponsors, auction donors and volunteers!
Thank you to the parents and kids from our youth group, Generation Dream. This motivated, talented and compassionate group of kids are determined to make a positive impact in the lives of our patients and their families.
A special thank you to our Board of Directors (Tim Hall, Melanie Magaziner, Kelly Powers, Kevin Price, Kim Manzella, Kristin Panzone, Jillian Elsasser & Danielle Corso) who serve the mission of the Foundation on a 100% volunteer basis!
Please take a minute to look back on 2014 with us in the attached summary of accomplishments. Please know that if you attended one of our events, donated an auction item, sponsored an event, volunteered or just made a donation – YOU are responsible for providing HOPE to a family diagnosed with cancer that needs our help. THANK YOU!
We HOPE that you will continue to Dream & Believe with us!
We want to take a minute to thank the Amazing Kids & Parents from our youth sub-group of David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation called “Generation Dream.”
The picture to the left was taken at our first meeting on June 25th 2014 with 23 kids. We currently have 74 kids registered to be a part of this amazing youth movement within David’s Dream & Believe. The children are committed to generating a ripple effect of Kindness, Love & Hope for NJ families living with a cancer diagnosis.
In one year, the kids have been responsible for several fundraising projects including a Lakewood Blueclaws Game, Thundering Surf Funday, Kids 4 Change, Project Dream & Holiday Cornbread Sale with our friends from Shore Fire Grille. Some of the kids have created their own fundraisers: Domenick Crisalli asked his mom to do a wear your jeans to work day and he also sold some of his own clothes online to raise money for DDBCF. Hadley Magaziner raised funds for DDBCF with a couple of lemonade stands during the summer and Cuade Deely created our very stylish Generation Dream Socks which can be found on our website by clicking the Shop Tab.
All of the kids & parents volunteered at a variety of David’s Dream & Believe events throughout 2014 including: 6th Annual Jetty Coquina Jam, Night at the Lakewood Blueclaws, Rocktoberfest, TGI Friday’s Regional Competition & Survival of the Mills.
Most importantly, the kids from Generation Dream planned and hosted a Holiday Party at SOMC for the Oncology Patients & their families. This was the culmination of an incredible inaugural year for Generation Dream and we could not be prouder of each every member of this group. A Huge thank you to all the parents of these amazing kids. We know without your commitment to the Foundation in driving the kids to meetings, events and fundraisers – none of this would be possible.
Lastly, we want to recognize one of our newest Director’s Kim Manzella who currently serves as our youth Director and is the creator of Generation Dream. Kim leads Generation Dream with her Huge Heart and is a wonderful example to the kids and to all of us of what it means to lead a “Pay it Forward” lifestyle! A special thanks to Melanie Magaziner, Kristin Panzone Jillian Elsasser and Dani Corso for their help with Generation Dream projects throughout 2014!
All of us at David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundationwant to wish everyone Happy Holidays from our family to yours! We want to thank our tremendous donors, sponsors and volunteers who afford us the opportunity to offer Hope to our families.
Thank you to the parents & children from our youth service group “Generation Dream” who remind us: “Giving begins with the person in the mirror & together we can create a tidal wave of Kindness, Love and Hope!
A very special thanks to the patients and families that have touched our lives this year. You inspire us on a daily basis by sharing your indomitable spirit with us on a daily basis and you continue to do more for us than we ever could do for you!
