Initial Fundraiser for Wesley's Gift
Donation protected
In March of 2011, Jay and Cammie Hollinger discovered they were carrying twins, a little girl, and a boy they planned to name Wesley James. On August 30, 2011, they were devastated to discover that their son's heart had stopped beating, and he would be stillborn when his sister was born.
Where diapers, toys and clothes were expected expenses, a funeral and headstone were now unexpected expenses to be paid for (it took Jay and Cammie a year to get a headstone due to budget restrictions). Throughout the process, and in the years since, Cammie felt a burden on her heart to help other families going through this heartache. Galatians 6:2 became familiar, and a resounding message to "Bear one another's burdens..."
Talking with other families who experienced stillbirths led Cammie to realize how widespread infant loss is. There are currently no local foundations set up to provide for burial costs for families grieving the loss of their babies. Most local funeral homes do not charge for their services for infants, which helps cut the costs for families drastically, there are still fees that must be paid, and they do not come without great expense.
Wesley's Gift aims to help ease that burden. Ideally, the organization would like to cover a family's total cost (up to a pre-determined amount) of a funeral and burial for infants who are stillborn up to 6 months old. Initially, we will be offering assistance close to home, in Newaygo County, and at first we may only be able to help a small amount. But that's where YOU come in.
We are in the process of applying for 501c3 status, which will classify Wesley's Gift as a non-profit organization, and enable us to receive funds that can be written off as charitable donations for tax returns. Unfortunately, the cost of starting such an organization is not cheap. The cost of filing the 501c3 application alone is $400. There are other expenses that will also be involved in the initial set-up of the organization, like promotional materials and information packets that we will need money for. We are setting a fundraising goal of $2500.00 to turn Wesley's Gift into a reality. Any money left over from start-up costs will go into the account that will be used to help grieving families.
This is just a start, but together, we can make it an incredible future! Join us to help grieving families, and let Wesley's legacy live on.
Where diapers, toys and clothes were expected expenses, a funeral and headstone were now unexpected expenses to be paid for (it took Jay and Cammie a year to get a headstone due to budget restrictions). Throughout the process, and in the years since, Cammie felt a burden on her heart to help other families going through this heartache. Galatians 6:2 became familiar, and a resounding message to "Bear one another's burdens..."
Talking with other families who experienced stillbirths led Cammie to realize how widespread infant loss is. There are currently no local foundations set up to provide for burial costs for families grieving the loss of their babies. Most local funeral homes do not charge for their services for infants, which helps cut the costs for families drastically, there are still fees that must be paid, and they do not come without great expense.
Wesley's Gift aims to help ease that burden. Ideally, the organization would like to cover a family's total cost (up to a pre-determined amount) of a funeral and burial for infants who are stillborn up to 6 months old. Initially, we will be offering assistance close to home, in Newaygo County, and at first we may only be able to help a small amount. But that's where YOU come in.
We are in the process of applying for 501c3 status, which will classify Wesley's Gift as a non-profit organization, and enable us to receive funds that can be written off as charitable donations for tax returns. Unfortunately, the cost of starting such an organization is not cheap. The cost of filing the 501c3 application alone is $400. There are other expenses that will also be involved in the initial set-up of the organization, like promotional materials and information packets that we will need money for. We are setting a fundraising goal of $2500.00 to turn Wesley's Gift into a reality. Any money left over from start-up costs will go into the account that will be used to help grieving families.
This is just a start, but together, we can make it an incredible future! Join us to help grieving families, and let Wesley's legacy live on.
Organizer
Cammie Hollinger
Organizer
Ashland, MI
