Dear Family & Friends,

It’s hard to believe that it’s been nearly a year since my daughter Olivia left us. She lived a truly beautiful life and touched so many profoundly. She was an amazing daughter, girlfriend, coworker, sister and friend. An incredibly caring person who left a legacy of generosity, enthusiasm, and kindness. I'm sad but grateful for the love and happiness we shared and will cherish the memories I have of her forever as I am sure will all of you. She will continue to live in our hearts and inspire us all with the deeply caring way that she lived.

As we grieve and remember those that have gone before us in our own way, I hope that the past year has brought you some peace and that Olivia’s memory continues to have an incredible impact on your lives, as it has on mine.

To honor Olivia’s memory, I feel blessed to be able to continue her legacy by running a fundraiser to help build a Center for the non-profit organization “Bread for the Hungry” which helps financially challenged families in Olivia’s hometown in Montes Claros, Brazil, where she was born, baptized, and spent her early childhood. For the past 10 years, the organization has been running out of a small rented house where mass is celebrated in the garage.

Olivia believed that every step we take in helping others, as she was a volunteer for the foodbank in San Diego, can make an immense difference in the lives of those in need. This project goes beyond having a place where they can store and give away goods. The Center will also give “hope” by providing mental health services free of cost, running free programs to educate parents and increasing awareness about mental health and suicide prevention among youth in the region.

I would be grateful if you donate from your heart, and could spread the word about this fundraiser and encourage your friends and family who knew Olivia, to join us. The more participants we have, the greater the impact we can make!

Donations are welcome until March 16th when we will end the fundraiser with a mass, celebrating Olivia’s life and honoring her memory one year after her passing. The mass will be celebrated in Brazil and posted live on Youtube.

For anyone who would like to join in honoring Olivia, you can donate to this GoFundMe. We will make sure they receive the funds and follow up with you.

Please know that we are all so grateful for the love and support you have shown to her and all of us since her passing.

Denise