Purpose & Hope (in honor of Christian Schenk)

Today, for my birthday, I’m asking everyone to support a cause that I know will make a profound impact on hundreds, if not thousands of lives. This week my sister, Kirsten, with the help of family and friends, is starting a charity called Purpose & Hope in loving memory of her son, Christian. 

Kirsten’s purpose, and her hope, is to help other suicide survivors by creating local support networks and inspiring survivors to find their own sense of purpose and hope so they heal.

It will not be easy and will take time, but I have no doubt in my mind that Kirsten will succeed.

Over the next 9 months, Purpose & Hope will host two events that will benefit the First Responders Children’s Foundation and 4 organizations that stepped up to provide unsolicited and immediate support to the Schenk family at a time of great despair and sadness including Ocean County Sheriff's Foundation, Cop2Cop, Garden State Law Enforcement Officer's Association, and the New Jersey State Policemen’s Benevolent Association.

The first event is a 5K run that will take place Saturday November 21, 2020, which is International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day and the same week as Christian’s birthday. The second is a golf charity event at the end of April 2021, when we will celebrate Christian’s life and the beautiful person and father he was.

Both the Survivor Day 5K and Christian Schenk Memorial Golf Tournament will honor his memory with 100% of all proceeds going to surviving families in need.

I am not surprised Kirsten made this decision to serve others.  I am so proud of her for having the strength and the courage to do so. I know in finding her own sense of purpose and hope, she will give Christian’s life purpose, too; and she will be an extraordinary source of inspiration and hope for so many others.

I also know and understand the impact that a sense of purpose and hope can make on someone’s life  I have seen it firsthand when helping struggling veteran find their first jobs; supporting friends battling depression, PTSD, and invisible wounds of war; and on countless other occasions as a nonprofit CEO.  And I have experienced it myself when confronted with life’s most difficult obstacles and some of the same challenges.

My goal is to help Kirsten start this important cause by funding 1,000 Survivor Day 5K race day T-shirts for all of the runners and walkers, so every dollar Kirsten raises will go directly to survivors.

For more information and to register to run or walk the 5K in person or virtually, go to www.purposeandhope.org. 


With Purpose & Hope,

Kevin Schmiegel

#ProudBrother to Kirsten
#ProudUncle to Christian