Anna's Wish

What’s Been Happening

Jeff McKinney — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 19:24:03 +0000

Hello. Thank you for visiting annaswish.org A lot of exciting things have been happening and I thought it was time for an update. We have received all the necessary approval from the Federal Government and New York State. Because of this, you may have noticed a new button on the site. PayPal. Now you can donate online, which is the only option for many people in other countries. There is however, a small fee that PayPal will take out of your donation, but it’s lower than the normal fee because we are a 501(c)(3).
July 5th was Anna’s birthday. It was a difficult day but many people helped us celebrate by blowing bubbles, which was one of Anna’s favorite things to do. It is getting harder and harder every day that she is not here, but this charity is doing such good things.
We have begun working with Strong Hospital to help families in need and immediately have made an impact. So many families are struggling to make ends meet during this difficult journey of dealing with cancer and thanks to your generous donations, Anna’s Wish has been able to brighten lives and make a difference. In some cases, the differences will leave lifelong memories.
Every time I deliver something to the hospital or a family, I recall how generous Anna was and how much she wanted to help others, especially other children fighting cancer. Thanks to you and your kind and generous donations, Anna’s legacy is continuing. This charity has filled a niche that was lacking for many families. Thank you for making it a reality.
Donor letters are currently being printed and will be mailed shortly so those of you that are using your donation as a tax deduction will have a record of your contribution.
We are making a difference! I would hope that this is something that you continue to believe in and support. It has grown into something more than I ever thought it could be..but really, that shouldn’t be surprising….it’s all based on Anna and that little girl was incredible…why would her charity be anything different?

Love,
Jeff

An Important Day

Jeff McKinney — Sat, 22 May 2010 19:35:51 +0000

Good Afternoon. Today is a very important day in the history of Anna’s Wish, Inc. When I arrived at the post office this morning I found a letter from the IRS containing the great news… Anna’s Wish is an officially recognized 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charity! With this determination we are now able to finish our filings, add PayPal / Credit Card contributions to the website, and a myriad of other things. This is a huge step in the charity moving forward. And while this truly is a happy day and wonderful things will come from this enterprise, there is always a some sadness in thinking about why this organization was formed. Anna sweetheart, we miss you so much and hope you are proud that we are making Your Wish come true. We think of you every single day.

Fundraiser

Jeff McKinney — Sat, 08 May 2010 03:04:19 +0000

This was posted on Anna’s CaringBridge Site.

Hi, my name is Alex Yudelson and I am the Community Liaison for National Honor Society at Rush-Henrietta High School. I would like to let everyone know that we will be holding a fundraiser for Anna’s Wish on Saturday, May 22nd from 11AM-2PM at the High School (1799 Lehigh Station Road, Henrietta). Everyone is welcome and we will be trying to raise money for this great cause. There will be activities for all ages, a silent auction, etc. There is no admission but donations are suggested and all money will be going towards this great foundation. We hope you can come and please try to spread the word! You can e-mail me with any questions.

Alex Yudelson
yudelsona10@rhnet.org

Quick Update

Jeff McKinney — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 16:31:47 +0000

Hello! I am posting a quick update to thank everyone for their continued support of Anna and Anna’s Wish. We continue to be in awe of the support that we are receiving and have been amazed at all the wonderful things people have been doing for Anna’s Charity.

The next few weeks are going to be busy. We are finalizing paperwork with the IRS, a logo for Anna’s Wish is very close to being complete, we are implementing a system to identify families in need, and we have some exciting fundraisers planned.

I was asked to speak tonight at SUNY Geneseo during their Relay for Life Fundraiser sponsored by The American Cancer Society. I will be talking about Anna, the importance of eradicating this horrible disease, and Anna’s Wish. It is truly an honor to be going back to a place that I have such fond memories of and to have the opportunity to talk about my daughter, whom I love so much. I hope I can do justice to Anna and this important cause.

Thank you for taking some time out of your busy life to read this blog, it is truly appreciated.

Moving Forward

Jeff McKinney — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:58:20 +0000

We are so thrilled and totally overwhelmed by the support Anna’s Wish is getting. The Board of Directors for Anna’s Wish met last month to plan for the future of the charity. The 501c3 paperwork was filed and everything should be finalized in 8-10 weeks. We’ll be meeting with the people who will help us identify the families who could benefit from Anna’s Wish. It’s really exciting and emotional to see our little girl’s hopes being realized.

A lot of people have been asking if they can help. We are so touched that so many people are willing to participate. We’d like to put together a volunteer list, so we know who to call on when we need helpers. Erin Ressman will be coordinating this for us. If you’d like to be included on the list, please send her an email at erin@annaswish.org. Please include your name, phone number, address and email address and tell us how you would like to help (publicity, help with mailings, help with fundraisers, shopping for the families, wrapping gifts, etc.).

Thank you for checking in and for your support. It means so much to us and is truly going to make a difference for so many families.