~ Quote by Terry Biggs, Lifeline Foundation Inc.'s Co-Founder & CEO (2009) ~
The official establishment of Lifeline Foundation, Inc. couldn’t have been more timely, according to its
Co-Founder & CEO, Terence Biggs, Jr.
Within 24 hours after filing final documents and having them approved, we’d received our first call to request an extended lifeline in the form of a charitable contribution.
Terence has provided the following recap of Lifeline Foundation, Inc.’s ~
First Charitable Contribution Timeline of Events:
On Wednesday, August 19, 2009 my wife Sharon, daughter Danielle, and I launched Lifeline Foundation, Inc. (LFI).
LFI is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) charitable organization headquartered in Central New Jersey, and is the umbrella organization for LifelineExtensions.blog, the New Jersey & Panamá Lifeline Literacy Connection, the Clifford & Ivy Greaves Children’s Libraries; and other charitable and educational endeavors designed to improve the quality of life and literacy development of children in poor communities in Panamá Central America and in other impoverished locations around the world.
The very next day (Thursday, August 20th) at 8:06 a.m., I received an e-mail from my adopted sister, Pamela Major. The e-mail stated that a 14 year-old boy named Keith Calhoun was shot and killed in Newark, NJ the early part of the week; and that his three brothers, (Thomas age 9, Angelo age 11 and Morgan age 15) did not have suits to wear to the funeral to be held on Friday at 9:00 a.m.
Pamela and I then spoke by phone to go over additional information that would be helpful in providing assistance to the family.
Representing our brand spanking new Foundation, I called Christine Harris, best friend of the boys’ mother who serves as a surrogate aunt, who was taking care of the boys in her home in Central New Jersey. After finding out what the need was I got in my car and drove to Ms. Harris’s home. Ms. Harris, who is legally blind, introduced me to each of the boys and I spent some time talking with them and trying to put a smile on their saddened faces.
Lifeline Foundation, Inc. made arrangements for the boys to be measured and provided with a complete outfit of their choice with shoes included, so that they could attend their brother's funeral.
LFI then partnered with Sarno & Son Tuxedos, which is headquartered in Scranton, Pennsylvania; and with UPS to meet this immediate and emergency need.
Arrangements were made for each boy's outfit to be delivered to their surrogate aunt's address by 7:00 a.m. sharp so that they could be dressed and get on their way to the 9:00 a.m. funeral in Newark, New Jersey.
I telephoned Christine Harris on Friday morning before the funeral just to make sure everything had been delivered and received on time. After thanking me numerous times for the charitable contribution provided by Lifeline Foundation, Inc., Ms. Harris happily said: "The boys are getting dressed and are excited that the color of the outfits they chose is going to perfectly match the colors their mother chose to bury their brother in!"
Arrangements were made for each boy's outfit to be delivered to their surrogate aunt's address by 7:00 a.m. sharp so that they could be dressed and get on their way to the 9:00 a.m. funeral in Newark, New Jersey.
I telephoned Christine Harris on Friday morning before the funeral just to make sure everything had been delivered and received on time. After thanking me numerous times for the charitable contribution provided by Lifeline Foundation, Inc., Ms. Harris happily said: "The boys are getting dressed and are excited that the color of the outfits they chose is going to perfectly match the colors their mother chose to bury their brother in!"
Ms. Harris also said she’d informed the boys' mother, Andrea Bryant, about the outfits LFI had provided; and that Ms. Bryant was overwhelmed by this generous deed that had been done on behalf of all of her sons.
Christine Harris took photographs of the boys in their outfits and has promised to forward them to Lifeline Foundation Inc.'s headquarter office in Princeton, New Jersey.
My wife, Sharon, who is Co-Founder & President of Lifeline Foundation, Inc.; reached out to Ms. Harris a few days after the funeral to introduce herself and to re-confirm that the boys liked the suits and that all had gone according to the scheduled plan.
Despite the need for voicemails to be left both by Sharon and by Christine Harris as they tried to reach each other throughout the week; Ms. Harris’s voicemail below summed up the experience, and has rubber-stamped the fact that immediate and quick responses to requests for charitable contributions are of great benefit to those on both the giving and receiving ends.
“Hi. This is Christine Harris, aunt of the boys you and your husband helped out. The kids are doing fine...I appreciate you guys helping us out so much...the boys are still here with me...they are actually the children of my best friend from Newark and I figured I’d help her out by getting the kids out of the City of Newark for a little while. Thank you again so much for helping us this way. We really appreciate it. I’ll speak with you soon.”
And, THAT is what charitable acts of philanthropy are really all about, regardless of how quickly both the giver and receiver may need to take action...
Sharon M. Biggs, M.A.
Co-Founder & President
Lifeline Foundation, Inc.
sharonbiggs@mylifelinefoundation.org
Contact Information & Mailing Address:
Lifeline Foundation, Inc.
301 North Harrison Street
Suite 35
Princeton, New Jersey 08540
http://www.mylifelinefoundation.org/
E-mail: info@MyLifelineFoundation.org
Weblog: http://lifelineextensions.blogspot.com/
Please direct all inquiries or charitable donations to Lifeline Foundation Inc.'s
Co-Founder & President:
Sharon M. Biggs, M.A. ~ SharonBiggs@MyLifelineFoundation.org
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