New York Life Foundation Grants $1 Million To The Moyer Foundation To Assist Bereaved Children
New York, N.Y., May 7, 2012—The New York Life Foundation today announced a $1 million grant over three years to The Moyer Foundation, whose mission is to empower children in distress by providing education and support – helping them to live healthy and inspired lives. The funding, the largest single grant in The Moyer Foundation’s 12-year history, will allow the organization to meet a number of program goals, including expanding services to reach thousands of grieving children at free camps across the United States and Canada.
In making the grant announcement, Chris Park, president of the New York Life Foundation, said, “We are proud to continue our strong partnership with The Moyer Foundation, whose mission and commitment to the issue of childhood bereavement positively impacts so many children in need.”
Park continues, “The need among bereaved children is greater than commonly thought. In fact, according to a recent study, one in seven children will experience the loss of a family member (or close friend) before the age of 20, which puts children at risk. However, the good news is that grieving children themselves report that the support, experiences, and resources that The Moyer Foundation provides helps ease their burden and promotes the hope and optimism they need.”
The grant will focus on sustainability of The Moyer Foundation’s Camp Erin™ programs, establishing new camp locations and increasing the number of children served in existing locations by expanding camp sessions. The funding will also support the National Bereavement Resource Guide, a compilation of state and local resources for people experiencing loss, which is free and can be found online at www.moyerfoundation.org/nbrg/ or by visiting www.achildingrief.com.
In addition, The Moyer Foundation’s National Bereavement Camp Conference will be funded by the New York Life Foundation grant. This conference, which has been sponsored by the New York Life Foundation in the past, brings together grief professionals involved in bereavement camps across the country to share best practices in the field.
“We greatly appreciate the generous commitment the New York Life Foundation has made to The Moyer Foundation and the dynamic partnership we have built together since 2008,” said Kevin Sullivan, The Moyer Foundation’s national executive director.
“This renewed commitment will allow us to serve thousands more children and teens in distress, especially the youngest family members, by giving them the coping tools to help achieve normalcy and balance in the face of the loss of a parent, sibling, loved one or caregiver,” said Sullivan.
Support from the Foundation, which totals over $1.7 million since 2008, has been integral in helping The Moyer Foundation establish nearly 40 camps across the country – providing outreach, education and ongoing support to more than 2,500 children annually and leveraging the support of more than 2,000 community volunteers, including hundreds of New York Life employees from across the country who have donated time and money to Camp Erin, according to Sullivan.
As co-founders Jamie Moyer, the veteran Major League Baseball pitcher, and his wife, Karen, have said, “Every child deserves to live life with hope, comfort and support. The work of both New York Life and The Moyer Foundation is vital and provides children and families in distress with both the potential and the necessary resources to live on and live well.”
About The New York Life Foundation
Inspired by New York Life’s tradition of service and humanity, the New York Life Foundation has, since its founding in 1979, provided more than $155 million in charitable contributions to national and local nonprofit organizations. Through its focus on “Nurturing the Children,” the Foundation supports programs that benefit young people, particularly in the areas of educational enhancement and childhood bereavement. The Foundation also encourages and facilitates the community involvement of employees, agents, and retirees of New York Life through its Volunteers for Life program. To learn more, please visit the Foundation's Web site at www.newyorklifefoundation.org.
About The Moyer Foundation
The Moyer Foundation is a public, 501(c)(3) organization with offices in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Seattle, Washington. The organization was founded in 2000 by World Series champion pitcher Jamie Moyer and his wife, Karen. The Foundation’s mission is to empower children in distress by providing education and support – helping them to live healthy and inspired lives. In addition to community-funded grants, The Moyer Foundation also created and funds Camp Erin™, the largest network of free bereavement camps in the country for grieving children and teens (40 camps in over 25 states); and Camp Mariposa™, a free camp program for children living with addiction/substance abuse in their families with locations in Washington, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Florida. The Moyer Foundation raises funds through special events, corporate partners and individual donors. For more information, visit www.moyerfoundation.org.
