Impact

At The Loukoumi Make A Difference Foundation , we measure our impact not only in terms of the more than 150,000 children reached through our own programs and partnerships each year but also in terms of the lives they in turn reach by carrying out our mission.

Here are just a few examples…

• The Reda brothers lost their father on 9/11. Thanks to the support of their mentor from the organization Tuesday’s Children, they have learned the importance of paying it forward.

• Alivia was introduced to Loukoumi when she was a year old at an event at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Now 11 years old, her cancer is in remission and she enjoys fundraising to give back to the Hospital that saved her life.

• Katia wanted to help the global water crisis, and so through her Thirst Project, she has raised over $30,000 to help build clean water wells in Africa—and in fact built one herself.

• When Adrianna was in foster care, she recalls how lonely it was waiting for your “Forever Family,” and so she has now created and distributed over 300 rainbow-colored ponies to other kids in foster care to let them know that they are not alone.

• Darren will never forget the day when a homeless person came to his family’s restaurant asking for food. Months later, when he saw the same homeless man on the streets of New York, he convinced his parents to offer this man a job, helping to rehabilitate his life.

• Lauren wants to be a chef when she grows up! During her Loukoumi Dream Day with celebrity chef Maria Loi she learned all sorts of culinary tips, but more importantly Maria showed her the importance of making a difference in the world. Lauren has embarked on many good deeds including donating her hair to make wigs for cancer patients.

• Cayleigh wants to be a dancer, yet others in her school tried to bully her into believing that she was too short to follow her dream. Through resilience and dedication, she proved them wrong.

• Dean loves baseball and so he identified a school on the island of Jamaica devastated by a hurricane and looking for recreations supplies. He teamed with the Fordham University baseball team and they collected enough baseball equipment for six schools starting the make a difference baseball league.

• Lionel was diagnosed with lymphoma and the Make A Wish Foundation offered him a trip to Disneyland Paris, but when his cancer went into remission he decided to change his wish instead to give a $10,000 donation to the organization that helped him during his cancer treatments.

• Will’s brother suffers from severe food allergies and so he holds events in support of The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network.Irene was born with Juvenile Arthritis, making ordinary activities for kids difficult to do, but she refuses to let Arthritis define her and has raised over $40,000 for The National Arthritis Foundation.

• Molly loves animals and dedicates her time at Animal Shelters, saving over 300 cats and dogs in the process.Elena wishes to pursue a career in acting so she holds fundraisers to help give other kids a chance, donating the money raised to Americans for the Arts